In addition to my blog redesign, I feel like my wardrobe needs a little redesigning and refreshing. Things I wore in college aren’t exactly (cool) mom-appropriate. And some of my business casual clothes are gathering dust since I can now wear jeans everyday to work, though I wore an outfit extremely similar to the one above on Wednesday. Finally, some of the items in my closet are worn beyond repair, stained from who-knows-what, and/or don’t fit me properly. Seeing that it’s Labor Day weekend, there are going to be sales out the wazoo! So what are some tips before parting with my hard-earned money and building a new wardrobe?
Take an inventory
First off, it’s important to take an inventory of what I already have and what I may need to fill out or update my wardrobe. If you’re daring, you can take everything out of your closet and dresser and only put back what fits and fits your current lifestyle. Then you can see what you’re really working with and what may need to be replaced. This decision tree is a fantastic resource if you need help sorting through your closet. And Jill has a great list of 50 things every woman must own.
Once at the store, think about why am I buying this. Is this a need or a want?
As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m the proud owner of new pink shoes. Some might see pink shoes as a “want,” (OK they probably are), but pink shoes are kind of my thing. I see colorful accessories as an easy and inexpensive way to mix up an outfit. As for the scarf above, I bought it during our recent trip to Montreal. Not exactly a “need,” but it’s a useful souvenir and every time I wear it I’ll think of our trip.
Do I already have something similar in my closet?
While out shopping, I find myself drawn to items I already own (i.e. stripes, pink shoes, and scarves). This might be great since things will match (see #3 below), but how many white button-down shirts does one really need? Well, maybe at least one more since babies and toddlers are messy ;)
What will I wear it with?
If I can’t think of three separate outfits, this new piece of clothing might not be right for me. Fortunately, Pinterest and style blogs help me figure out ways to remix my wardrobe.
Do I love it? And how often will I wear/use it?
Not just like it, but really love it and want to wear it every day? Or in the case of a leather purse or tote, is this item well-crafted and able to stand up to months or years of use? If so, the cost per use become negligible and that tote becomes a great investment piece.
Does this item fit me now?
Do I need to lose weight to fit into this? Or will I have to get it tailored? This is a really tricky question for me now considering my weight and body shape are all over the place. I’m sure other moms can relate to the different wardrobes for the different stages of motherhood:
- Not pregnant
- Pregnant and looking bloated
- Pregnant, wearing normal maternity clothes
- Pregnant, nothing fits
- Post-baby, I still look pregnant
- Post-baby, my boobs are still huge since I’m breastfeeding (and let’s not forget wearing something nursing-friendly)
- Post-baby, a bit softer than usual
- Lost most of the baby weight and not pregnant
- Lather, rinse, and repeat
Are there hidden costs in maintaining my purchase?
That sale rack might be singing it’s siren song, but an innocent blazer might cost a boat load of money if tailoring, dry cleaning, and the like are involved.
Finally, in order to keep my closet from exploding, I try to keep to the “one in, one out” policy.
Are you hitting any of the sales this weekend?