3 REASONS WHY YOU HAVE A CLOSET FULL OF CLOTHES BUT HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR

Although most people may have lots of clothes, a huge portion of them is rarely worn. They experience closet meltdowns each time they have to dress up for a work. 

Research shows that people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. That mans 80% of your clothes are sitting there, unworn, taking up physical space in your closet and mental space in your life. A large portion of them are outdated, do not fit properly, need to be taken to the dry cleaners or are items that just do not go with anything else in your closet. You are keeping clothes that do not serve you. There is too much clutter in your wardrobe. It is also because some of your gems/treasure are hidden in the piles and because out of sight is out of mind, you do not get to wear these pieces and you are always on the run to buy more.

The urge to shop can feel so powerful, we sometimes do it to our own financial detriment. Even during times of economic certainty, women still feel compelled to revamp their wardrobes every season. In boom times and lean times, the pressure, particularly on women, to buy new clothes just does not let up. On one hand, going to work may provide you with disposable income, on the other, it fuels the need to look fashionable. So you keep buying, and buying and the circle never stops.

This is a modern issue. In 1930, the average woman owned 9 outfits. Today , according to research, she owns 30, one for nearly every day of the month, though again, she probably only wears 6 of them. Globally, 73% of women update 25 % of their closet every 3 months. Most of them are spending a serious chunk of their money and a lot of their precious time on clothes. Yet i bet in spite of decades of practice, you still do not feel a confident sense of command over your clothing choices. And maddeningly, you are being presented with more choices than ever. Whats made it more challenging is that now with technology, you can shop in your pyjamas on the couch. Temptation and the availability of impulse shopping has just escalated dramatically.

So what is the solution to all this?

Step 1

Do a wardrobe detox in order to get the true picture of what you are physically working with in your closet. It also helps to figure out what you need to add to get more versatility and a bit of fun from your clothes. Take out every piece of clothing that does not serve you anymore or add value in your closet. These pieces are costing you precious wardrobe space and adding clutter to your wardrobe. Above all, they are causing confusion making dressing up a nightmare. Dressing up should be fun!

Step 2

Look at your closet organisation. You cannot find anything in your closet because of the clutter. You need to merchandise your closet, coordinate your clothes by colour or clothing type (eg put jeans together, jackets, shirts ) so you can easily identify them. Create something in your wardrobe or somewhere in your room where you can display all your accessories so that they can be easily visible to you. Doing this will allow you to see all your clothes and accessories. so that it can remind you or inspire you to use them.

 Step 3

Take time to look inward. Do you think your shopping behaviors are healthy or harmful? You may be addicted to shopping. In my experience the best way to get off the retail therapy treadmill and break the cycle of buying, regretting, then buying some more is mindfulness. Re- direct your your energy to find new outlets for your anxiety and different pleasure centre triggers. Documenting gratitude, planning for experiences eg travel and nurturing relationships can all replace the urge to shop.

It also means that you are not buying the right clothes for your body shape and personal style. Shopping is hard and it can be pretty overwhelming especially if you do not know what you are looking for, your body shape and where to shop for it. Different stores cater for different body shapes, body sizes, styles and budgets. Knowing your shape helps you take a targeted approach towards shopping instead of making every purchase a trial and error.

Of course, you can not avoid shopping forever. A full life means you have places to go and people to see and you want to look fresh doing it. That is a beautiful thing. But there is mindless shopping and there is mindful shopping, the former will upset your life and the latter will improve it.

If you are going to spend, here’s a helpful guide navigate the retail landscape:

• Check your datebook. Do you actually have an upcoming ladies lunch scheduled for that cocktail dress you are about to purchase? If not, admit that to yourself and the urge to buy the dress should diminish.
• Quality over quantity. Save your money and spend it on one quality classic piece that will last for years as opposed to multiple fast-fashion pieces that will disintegrate after a few washes.
• Demand versatility from your clothes. Try to limit your new purchases to workhorse items you can wear all year round, regardless of the season and for multiple occasions.
• Start shopping intentionally. Know your body shape & personal style and shop for that.

I know it might not be easy to master all these steps alone. That is why professionals like me are here to help. An Image Consultant can do your body shape and personal style assessments, we can assist you with your wardrobe detox and wardrobe planning , personal shopping and style makeovers. Thanks to technology, all this work can be done face to face or virtually . In short, you can work with an Image Consultant from anywhere in the world. Distance is not a barrier anymore. If you do the math on it, you will find that hiring a professional will save you a lot of time, stress and money in the long run.`There is absolutely no shame in getting help.