I love this time of year. The air becomes cool and crisp, the leaves turn dark red, fall from the trees, and crunch under your boots. It’s time for bonfires with hot cider, a Saturday trip to the pumpkin patch (the heirloom pumpkins and the little cream ones are my fav!), apple picking, and heading to the mountains to see the leaves turn all their hues. You begin to crave hot coffee, soups, apple butter, and squash. I just love to celebrate this season in every way!
It’s the time of year for another thing that I love: changing over your wardrobe from summer clothes to autumn and winter ones. I think this is one of my favorite ways to embrace this season! It’s also when I have that I wish my fall wardrobe was just a little more fun and interesting! But you know, its tricky to perk it up without spending a lot, which is not a great feeling! I believe in investing in high quality things and only buying what I need or really, really love! I’d rather have less, but better.
Follow this method to make your closet feel full of cool weather outfits that feel super “you-ish”. So get out your fall celebratory spirit and get ready to follow these 5 steps! I did this for my closet today and had so much fun with it
The first step is not what you’d think! Sometimes the key to enjoying more is actually having less! The first step to vamping up your wardrobe is this: dig out your winter clothes and select only the pieces you LOVE, I mean the ones that really make you happy to see again. The ones that you can’t help but think, “man, I just can’t wait to wear this velvet dress out in the city having wine with friends”, or “ooohhh yes I have to wear this sweater around a bonfire at some point this fall”, or “this jacket will be so perfect for apple picking this year”. The ones you picture yourself feeling good when you put them on. Keep those.
Sometimes it helps when you are pairing down to start with a clean room. It frees up your headspace for feeling inspired, I think, and makes everything seem nicer if you have a clean canvas. So if you need to, clean your room, dust, vacuum, light a candle, and refresh your space before going through your clothes. Now, lay out the clothes you love and will actually wear on your bed. This assortment will make you feel inspired, happy, and anticipative to wear them. This is the keep pile.
Now go through the ones that didn’t bring you joy, the ones you never really wear but you always feel like you should. The ones that just don’t quite fit you right. The ones that you’ve talked yourself into keeping for some reason or another. The ones that are really just not “you” any more. The ones you totally forgot about. Do you really need to keep them? Probably not. Once you put them in a bag for the second hand store, I bet you won’t even be tempted to get them back out again! You’ll feel good about it. Getting organized is such a satisfying feeling!
Step 2: What’re you missing?
Now that you have a clean canvas after downsizing your closet, look at it and notice where the holes are. What could you use more of or don’t have at all? Take notes of what you need. For me, I have some solid pairs of jeans and pants, good quality sweaters, some elegant dresses, enough basics, and a came coat. What I could really use though, are a a good pair of black loafers and block heels and a few accessories. Below are a few I have my eye on! What is it that you could use?
Step 3: Get inspired!
This is the fun part! What do you want your closet to look like? What would you ideally be wearing walking down the street this season? How do you want to express who you are? Check in on your favorite instagramers (or find some new ones!), scroll through Pinterest, visit the blogs you love, flip through a few magazines. Remember though, allow yourself to get inspired but don’t let it steal your joy! Remember this is YOUR style your thinking of and this will (and should) look a little different than everyone else! Having less (and only things you love) and being yourself will actually make you feel happier than if your closet was cluttered with all of the pretty things everyone else has or you wish you could have.
Find what really feels you! Notice what you like about the the outfits that stand out. What colors are popping out to you?Are there key statement pieces you keep noticing? Use all of this inspiration as a reference point for the next step!
For me, I’ve been inspired by french girl street style (picture rouge lipped damsels chatting over a morning latte at a cafe in the those little basket chairs), high quality and real fabrics that go along with enjoying life and nature, and a vintage flare, as usual (think Bridget Bardot or Jane Birkin go to a pumpkin patch). I’m loving vintage jeans, creams and tans, cat eyed sunnies, sculptural earings, bed head hair and glowy face, and comfy cashmere and cableknit sweaters. Here are some of my favorite inspirations!
*The images above are not my own and are for inspiration only. 🙂
Step 4: Spice it up!
The key is that adding a few statement pieces you can totally change how your wardrobe feels. All you need is one or two key things that you really really love. The right pair of sunnies, or lipstick, or skirt, and make you rethink everything you have and wear it a little differently! You don’t need a closet overhaul, you just need a few things that make you absolutely happy. Here are a few things that can revamp your closet!
Step 5: Enjoy!
Now that you’ve updated and revamped your closet, the best way to enjoy it is to keep the space where your clothes are a clean, happy space! If your closet is stuffed with other junk and isn’t tidy, you won’t be able to fully enjoy what you have! So spruce up your space. Maybe all you need is to simply dust and tidy and sort. Maybe that meanings putting a fresh coat of white on the walls, or buying wooden hangers, or attractive storage, or maybe it simply means refolding and straightening up the clothes on the hangers! Make your closet look as pretty as a store that you love. If it is clean and a place you feel good about, it will be a lot easier to not come to the closet saying “I have nothing to wear!”. After going through this process, instead of seeing a frumpy mess cluttered with things you don’t really like, you will see a clean space full of the things that make you happy and you will never have to utter that phrase again all season!
Cheers!
Juliet
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