Have you taken the Wardrobe Waste Test yet? If you’ve heard me speak on this subject before you might be familiar with this but, if not, give it go, and yes you guys can do it too:
- Close your eyes and mentally picture your wardrobe
- Open it up and throw on the bed everything you haven’t worn in the past 6-12 months. And I mean everything from clothes, shoes, hats, coats, belts, jewellery...the lot!
- Now total up the value of the items on the bed - that is the amount of money you're wasting.
(Feel free to take a moment to get over the resulting shock if you need to with a drink of water, cup of tea or something stronger...depending on the size of your shock).
According to a survey by climate change charity, Global Cool, last year British women spent a whopping £11 billion on clothes, shoes and accessories that were never worn
– accounting for more than half of the total female fashion spend! So perhaps it's not such a shocking statistic that most women in the UK still only wear between 20-30% of the contents of their wardrobe? Regardless of whether you have a small wardrobe or one busting at the seams, love shopping or detest it, that still amounts to a noticeable sum of money wasted...up to 80% of the total amount you spend in fact.
In today's economic and green climate, we can't afford that.
So why do we continue to struggle with what to wear and continue to make the same wardrobe mistakes?
You have a closet full of dresses that you hardly wear (Note: at this point, reasons unknown) and you’re off shopping only to come home with another pretty dress that ends up straight in the wardrobe with all the others.
Why did you buy? Because it was a bargain, the latest fashion, it fit...
The inevitable result? Alright, there is the state of euphoria that ensues many of us when making a purchase - any purchase. But, if you haven’t worn any of the other dresses in your wardrobe, why on earth do you think you will wear this one? Brief ecstasy is followed by the depressing realisation that you’ve just spent more money and only increased the problem.
While this is just an example and by no means a broad summation of all women out there (particularly if you don’t like dresses), it highlights the very real fact that the underlying reasons for this behaviour have not been addressed. And until it is we'll continue to repeat the same patterns with the same approach and attitudes to how we look and see ourselves.
Will a 'Capsule Wardrobe' solve the problem?
The nation's current favourite, Gok Wan has bought the subject of capsule wardrobes to our attention. It's not a new term but is one open to varying reactions ranging from those who fully embrace the idea to those who shrink back in fear that their female (and for some males) right to shop will be taken away! If you've never heard the term, let me explain, a clothing (or cluster) capsule is the idea of having a small group of key items in your wardrobe that are versatile enough to mix and match with each other creating a larger collection of complete outfits.
Capsule wardrobes are a great concept for just about anybody but particularly useful when putting together a wardrobe on a tight budget, or for a holiday or when needing to travel light. You will find a great many books, more TV programs, YouTube videos and indeed blogs on the subject of how to create a capsule wardrobe, even to the point of telling you exactly what and how many key items you should have in it!
If only it was that easy.
The idea of taking a grocery list of items and creating 'perfect wardrobe capsules' is certainly very appealing but the reality is that you could very easily waste a lot of time, effort, not to mention money on creating something that is still totally inappropriate for you. Possibly good for your mum, or your best friend but not you. Why? For the simple reason that we are all unique individuals, with our own sense of style, colouring and body shapes and attitudes.
I advise first creating a Wardrobe Capsule Foundation which is based on a solid understanding of your personal image and style and what you need and want out of the way you dress.
This foundation is first and foremost influenced by:
- an understanding of the clothing shapes that suit your body shape;
- appreciating your most flattering palette of colours based on your natural colouring;
- embracing your personal sense of style
Only once these have been established can you apply it to lifestyle needs and be in a position to honestly assess what you have already in your wardrobe, how you can wear it and what the gaps are to shop for. It's at this point that clothing capsules can start to take shape, within the right budget of course.
It's also important to bear in mind that this process can mean reassessing those very basic items (clothing fundamentals) in the wardrobe, for example, ensuring that you have the right fitting underwear to flatter your body shape? The same can be applied with with skirts, dresses, trousers, shoes and so on. It is worth getting to grips with this before you buy more of the same (clothing fillers) and certainly before you can wear the latest trends (clothing fashion) sensibly without wasting money.
This is by no means an overnight process, it does take time, discipline, self-awareness and an initial investment in understanding what works for you (that's where I come in by the way) to build this foundation. It will stand you in good stead and become second nature giving you the freedom to buy with the confidence of knowing you won't bump into the same wardrobe challenges, season after season.
Right now, each of us have around £500 worth of items hidden at the back of the wardrobe or worse, chucked straight in the bin - shhh. so it's well worth the investment of time and money in building the right wardrobe capsules for you.
And if the very term ‘capsule wardrobe' turns you off, my tip is to start calling it something else...My "Bohemia" Wardrobe or My "Ultra Chic" Wardrobe, My "Yummy Mummy" Wardrobe or perhaps My “I’ve hit 40 and Proud Of It Wardrobe!
Min Sandhu is founder of imaginestyle, a consultancy business focused on personal and corporate image. Find out more about how Min can help you with establishing a wardrobe that works for you, your lifestyle and your budget by visiting www.imaginestyle.com.
- Close your eyes and mentally picture your wardrobe
- Open it up and throw on the bed everything you haven’t worn in the past 6-12 months. And I mean everything from clothes, shoes, hats, coats, belts, jewellery...the lot!
- Now total up the value of the items on the bed - that is the amount of money you're wasting.
(Feel free to take a moment to get over the resulting shock if you need to with a drink of water, cup of tea or something stronger...depending on the size of your shock).
According to a survey by climate change charity, Global Cool, last year British women spent a whopping £11 billion on clothes, shoes and accessories that were never worn
– accounting for more than half of the total female fashion spend! So perhaps it's not such a shocking statistic that most women in the UK still only wear between 20-30% of the contents of their wardrobe? Regardless of whether you have a small wardrobe or one busting at the seams, love shopping or detest it, that still amounts to a noticeable sum of money wasted...up to 80% of the total amount you spend in fact.
In today's economic and green climate, we can't afford that.
So why do we continue to struggle with what to wear and continue to make the same wardrobe mistakes?
You have a closet full of dresses that you hardly wear (Note: at this point, reasons unknown) and you’re off shopping only to come home with another pretty dress that ends up straight in the wardrobe with all the others.
Why did you buy? Because it was a bargain, the latest fashion, it fit...
The inevitable result? Alright, there is the state of euphoria that ensues many of us when making a purchase - any purchase. But, if you haven’t worn any of the other dresses in your wardrobe, why on earth do you think you will wear this one? Brief ecstasy is followed by the depressing realisation that you’ve just spent more money and only increased the problem.
While this is just an example and by no means a broad summation of all women out there (particularly if you don’t like dresses), it highlights the very real fact that the underlying reasons for this behaviour have not been addressed. And until it is we'll continue to repeat the same patterns with the same approach and attitudes to how we look and see ourselves.
Will a 'Capsule Wardrobe' solve the problem?
The nation's current favourite, Gok Wan has bought the subject of capsule wardrobes to our attention. It's not a new term but is one open to varying reactions ranging from those who fully embrace the idea to those who shrink back in fear that their female (and for some males) right to shop will be taken away! If you've never heard the term, let me explain, a clothing (or cluster) capsule is the idea of having a small group of key items in your wardrobe that are versatile enough to mix and match with each other creating a larger collection of complete outfits.
Capsule wardrobes are a great concept for just about anybody but particularly useful when putting together a wardrobe on a tight budget, or for a holiday or when needing to travel light. You will find a great many books, more TV programs, YouTube videos and indeed blogs on the subject of how to create a capsule wardrobe, even to the point of telling you exactly what and how many key items you should have in it!
If only it was that easy.
The idea of taking a grocery list of items and creating 'perfect wardrobe capsules' is certainly very appealing but the reality is that you could very easily waste a lot of time, effort, not to mention money on creating something that is still totally inappropriate for you. Possibly good for your mum, or your best friend but not you. Why? For the simple reason that we are all unique individuals, with our own sense of style, colouring and body shapes and attitudes.
I advise first creating a Wardrobe Capsule Foundation which is based on a solid understanding of your personal image and style and what you need and want out of the way you dress.
This foundation is first and foremost influenced by:
- an understanding of the clothing shapes that suit your body shape;
- appreciating your most flattering palette of colours based on your natural colouring;
- embracing your personal sense of style
Only once these have been established can you apply it to lifestyle needs and be in a position to honestly assess what you have already in your wardrobe, how you can wear it and what the gaps are to shop for. It's at this point that clothing capsules can start to take shape, within the right budget of course.
It's also important to bear in mind that this process can mean reassessing those very basic items (clothing fundamentals) in the wardrobe, for example, ensuring that you have the right fitting underwear to flatter your body shape? The same can be applied with with skirts, dresses, trousers, shoes and so on. It is worth getting to grips with this before you buy more of the same (clothing fillers) and certainly before you can wear the latest trends (clothing fashion) sensibly without wasting money.
This is by no means an overnight process, it does take time, discipline, self-awareness and an initial investment in understanding what works for you (that's where I come in by the way) to build this foundation. It will stand you in good stead and become second nature giving you the freedom to buy with the confidence of knowing you won't bump into the same wardrobe challenges, season after season.
Right now, each of us have around £500 worth of items hidden at the back of the wardrobe or worse, chucked straight in the bin - shhh. so it's well worth the investment of time and money in building the right wardrobe capsules for you.
And if the very term ‘capsule wardrobe' turns you off, my tip is to start calling it something else...My "Bohemia" Wardrobe or My "Ultra Chic" Wardrobe, My "Yummy Mummy" Wardrobe or perhaps My “I’ve hit 40 and Proud Of It Wardrobe!
Min Sandhu is founder of imaginestyle, a consultancy business focused on personal and corporate image. Find out more about how Min can help you with establishing a wardrobe that works for you, your lifestyle and your budget by visiting www.imaginestyle.com.
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