A Wardrobe You Love

Video highlights

Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer in the Anthropology department of our local natural history museum. While there, I’ve learned a lot about what it means to curate, and the experiences I’ve had have inspired me to look at my life as a curation process.

To curate is more than simply cataloging, organizing, and preserving. It is a labor of love.

Curating a wardrobe of beautiful pieces is also a labor of love, and as we’ve been focusing on CYW here at The Anthro Edit (former brand) during the month of February, I thought I’d share a few thoughts about what I’ve learned.

Today, I’d like to share how to curate your wardrobe. I’ve broken it down into ten steps, but depending on your personality and how you like to tackle the things you want in your life, there could be more or less steps depending. I don’t consider myself an expert, as I have a long way to go in cultivating my wardrobe and the pieces I’d like to enjoy within it. But I’d love to share with you what I do know and what I’ve learned along the way.

Chapters

0:00 // Intro to the Closet Inventory
2:00 // Getting to know your style
5:07 // How to do a quick closet inventory
7:23 // What you need to get rid of
9:56 // How to know what you need to keep
12:24 // Making a plan
13:31 // How to shop for your closet
16:55 // Caring for your clothing
18:31 // Outfit ideas
20:26 // Finding inspiration through accessories
21:30 // Evolving your style and wardrobe

Watch the video here, or on Youtube.

Video transcript

Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer in the Anthropology department of our local natural history museum. While there, I’ve learned a lot about what it means to curate, and the experiences I’ve had have inspired me to look at my life as a curation process.

To curate something is more than cataloging, organizing, and preserving. It is a labor of love.

Curating a wardrobe of beautiful pieces is also a labor of love, and as that is what we’ve been focusing on here at The Anthro Edit during the month of February, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned.

Curating your wardrobe is more than shopping for clothing or wearing that clothing, it’s about getting to know yourself and how you choose to present yourself to others.

As I’ve worked on my own wardrobe this month, I’ve learned quite a bit about myself, and I’ve gained a new appreciation for those I follow online who have spent the hours and hours it takes planning, organizing, and searching for the right pieces that represent them so well.

Today, I’d like to share how to curate your wardrobe. I’ve broken it down into ten steps, but depending on your personality and how you like to tackle the things you want in your life, there could be more or less steps depending.

I don’t consider myself an expert, as I have a long way to go in cultivating my wardrobe and the pieces I’d like to enjoy within it. But I’d love to share with you what I do know and what I’ve learned along the way.

1 | Know Your Style

You don’t have to have everything about your style and how you’d like to present yourself all figured out before curating a wardrobe, but it does help to understand a few basic aspects of what you enjoy putting on your body before shopping.

It’s important to know what shapes, colors, fabrics, patterns, design lines, and so forth, compliment your type of beauty.

What are your favorite pieces in your wardrobe already? Why do you like them? What do they say about who you are?

If you don’t like any pieces in your current wardrobe, go online and use Pinterest or Instagram to search for clothing items you think you’d like to start wearing. Using social media as a resource for finding an aesthetic you love. Although you really don’t develop your style while looking at pictures, getting ideas and inspiration can help you narrow down your style options.

If you do have pieces in your closet you love, what can you learn from them? Do you like how they fit, the texture, the color? What is it that makes those items your favorites?

Another option to getting to know your style is to get a custom body and/or color analysis to help you figure out what looks nice on you. I did this recently, and although knowing what design lines and colors look good didn’t help me determine all of my style preferences, it did help me weed out a ton of style options that don’t work and don’t look nice.

Also, consider writing out 3-4 words that you feel match your ideal style. I love timeless, classic pieces with a relaxed feel and a French flair. That’s how I would describe my style. How would you describe the style you’d like to curate?

The simplest way to determine your style, though, is to think about what you’d like to have in your wardrobe, and start there.

2 | Get to know what’s already in your closet

Before you start buying new items, it’s important to know what you already have.

Is your closet overflowing with items you never wear, but you’re ready to make some room for what you’d like to add.

Perhaps, you’re very organized and you just need to find the gaps in your wardrobe to enhance or rejuvenate it.

Wherever you’re starting from, I suggest doing a closet inventory. I’ve put together a free download to help you quickly go through your current wardrobe and see what you need, what you don’t want, and what to buy to fill in the gaps. You can download that on my website, I’ll add the link to the description box below.

3 | Get rid of everything that doesn’t match your style and desires

Before adding items, definitely get rid of as much as possible. A wardrobe full of pieces you don’t like is not going to inspire you to make changes.

When I began curating my wardrobe, I had several clothing storage boxes full of guilt from bad purchases. I went through all of them before and after my closet inventory and sent four bulging garbage bags full of clothing items, jewelry, shoes, and more, to the Good Will.

Granted, many of those items I’d had for years and years, but I really wanted to make room in my life for a beautiful wardrobe full of well curated items, so I figured it was about time I gave them to those who would use them.

4 | Assess what you have and what you still need

After you get rid of the things you don’t want or need anymore there will most likely be a deficit. This is where you use what you’ve already learned to determine what items you need to add.

At this point, it’s a good idea to sit down and make a list of all the pieces you’d like to have in your wardrobe, from scarves, hats, and glasses, to pants, dresses, and tops.

What do you wear most?

What season is it?

What colors would you like more of?

How many items do you need?

What have you always wanted but never allowed yourself to buy?

When I was looking at my own wardrobe, I realized that I didn’t need a lot of dressier items. However, I was wanting to add some everyday dresses, jeans that fit well, and find more tailored blouses and tops that could replace some of the more relaxed fit items that made me look frumpy.

I had a lot of basic items, but after getting a body analysis, I realized I had purchased the wrong shapes and needed to replace the staples in my wardrobe. In many ways, I felt like I was starting from scratch.

Making a list, even if it’s not perfect, before shopping will help you to buy only what you want and avoid buying a bunch of things you’ll regret and have to get rid of later.

5 | Make a plan for curating what you want and need

What are you going to shop for? How much will you spend? What do you really need? What method will you use; do you like capsule, large and extensive, or would you prefer a wardrobe somewhere in between and don’t want a system governing the items you choose?

It’s always best to start with what you need and then work your way into what you want, and then, what you wish for.

Your plan is really just you choosing a place to start, having a baseline for what you are going to purchase, and then shopping conscientiously.

6 | Start shopping (my online shopping measurement guide and blog post)

Now, it’s time to do some shopping and start adding the pieces you desire to your wardrobe.

This is often easier said then done, however, there are some ways to improve your online or in store shopping experience.

First, measure every inch of your body and get to know what works best first. You can download my body measurement pdf on my website. I’ve included the most common measurements women need to know before shopping, especially online, as well as the more uncommon measurements you didn’t know you needed, until you do. I’ll add the link in the description box below, in case you’re interested.

Second, shop intentionally. Use the list and plan you made previously, only shop for items on the list. If that means you are looking for a green blouse in a specific cut, don’t buy a red blouse in a totally different cut just because you can’t find what you’re looking for. Broaden your horizons and get out of your comfort zone, and be patient. What you want will eventually show up.

Buy only what you know fits into your overall plan. Curating requires discipline, but also learn to love the process and enjoy the slow accumulation of the items you love.

Third, go to the store and try on pieces so you can get familiar with different cuts and sizes. The more you know, the easier it will be to make minor adjustments to your list in order to find items you really love.

Curating is a long term project. As anxious as I’ve been to find items in the colors and cuts I want, I’ve had to be very patient. Any impatience I’ve had has ended badly, so learn from my mistakes and don’t be hasty.

7 | Care for what you have

Following washing instructions on any garment is so important to how long it will last and how nice it will look.

I accidentally washed a sweater incorrectly and it went from this beautiful shade of cool red to a dingy version of apple red. There are a lot of garment care videos out there, one of my favorites for sweaters is from Audrey Coyne. I’ll post it in the description below.

8 | Put together and experiment with new and interesting outfits

Heather, the gal who did my body and custom color analysis, is always experimenting with items in her closet. I’m so inspired by those who find new and interesting ways to wear the clothes they have. Find people on social media who inspire you and then take the items in your closet and pair them up in new ways.

Take pictures of the outfits you like so you’ll remember them and compile them into an inspiration folder, or create a secret board on Pinterest for them.

It’s so easy for me to get in a rut of wearing the exact same items in the exact same way over and over. It works for me most of the time, but I do get bored.

Sometimes, you don’t need to buy new items, you just need to find new ways of using what you have.

9 | Find continual inspiration

Jewelry is a great way to refresh a wardrobe. Adding new accessories or shoes can also revive your closet.

I also love to find YouTube channels of women who see timeless, classic style in new ways. We’re all so different, and although I’ve always loved fashion and shopping, I can’t say that I have always had a knack for putting pieces together like others do. I rely on inspiration from outside sources to help me see how I can improve my own sense of style and my wardrobe.

10 | Make adjustments as you go

Don’t be afraid to make adjustments to your closet as you go. Although curating your wardrobe is about mindfulness, gaining greater understanding about yourself, and caring for what you have, you are an evolving creature.

Our style changes. Our understanding of self will shift. As we are refined by life, we have the capacity to see greater possibilities for ourselves.

Allow your wardrobe to shift over time. Enjoy the living process of growing your closet along side your identity and enjoy the journey.