Wardrobe Rehab : Session 2, Re-Thinking What You Already Own

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In my last closet post I discussed how to clean out your wardrobe for a new season. If you didn't read it the first time around, you can take a few minutes and read through the post here.

Today I am talking about my second step in transitioning my closet from one season to the next; re-evaluating what items I already have to see how I can re-style into some new looks this season. Don’t get me wrong, I love buying new clothes as much as the next 20-something female. But I also love taking something I already own and mixing it a totally new way for a modern and current look. Saving some money by not having to purchase tons of new clothes is never a bad thing either!

As I mentioned in my last post, I start preparing for a new season by first creating a Pinterest board with looks I am attracted to. Once I have a solid collection of looks I go through to see if there are any common themes popping up. These common themes could be colors, patterns, textures, silhouettes or a certain garment. This season I have a lot of saved looks that don't involve specific items but rather are styling ideas. That means that rather than focusing on buying new clothing I can focus on pairing what I already have in new ways that feel fresh and inspired and re-create those favorite styling pairings I love. My key themes this season include mixed textures (leather with ripped denim and sweaters with skirts), monochromatic outfits (all cream garments), grey sweaters (cardigans and pullovers) and midi skirts.

Once I have my themes and key elements identified I get to the fun part - shopping my own closet to put together outfits that follow these themes without actually buying anything new. Go one outfit at a time and work through piece by piece to see how you can recreate the look with what you already have. The most important part here is to think about the looks you like in a more abstract way rather than focusing on specific brands or exact garments. That way you can achieve a look you love without having to buy anything new.

Sometimes it is matter of pairing items together that you previously haven't thought to do. Other times new styling tricks can change up what you already have to be worn in a trendier way. Here are a few of my favorite tips for re-styling what you have to make it fresh for a new season:

1. Tuck It In - a tucked shirt can have a totally different look than un-tucked. Experiment with a half front tuck vs. a full tuck.
2. Layer A Sweater on Top of a Dress - this gives the illusion of a top and skirt, no new purchases necessary (see this post for an example of how this can look). To get the look of a tucked top when there is no waistband use a safety pin to pin the front sweater hem up and under to itself  (I did this trick in this post).
3. Wear a Skirt Over a Dress - this makes your dress top look like a separate blouse. Make sure your skirt is longer than the dress hem.
4. View Everything as 'Everyday Wear' - sometimes we get fixated on a certain piece as day/casual (like denim) or night/fancy (like sequins or beading) and we end up only wearing those items in certain ways/settings. Shake things up and add a ton of new pieces to your rotation by wearing a fancier piece with something casual or dress up a casual item with a polish garment. Examples include pairing casual jeans with a silk top, sharp blazer and heels for dinner or wearing your sequin skirt with a casual tee shirt and cardigan to work.

Alright, we’ve made it to the end of our prep work! We now have a cleaned out closet, have styled some new looks with our existing wardrobes and are armed with loads of inspirational looks for  the season. Next up is the fun part of shopping! Stay tuned for more to come on what I am buying this season, where I spend and where I save when shopping and some DIY tricks that everyone can try at home.