How you shop has a lot do with decluttering believes stylist Marie Shortt, who shares her ten essential tips for any wardrobe detox …
“Decluttering begins with how you shop”, believes Dublin-based stylist Marie Shortt, who studied at the prestigious London School of Fashion and now organises regular wardrobe detox sessions for private clients. “My approach to fashion has a sustainable focus with an emphasis on shopping in a more mindful way, saving you time and money in the process.” Here are Marie’s ten essential tips for any wardrobe detox to help you learn how to declutter your wardrobe effectively …
1. Decluttering begins when you shop. My motto is shop smarter, dress better. Try to make up five outfits with any potential new purchase, using only things you already have in your wardrobe. If you have to buy a full outfit for the piece to work, it might end up limiting you.
2. Only have one season visible at a time, it will make it easier to pick outfits that work together plus you will feel like you have a new wardrobe when you rotate seasons. Pieces from the season you are not wearing can be stored under a bed or above a wardrobe in vacuum bags if you don’t have a loft.
3. Use your local seamstress or tailor to alter or amend pieces that are good but tired – you will be surprised at the magic they can work on your garments.
4. Make small changes to existing garments. I often change the buttons on a coat or blazer for a completely new look; leather or gold buttons can instantly elevate a plain coat.
5. Don’t be afraid to cull unsuitable items. Carve out time over one weekend to go through everything in your wardrobe, or do it by section. Separate pieces into piles – ie keep, store for a new season, store for sentimental reasons, stained, beyond fixing, doesn’t fit or doesn’t bring joy. If an item is stained, beyond fixing, doesn’t fit or doesn’t bring joy, it should be recycled, donated or given away to friends and family.
6. Make your unworn items visible in your wardrobe. After you sort through every piece, if you discover items that you still love but do not wear it’s time to highlight these. Anything you are unsure of needs to be brought to the front of the wardrobe; if you haven’t worn it by the end of the season, it needs to go!
7. Create a moodboard on Pinterest or Instagram to find new ideas on how to style existing pieces once you have completed your wardrobe clearout. You can refer back to it when you are stuck for inspiration when planning an outfit.
8. Buy the best quality you can afford; if pieces are good and made to last, you will be less likely to want or need to get rid of them. Often when people declutter it’s the impulse, fast fashion buys that go first. Shopping pre-loved pieces can be the key to acquiring high quality, made to last or branded pieces.
9. Look at your wardrobe on Sunday and plan outfits for the week. You need to create a wardrobe that works for you so that getting ready in the morning can be a smooth process. When decluttering, try to reorganise in an order that works for you, whether that’s by category, colour or occasion.
10. Your wardrobe needs to work for your current lifestyle and should make you feel happier and more confident. I always advise clients to sell anything good but unwanted. Anything you are holding on to for financial reasons needs to be sold. Likewise, identify pieces you are keeping for sentimental reasons and create a box or space for them away from your wardrobe.
Need to Know: Book ahead for Marie’s next styling workshop on The Fumbally, Dublin 8 on February 18 at 2pm or 5pm. The focus is on “Timeless Staples” that help build a capsule wardrobe. There will be a curated collection of preloved clothes from Agité Closet to shop. For more information visit www.mariestylestudio.com.
Main featured image: Sex and the City Airbnb apartment. Photographed by Kate-Glicksberg, Courtesy of Airbnb.
