I think we’ve all experienced the phenomenon of having a wardrobe full of clothes with nothing to wear. You look at the shirts and pants and dresses and feel nothing but uninspired. It can be very tempting to jump online or duck down to the shops and find something new, but what if you just looked at your wardrobe a little differently? What if you ‘shopped’ your wardrobe?

Shopping your wardrobe, or your closet, is when you browse through the items and pieces you already own and start styling them in new ways you’ve never thought of before. This can be hard to start off with, especially if you’re feeling uninspired, but you just need to reshape your view. Sure, if there are pieces that don’t fit or are in bad condition, you’re never going to want to wear them, but chances are you have even just a few gems in there, hiding behind that coat, or at the other end of the rail.

Here are some tips to help you fall in love with what you already have and make your wardrobe more sustainable.

get organised

How can you shop your wardrobe if you don’t know what you’ve got? So your first job is to get your wardrobe in order (if you haven’t done so already). How you organise your wardrobe is entirely up to you, but I like to keep a digital inventory of my entire closet on my phone. using the StyleBook app. This is my absolute favourite app, and it has changed my life. I went through every single piece I had in my wardrobe. Pants, bags, dresses, shirts, hats, accessories, swimsuits, shoes, belts, scarves, everything except for underwear. I took photos of every piece, and logged them on the app, along with their brand, fabric/material colour, size, price, and any notes about the garment. I found that I have over 1,000 pieces in my inventory, which was no mean feat. But I now have an all encompassing view of what my closet consists of.

You don’t have to go to this extreme if you don’t want to. Just simply going through your wardrobe and positioning your clothes in a way that makes things easy to see and find will do. Even just a quick rummage through will help you find things that you have forgotten about.

get brave

Now is time to get adventurous. You’re at home, you’re probably alone, or you’re with a good friend or partner, crank up some music and get creative. Pair things you wouldn’t think would go together, wear a top backwards, roll up the cuffs on some pants, hell, why not get the scissors? You’re in a comfortable environment, realistic lighting, away from the judgement of sales assistants and other shoppers, so go wild. You may find some combinations that are absolute winners, that you’d can wear on your next night out or to work. And if you don’t like something, you can just take it off. You will now know that this combo doesn’t work, or that a piece doesn’t look or feel right, so you can move it on to a new home. 

get inspired

We can’t all be fashion innovators, so why not piggy back off those who are? Social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, even TikTok, are an absolute treasure trove of fashion and styling ideas. Just search for an aesthetic you’d like to replicate, or a key piece you’d like to style up, and you will be blessed with thousands of pictures, videos and ideas to level up your style.

There are some pieces that are always going to be in style, in come capacity. Keeping an eye on key retailers and labels to see how these pieces are used in new season style books and shows will always leave you with plenty of inspiration. TheIconic, Myer and David Jones, are always at the forefront of Australian fashion, and easy go-tos for tips for refreshing for the new season.

get honest

Shopping for our future fantasy selves is something we’ve all done at some point. Or we are holding on to a piece that we had when we were in our teens or early twenties that realistically isn’t right for us anymore. This is where we need to get honest with ourselves and our current style, size and/or lifestyle and maybe bid that piece adieu. Really I am the last person to be offering this advice, probably half of my wardrobe fits into this category (you never know when you’re going to need your Year 10 formal gown again). But to be our most successful selves, we need to let go of the things that aren’t going to serve us presently or in the future, unless we are actively working towards it.

get accessorising

Sometimes an accessory can completely transform an outfit. Belts are amazing for creating shape, earrings can change the vibe from conservative to tropical, shoes can really effectively take a pair of jeans from day to night. Accessories create versatility, they’re cheaper than buying a whole new outfit, and can be easily changed out with the season. Next time you’re feeling bored with that old faithful dress, add some colour or texture or shape using a belt, or scarf.

get shopping

I’m not necessarily discouraging your from shopping, but this process might also help you find gaps in your wardrobe. I’m not talking a brightly coloured handbag, but you may find that you’re missing some basic pieces like a pair of black pants or a white dress shirt. Versatile clothing that will help you utilise the your pieces to the best of their ability. 

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