A new year, a new look… some people make resolutions to lose weight, others opt for a new cut and color, some just make a pledge to be more frugal, stop swearing, or just be nicer in general. While these are all noble vows to pledge, this year I am starting with something that I know I can keep up with… my closet!
Not my closet but a wonderful inspiration shot to get us started!
Out with the old and in with the selectively and obsessively picked new. I have always been a quantity over quality kind of girl when it comes to my wardrobe. I have gobs and gobs of accessories and I pretty much hoard shoes, much to my man’s dismay! This year, I propose a simple clean out method for all of us because, seriously, when am I ever going to wear that disco silver sequined top that is two sizes too small (p.s.- it looked amazing on me when I was 17)? Plus, this is Hong Kong after all and our tiny wardrobes can easily be filled to max capacity before we know it! Let’s get to it then, shall we?!?
I would love to lounge like this!
Step 1: Purge the ugly house dresses and lounge more glamorously!
You know those dresses that you used to wear in public but they have since become stained and lost their vibrant hues? [They may also have small holes or the hem may be coming out or the strap may be held by a safety pin!] This is not only limited to dresses but can include running shorts, leggings, yoga pants, and tank tops that went from street wear to gym wear to painting the bedroom and coloring your hair attire. Don’t act like I am the only one with these! They are one step above a nightgown but one step too close to a moo-moo. Instead, I will replace my loungewear with comfortable simple pieces like those from Back Label.
Back Label is available at Konzepp, G/F, 50 Tung Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, 2803 0339
While we’re on that topic…
Look cuter working out… Maybe not this cute!
Step 2: Get rid of ugly gym clothing
Though I am not a member of one of the big name gyms where all the hot people in town seem to maintain their scorching levels, I do try to work out. I have faded yoga pants that are too short and are starting to split in the worst of places! Nothing matches, even though everything is all black, and some articles I can even date back to my high school cheerleading days! This year, I resolve to get with the program and be one of those cute color-wearing girls at the gym! Lululemon has a stunning range of colorful practical exercise gear in Western sizes!
Lululemon, 2701, 27/F, Citicorp Centre, 18 Whitfield Road, North Point, Hong Kong, 2238 5555
Step 3: Really go through the shoes…Really!
Blegh! Donate two pairs for every one I buy. Period.
Step 4: Shop from my own closet
Do you look at all your stuff and realise that you never wear half of it? This year I am going to shop from what I already own! That way I can see what I really use and what is just taking up space. If I can’t figure out how to work it into my outfits as least once this year, then I know it’s a goner! I will gather my unworn items and find a clothing swap to trade them out for some more usable items.
These teens are way cooler than I ever was. They can keep that denim for years to come! Maybe not the leopard hat though!
Step 5: I’m not 17 anymore. Get rid of things I wore when I was.
This is a really hard one for me. Everything comes back around and I can’t tell you how many times my mother has told me “I had something just like what you have on… I wish I would have saved it!” To keep me from saying this to my future offspring, I save everything – jeans from when I was 15, the concert T-shirt from a country teen band that no one heard of (then or now!), huge flower pins that look like my chest is in full-bloom, scarves in every colour of the rainbow (even the ugly shades), bowling shoes that I wore in Milan in 2001… That’s right… I said bowling shoes. I have a bowling bag too that I wanted to use as a purse. Things are getting out of hand. While, I probably won’t really cull this as much as is needed, it feels good just typing it. Admitting the problem is really the first step isn’t it?!?
Step 6: Organise the remains
Love the idea about storing bangles on beautiful old candlesticks! And how cute is it to hang earrings on a thin curtain rod!?! I use the command hooks stuck to the insides of my cabinets to store necklaces. I have also found that a tie rack mounted to a closet wall or door does a great job separating and displaying all your jingly jewels!
For the clothing, it is all about color coordinating and having things in view and within reach. Out of sight out of mind… and this is especially true in our closets where things tend to hide in the dark recesses only to be rediscovered covered in dust balls! If your wardrobe is dark, try hanging a battery-powered light to better illuminate all the corners so you can really see and use what you have.
Here’s to a fashion filled and well organized 2012! And if you are in the mood to clean out more than just your closet, here are some tips from the Mimi and Me Blog to help you achieve your goals!
Happy New Year, Sassy Ladies!