The Sunday Mail
SHOPPING is what the festive season is about.
As I search the streets for hot fashion items that every fashionista should own – my wardrobe just cannot take anymore clothes.
My wardrobe has reached its limits and many people out there can relate with me. You know you may be having a shopping problem when you have more than one closet in the house. When the one in your room is full, excessive hoarders of clothes like me invade other rooms in search of wardrobes.
Learn to shop responsibly and never keep clothes that you never wear
When I was younger, the children’s bedroom closets had my parents’ decades-old clothing. This was not unique to me, my cousins also had my aunties and uncles’ clothing also stored in their wardrobes.
My generation has also this trend – piles of old clothing have filled our wardrobes. It makes no sense, for example, it is not like velour tracksuits from the “J. Lo” era are coming back into style anytime soon. For the guys, “FUBU” by LL Cool J is not getting back into style either, so why keep the 1990s fashion in the wardrobe?
The same applies to clothes of those who have had drastic change in weight and size – there is no need to keep the clothes of your body’s former shape. The tradition needs to stop – we need to let go of the old clothes.
Unless one is planning to start an illegal second hand clothes shop at home, clearing your wardrobe of old items helps renew personal style. As the year ends, it is time to either toss, donate or sell excess closet items.
So before the New Year lands – Style Corner says “in with the new and out with the old”. Here are guidelines from elle.com on how to clear one’s old closet before spending on a new one.
Prioritise and categorise
Invite a friend over and put on some of your favourite songs on your playlist to make it fun and more bearable. Take all your clothes out of the closet to see every single item including the often hidden ones. Prioritise your items into four categories; toss, keep, sell and repairs. Keep clothes that are classic pieces for they can work for a long time.
Apply the one-year rule
If you have not worn an item for a year then it is time to let it go. The chances of you ever wearing it are too slim. It might be the hottest item you own, however, if it does not look good on your body it is time to let it go.
Fill three boxes
Create three boxes to fill your old clothes: toss, donate and sell. The toss box is for clothes you cannot give to anyone. These are either too torn or intimate clothing to give away.
In the donate box make sure the clothes are clean and are not too damaged to give away. Donations should have casual wear items as formal evening wear might not be appropriate.
There is always an option to sell to your friends and family just to get money from it. In conclusion letting go of clothes that have a memory and story may be difficult. However, there is joy in creating new stories by shopping this Christmas and filling wardrobes with the hot items of the season. A renewed perspective on style and self-image awaits shopaholics this season. Happy shopping!
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