5 Wardrobe Mistakes I See When I Do a Wardrobe Edit

There are 5 common mistakes I see when I do a wardrobe edit. Not all wardrobes have all five and I’m not pointing out these mistakes in criticism of the clients I see, but so that you can be aware of them and know how to avoid them. 

Clothes that don’t fit

Often clients have way too many clothes that do not fit them anymore. One or two favourite pieces that you hope to fit back into one day aren’t going to take up a vast amount of room but if you have many items that haven’t fitted and are too small for over 12 months, they’re just going to make you feel bad every time you open the wardrobe doors. Get rid of clothes that are too small and invest in some new pieces that fit well and flatter your figure, helping you to feel fabulous again. 

Sometimes a client has lost weight and so the clothes that don’t fit are too big. With these items, occasionally they can be altered by a good seamstress but for anything that can’t or is part of the old you, take to the charity shop or sell on a site like Vinted.

Duplication

Sometimes I am amazed by how much duplication I find in a woman’s wardrobe. They may have 20 white blouses or 20 pairs or black trousers just because that’s what they’ve got into the habit of buying. No one needs that many of the same item even if it’s their signature style and it will just make your wardrobe feel cluttered and boring and the chances are you’ll only wear your favourite few “white blouses” anyway so get rid of the rest and keep things easy to find and don’t waste money on extra duplication. If you feel bored or stuck in a rut, a personal stylist will be able to help you find other colours and styles which will shake things up for you and add new vibrancy to your look. 

Clothes that still have the tag on

To me, this is the saddest wardrobe mistake of all. Some clients tell me they saw the item in a shop, thought it would be ok for the future, bought it, popped it in the wardrobe but have no idea if it works as they’ve never tried it on. And usually, they’ll have done this multiple times. Please do try things on and if they aren’t perfect, be strict and don’t let them enter your wardrobe. I know clothes shopping can be really painful and frustrating but if you really hate it, think about getting some expert help. 

For some women, items still have the tags on as they haven’t thought about their lifestyle. They’ve just fallen in love with a dress or blouse, bought it and then realised they have nowhere to wear it. Others still have made the mistake of buying an item they intend to slim into but they’ve underestimated how much weight would need to come off in order for the item to look good. Only buy clothes that fit you perfectly now and you won’t go far wrong. 

Clothes that need altering

A client will often tell me, “I like this jacket/blouse/dress but there’s something not quite right. I feel funny in it.” When I ask them to pop it on, I can usually see what the problem is and often if a sleeve or hemline is shortened or the waist is nipped in a little, I can see that the item will work perfectly. If you have any of these items, pull them out now and find a good seamstress who can help. 

Clothes that have no friends in the wardrobe

This is probably the easiest wardrobe mistake to fix. Sometimes I find an item in a client’s wardrobe that is perfect for them but it may be a different colour way to their usual choices or a different style and there’s just nothing in their wardrobe they can team it with. Another item may be needed to make it work. If this is the case and you need a new skirt or pair of trousers to go with a certain top, just go and make the purchase and you’ll be able to start wearing the item which had no “friends” in your wardrobe beforehand. 

Which of the 5 wardrobe mistakes have you made in the past? I hope that being aware of them will help you to edit your own wardrobe and make fewer mistakes in the future.