Closet Conundrum – how do you know what to keep and what to chuck?
Photos: Claire Pepper
I’ve held onto these bootcut needlecords since the 1990s – and that’s because I knew I’d wear them again. Obviously over time, silhouettes and shapes change, but patience and a little wardrobe space carried these bootcut cords through the Skinny Jean Years. This pair of Timesaving Black Trousers were worthy of a reference in my first book Style Forever – though the secondhand tracksuit top that once accompanied them is long gone. After a recent post someone asked how I knew which clothes to hold onto. Ooh, good question. How does one know? Sometimes it’s instinctual, sometimes there is a bit of magic and mystery (and occasionally guesswork) involved, but is there a formula? Are there certain questions that can shine a light on the closet conundrum of what stays and what goes?
Taking control of an unruly wardrobe equals a more refined personal style, a clearer vision of what you wear and less faffing around in the morning. I have found getting dressed and putting outfits together much easier since we had a proper built-in wardrobe fitted. And that is probably why I’m giving some of my old favourites a whirl. Wardrobe editing is a constant process – I’m about to engage in a mini-decluttering session now that the spare room looks less like a vintage furniture shop (anyone want a chest of drawers?) and more like an organised, calm space.
Back in the bootcut
As we get older, we are less inclined to buy into faddish trends; it’s more about finding reliable clothes that we love. We lead busy lives, requiring more ease and simplicity and less Faff Factor. What we want is to put clothes on in the morning and know they can make us feel confident and comfortable for the rest of the day. This is where Knowing Your Style comes in. Here are six questions to ask that might help when it comes to figuring out which clothes to keep and which to give to charity:
Do you really like it? Everyone is Kondo’ing like crazy at the minute and so ask yourself does it Spark Joy? Do you feel a positive reaction/ an emotional connection when you look at, pick up or stroke the item of clothing? If the answer to this question is ‘yes’, then it’s a keeper. If it’s ‘no’, then let it go.
Does the garment you’ve been hanging onto suit your current lifestyle? After years working as a fashion editor, and then a part-time academic, I now cycle to a shared office space. I dress for comfort, freedom of movement and to please myself. I no longer need kitten heel shoes and more business-y dresses. These are not my signature pieces.
Are you prepared to give the item precious wardrobe space when it’s taking a fashion sabbatical? Is there something else that would be more versatile, deserving and all-round fabulous?
Would you miss it if you gave it away?
Is the garment in good nick? Fabric condition and amount of wear and tear are obvious considerations. I’m more likely to retain an item that has quality and status and will do me proud when it’s unleashed again – often this is an investment piece, not a one-season wonder. Cheap, flimsy fabrics and anything worn out (that’s not a pair of jeans) can be chucked.
Does it fill well and make you feel good? If not, then why are you holding onto a dud?
And when you have a little extra space in your wardrobe for some Not So Basic Basics…
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Do you have any wardrobe workout tips?
Discussion (29 Comments)
SFord says:
This is something on my ‘to do’ list. I have half-heatedly bagged for charity those items I know that I definitely wont wear again – trousers that look great but are FAR too uncomfortable, shoes that are far too high etc.
I need to put some time aside and spend it taking everything out of the wardrobe properly.
I have a style which is pared back, classic shapes, few patterns but I am not scared of colour. I have this pretty sorted for clothes that I wear at home, in the evenings, weekends and for events but I struggle with workwear.
I work in a PA position where workwear is quite formal but I don’t want to do the trousers/shirt/jacket every day. So tend to stick to slim trousers, various colours (full or ankle length) an unusual blouse ( I find structured shirts so uncomfortable) and a funky heel or flat shoe. Trainers are a definite no-no. I do wear enjoy dresses and skirts but struggle to find dresses in a shape that is both flattering and comfortable and can cope with leaning over to repair a photocopier!
You bring up a very good point here as does Alyson when she refers to “comfort and freedom of movement” as factors in her choices. I realize there are dress codes in many workplaces. But as a movement professional, I am always trying to help people incorporate more natural movement (not just exercise) into their day and I see the effects of clothing that literally binds you in some way. Many shoulder problems develop because we no longer use the full range of motion that is natural to us as humans. We don’t have to reach high for much and stiff shirts restrict the movements anyway. Pants that you can’t squat comfortably in are depriving you of another important movement nutrient that can help keep your hips and knees and back healthy. And don’t get me started on shoes 🙂 I love fashion and looking good. I especially love the athleisure trend and clothing that is elegant, fun and importantly – that I CAN MOVE WELL in.
I hope we can start to change our way of looking at clothes and that corporate culture can start to change their expectations of what is ‘appropriate’. The good health of their employees in part depends on it.
Jill says:
You look like you just stepped off the runway! Bravo. Now on to that closet to purge some more and make sense of what is left.
MichelleK says:
Just finished Marie-Kondo-ing my wardrobe. I had gotten rid of clothes before but never this many. It feels like my house lost weight. I ended up donating 5 bags (2 of them really big) of clothes and 1 bag of shoes. I had kept so many things I was never going to wear again, it was embarrassing. The 4 questions that most guided me:
1. Not just does this fit but: Does this still fit WELL? Is it unflattering in any way?
2. If I had an opportunity to wear this shirt/dress/whatever tomorrow, would I actually wear it? (This was to get away from the nostalgia factor — looking at the garment fondly for the memories it brings).
3. Color. Do I actually wear this color anymore?
4. Does the piece have any flaws that bother me? (This is to get rid of those clothes where you think, “I really like this except for the X”).It is a genuine relief to open my closet door now because I can see what’s there. And what’s there is all stuff I like and want to wear.
Jodi Brown says:
No 3 really resonates with me Michelle. Now my grey transition is complete some colours I favoured before don’t look quite right now – a bit like my old make up.
Thank you for this Alyson. That jacket fits you like a glove.So sensible and helpful, thank you Michelle!
For example, though I dream of floating around in a pale floral midi dress (which, let’s be real, can look a bit like a nightgown!) I actually look and feel way better and more confident in closer-fitting neat clothes in navy and neutrals and a smart scarf.
Sarah says:
Great photos of you Alyson, a timely piece for me – a reminder for when I do my seasonal clothes swap in the next month or so.
This is what I believe: Just because it’s old doesn’t mean you should give it away. And just because you’ve had it forever doesn’t mean you have to keep it. That mantra has been helpful when it comes to deciding what to keep/what to toss.
Joyce Morris says:
I love navy, but find it really isn’t flattering against my older persons skin tone. Does anyone agree? Quite a few things to dispense of I’m thinking.
tess says:
I think wearing navy depends on one’s skin tone, hair color, eye color. I like it very much on myself. I have pale skin with cool blue undertones, rosy cheeks (still), blue/green/gray eyes. My hair is red, though fading into grayish tones.
My husband has gold, warm skin tones, brown eyes, decidedly gray hair and navy is not flattering to him.
I always loved black, but all black next to my face is too harsh now, so more navy, blues, gray now.Isobel says:
My colouring is like yours, Tess (sans red hair!), and I love wearing navy, blues of all shades, greys and olive green. But I’ll pretty much wear any colour if I like it – I just have fewer items in other colours.
I have a lightweight, red linen jacket that I’ve never worn because it’s not quite the right shade of red and it has ruched, 3/4 sleeves and I’m really not sure about the ruching… but it has pockets, which I like and could ‘come in handy’ one day, I thought! And it does fit nicely. But would I miss it if it was gone? No!!
Thankyou… at last I can let it go!Barb Thompson says:
One additional thing I do is to have a charity bag next to my folding table in the laundry. I can always be asking questions about style, color, and condition while folding or hanging clean clothing. If it no longer feels like something I want to put back in my closet, I can either toss it or put it in the charity bag right then. When full, I contact my favorite charity and they pick it up. This means fewer items to go through when reviewing my closet each season.
Mary Fran says:
This is a method I have found useful. When I put garments in a charity bag, I leave it in the closet for a month. At the end of the month I try to remember what is in the bag. If I can’t remember anything, it goes out! If something in the bag calls to me, I retrieve it. I have not regretted any of my decisions for quite a long time.
Ellen says:
Hi Alyson,
Just discovered your blog and this is great! My career is in fashion industry as a designer and I currently do technical design for high end companies. I am 62 and have managed for the most part to stay the same size. I have kept clothing that is in good shape and well made that I still feel good in. But I never raced to get the latest trend. I have seen them all come and go numerous times! I love finding great designer clothing in thrift shops and resale places as it is better to have something well made than new that will be landfill. I kept my bootcut jeans as a staple in my wardrobe. They are way more flattering than skinny jeans for most body types.
My key to getting rid of something is if you can wear it and forget you have it on. If you find yourself fussing with it, then it goes out.
I love your advice on this.Sara says:
Love the leopard scarf with the Breton top, both favourites of mine but I’d not put them together- until now. Great idea, Alyson so gratitude ++ for that. A great look on you for many of us to copy, imitation being the sincerest form etc etc. Definitely worth the price of admission. Have also ordered the Warehouse animal print tee in the pics. Have planned another couple of outfits based on the ideas in today’ s blog & love the black base you’ve gone for.
I love this post, love your outfit, Alyson, have not stopped wearing MY bootcuts, and have even managed to find a lovely tux jacket in an op-shop this year! Since discovering That’s Not My Age, I’ve become enthusiastic about clothes again, have found my style, gradually sorted my wardrobe, played with outfit combinations (like Mrs Tonia!), bought lots of sneakers (!!!) and can now stop both donating and shopping for the foreseeable future. (Oh, except that I need to give away one less-than-perfect jacket and buy some khaki-olive pants.)
As far as “what to keep and what to chuck”, this was finally made easy for me once I realised what I felt most comfortable in – the casual gentlewoman/soft androgynous/garconne look. Why has it taken me so long??My biggest problem is that I enlisted the help of a personal stylist many years ago, and to this day she still gets clothes ‘in’ for me and although my tastes have changed, I somehow, stupidly feel obliged to buy ! ( call me gullible) , I think it’s time I become brave enough to say no to her and follow my much pared back, simple style that I favour now
Julie, tell her you’ve decided to have a minimalist/sustainable/capsule wardrobe and that you’re EXCITED about ‘shopping your own wardrobe’ from now on! Hopefully she’ll feel excited for you too!
This is my 4th comment this post.. oh dear… but I really want to wish you lots of luck!
This is just the spur I needed to clear out my wardrobe, stuffed as it is with items that are nostalgic, might fit, could be useful, as well as lots of pieces I love but haven’t spent time looking at different combinations. So a big thank you for pushing me to do the job this weekend – when I will have found lots of large bags to fill for the charity shops! What is more, your tips for Not So Basics are just great, exactly the laid-back style I look for and will definitely reward myself with one item when I have finished the de-cluttering.
Nina says:
I just signed onto your website and love it. This article caught my attention as I did just Kondo my closet. However, as you stated, sometimes it’s a matter of intuition or the “spark joy” feeling whether to toss a piece of clothing. I am currently wearing a black & white turtleneck sweater that my husband complimented me on just earlier today. This sweater has been in my possession since approximately 1971 when I was about 16 years old. It was a hand-me-down from my neighbor at the time and the sweater actually dates back to the 1950’s, I believe. I could never seem to give this one up and it is still serving me well at 64 years of age! I’m so glad you kept your bootcut cords! Wish I had mine now, too.
Elizabeth Anne says:
Well done! I have an aran jacket that a neighbour knitted for my sister in the 1960s, she wore it for ten years but she gets rid of her clothes, and I snatched it when she chucked it. Yes, I’m still wearing it, but it only goes back to the 60s, not the 50s so you have me beat on that!
These are great tips. Does it spark joy is a good question to ask when thinking about clothes. I love your outfit btw. The white trainers make it so fresh.
Anna 
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Another excellent photo portrait by Claire in which you look both well-dressed and confident with your trade mark striped top and white trainers. I like the term Closet Conundrum. Unfortunately I can’t commission a special wardrobe to fit my clothes so have to make do with the less-than perfect built-in hanging spaces which came with my current house.
I have been editing my large stock of clothing for a year or so, before during and after moving. I only gave away things I never put on because they seemed too tight, too low-cut or too formal. Looking at the illustrations here I’m glad to have retained several pairs of a more classic shape of black trousers in wool, linen and silk/linen mix. This will save me having to track down similar trousers which may now be pricy. Ditto several pairs of wedged espadrilles and mid-heel mules I’ve retained. Given the high price of shoes, clothing in natural fabrics such as silk versus polyester I now appreciate my tendance to retain any clothing of quality. But with the understanding that it is still a good and flattering fit for right now. Keeping things I basically would like to wear has helped me retain a size that can still fit into my clothes even if several years old. When I had the prospect of my son’s wedding last summer and could not afford a new outfit for the occasion I knew with confidence I owned several silk dresses and appropriate jackets and shoes and accessories to make a reasonable and photogenic outfit. The same scenario was repeated a few weeks ago when I needed a good outfit to attend a smart wedding here needing enough layering for being outside for drinks and later indoor dancing after a meal. Again a trusty long-sleeved silk dress and wool jacket I had never worn together but perfectly colour matched and creating a new ensemble with existing elements. And on my feet a longstanding pair of silver Prada shoes with mid heels and ankle straps. Perfect for a lot of standing around and twirling about Both of these outfits came about by endless trying on in daylight, checking in mirror, experimenting with footwear, jewellery and handbags to find something that seemed to look appropriate for now and the occasion.
In sum, I’m not in favour of the rule to dispose of things if unworn for a year. I’m glad to have stocks to call upon.