A Smart Solution To a Sustainable Wardrobe!

"Gess, you are probably going to tell me to ditch everything because you'll think it's all outdated and doesn't suit me anymore, but gosh I've spent so much money on items I've never worn, it's?embarrassing."?These were the words of a client prior to our epic wardrobe detox last week. And it is not?uncommon?for me to hear this.

In fact, the opposite was true and my client was delighted with the outcome. (Read to end).?

You can’t find that gold if the treasure is hidden (clutter)?or you
simply can't see the value each piece has,even if it's staring you in the
face.        

With?clothes wastage & sustainability?at the forefront of our minds, are you feeling a little guilty if you are purchasing items and not wearing them? And does this make it a little daunting to create a stylish and workable wardrobe?

To resolve this, an important piece of advice I can offer is - Before you spend any more money on clothes, Declutter and Edit your wardrobe, it is the first place to begin your sustainable journey. The rest will follow.

Your wardrobe is often a treasure chest full of gold waiting to be discovered! But?you can’t find that gold if the treasure is hidden (clutter)?or you simply can't see the value each piece may have, even if it's staring you in the face.

Is any of this relating? The pain points I continue to hear and see are:

1. You see clutter and can’t find items, wasting precious time dressing each morning?

2. Price tags still on pieces you purchased a while ago with the intention you would wear them one day but don’t know where or how?

3. Don’t know how to get maximum wear out of the pieces in your wardrobe so you pull out the same items each time??

4. Dislike much of what you have and know they were purchased impulsively?Money wasted.

5. The majority of pieces don’t suit you anymore - your lifestyle and body shape have changed and you don’t know where to begin with something new?

Some or all of these points will be true to almost all of us at some point in life.

I have been a professional personal stylist for long enough to know that you can not gain a good sense of style direction when this part of your life - your wardrobe - is all clutter, and every day you are wasting time you don't have trying to figure out your outfits which then leads you to wearing only 20% of your wardrobe and/or 'impulse purchasing' thinking it will fix the solution. BIG MISTAKE!

At what point do you tell yourself enough, and actually do something about it?

To finish off the outcome of my clients' wardrobe edit. Her clothes were packed into two wardrobes with more items folded and stored. She really couldn't make sense of the good and the bad and hence continued to wear the same ole pieces. Plus?my client?admitted she did not know how to?co-ordinate her items and instead found it easier to just purchase new pieces straight off the rack, only to regret it later.?

Admittedly this was an epic clean out delving into her wardrobes and discarding?what was not right. In terms of discarding we had 4 different piles - charity, friends give away, sell, toss. ?

The best part - Through the mess, I found so many amazing pieces that I set to work creating some magical outfits for her- approximately 50! My client now has a stress free wardrobe, fresh new outfits, and feels so much more confident. Yes I did recommend a few new pieces for her to purchase to which she will wear regularly and multiple ways with her exisiting pieces. And with my guidance, now knows what NOT to purchase. Part of the smart sustainability journey isn't about zero purchasing, it's purchasing the right pieces.

Let me explain what the benefits are of Decluttering your wardrobe and enlisting a stylist to help you with the process.

1. It takes the stress out of doing it yourself - an unbiased opinion is best to help you evaluate your wardrobe and style. Plus it's more fun.

2. You stop robbing yourself of precious time when you dress daily.

3. The feeling of having a tidy, workable wardrobe with clothing you can see and wear is liberating at its best.?

4. You’ll come to terms with the money spent on clothing items that were purchased impulsively and be guided on how to?purchase wisely.?

5. You will have many outfit options with your existing pieces – celebrating what you already have and celebrating a sustainable wardrobe. It will feel all new again.

6. A sense of relief and comfort that you aren't being so wasteful.

7. Confidence in what you are wearing, and courage to continue to re-invent your outfits, hence evolving.

I give myself the title -?'The Queen of RE-invention'?as I love love?love creating new outfits with existing pieces, even in my own wardrobe.?Once I’m in your wardrobe, I can see how your existing items can be worn leaving you with a clutter free wardrobe and a new sense of style. An?evolution!

Of course this doesn't mean every wardrobe is salvageable, sometimes a wardrobe is so outdated, most pieces really must go!

Editing wardrobes for me is generally the first part of my 3-step style transformation, however often I am called in to do just that – declutter, re-edit and re-invent– and the results are incredible including my clients feeling lighter with more clarity and increased productivity.

It would be my pleasure to help you reach your style and sustainable goals. Let's organise a date to create your dream wardrobe - In person or Virtual.

About Me:?I'm a personal stylist based in Sydney, travel worldwide for my clients and if in person is not possible, I conduct virtual style consultations.?I help women and men to fearlessly?express their 'visual' voice?through their style. I have an innate intuition that allows me to see what you don't about yourself. You will see when we work together, it's more about discovering or re-discovering YOU. If you want to harness your creative flair and to stand out from the rest in your own unique way, let's chat about making some 'silent' noise with your style.?

You can read more about me?here?and follow me on?IG?@stylebygessica?where you will be inspired by my style curations to commence shifting your style boundaries and shake things up.?

Stay Stylish, and if you're not, I can help you Be!

Gessica