How to be good at letting go of clothes
My business is focussed on helping you wear more of your wardrobe, however there is a point where it is important to face if you are holding onto items that are holding you back.
If you struggle to let go of items that do not fit you or are part of a past life but you are full of excuses or reasons as to why they must stay in your life, then this article is for you.
This was originally taken from this article ‘Let it Go / The wardrobe decluttering tips that helped me FINALLY let go of my pre-baby jeans…12 years after becoming a mum’
You can also view me discussing the article on my weekly newsletter Substack
Emma, who you can see in the photo was struggling with this and so she asked me for my advice.
MY TOP TIPS ON HOW TO LET GO OF CLOTHES
1. Be honest about your wardrobe. Write down how it currently makes you feel—messy, overwhelmed, regretful—and decide how you want dressing to feel instead, such as optimistic, fun, simple, or polished. Let these words guide your choices.2. Separate memories from everyday wear. If you have clothes that bring up strong memories but aren’t wearable, store them separately. Keep just a few items per chapter of your life so you can look back and remember.
3. Dress for your life today. Look at what you do each week or month - work, gym, social life - and pull out the clothes that match your actual life. Then consider what’s left and ask can I ‘dress this item down so I can wear it more’ or tweak or alter it so they work in your actual life.
4. Avoid “one day” thinking. If you’re saving items for some hypothetical future occasion—going to a wedding, a special event, or “when I’m thinner”- ask yourself if you’ll realistically wear it this year. If not, let it go.
5. Focus on value, not labels. Designer or brand names don’t matter if you never wear an item. Your most valuable pieces are the ones you wear and feel great in - pass the rest on to someone who will love them.
6. Use dressing as self-care. Every outfit is an opportunity to boost your confidence, feel positive about yourself, and celebrate your life.
Don’t waste it.
Emma also asked me:
From your clients’ wardrobe stories, what are the most common reasons that women hold onto clothes when they no longer fit and/or they will probably never wear again?
a) They assume the woman they were in the past is better than the woman they are today or could be in the future, so they try to return to that version of themselves rather than move forward. Often, they felt more powerful when they were younger and have a strong desire to feel that again.
b) I see a lot of guilt around money spent on clothes and an inability to let items go if they haven’t been worn. This is often justified because the piece is from a designer brand.
c) Many clients haven’t considered their relationship with clothing in childhood.
Those who grew up with scarcity can feel safer when surrounded by “lots”, even if none of the items truly serve them or maybe they thought that once they owned a certain brand they would feel like they’ve made it but the actual item doesn’t function in their life.
d) I also see many women not stopping to consider their actual lives and how their wardrobes should function as practical tools to support them.
They hold on to items they love but will realistically never wear. They then look at their wardrobes and think, “I have nothing to wear” or “My wardrobe feels lacklustre”, when in reality they are avoiding facing their present-day reality.
e) Finally, many women blame their bodies rather than the clothes.
They hold on to items believing they should change themselves to fit the clothes, when it is always the clothes that are at fault.
Let me know if any of these relate to you?
If they do I would recommend booking a:
Style Words Consultation and then a ‘Maximise your wardrobe’ or ‘Find your Fashion Flow’ Session. Alternatively if you want to be taken through my style coaching journey rather than a one of session then Join the Waiting List here.