II. THE EXECUTION, Step 3:

Organise your outfits

It's time to put all the pieces of your wardrobe together into wearable outfits.

Outfit organisation means combining your clothes in a manner that lets you get the maximum amount of outfits out of your wardrobe.

The whole idea of the concept wardrobe is to create more mix and match outfits, so you can own fewer items of clothing.

Whether you are a weekly outfit planner or like to get dressed spontaneously in the mornings, the point of this exercise is to document your outfit options and have them at the ready when you need inspiration.

Planning your outfits

To get the most out of your wardrobe, it's important to take the time to organise your clothes into wearable outfits. You might stumble on combinations you didn't think of before and turn your items into a new look. With these simple tips you'll get the maximum out of what you have:

Have inspiration at hand

Standing in front of a full wardrobe can be overwhelming. To help you get started, why not use some inspiration?Planning outfits is much more stress-free if you have a few looks you like at your fingertips to inspire you. Use the images you have collected as part of your wardrobe planning for style inspiration. Plus, you can always add new inspiration to your folder when you come across it and perhaps make additions to your outfit combinations.

Start with a basic or a statement item

Starting off with one item and creating an outfit around it is often easier than throwing random items together. Decide whether you want to start your outfit planning with your basics or your statement pieces. Look at each item and figure out how many different ways you could wear it. For each item, think about these things:

  • What lifestyle activities does this item work for?
  • Can I layer another item on top of or underneath this one?
  • What colour combinations work well with this item?
  • How can I use accessories to change the look of this item?
  • Is it possible to tuck, knot, or layer this item to give it a different feel?

Put your outfits together

Another approach is to lay out your basic bottom items - trousers and skirts. Evaluate the colour and style options.

Next, take each top – shirt, blouse, etc., and see how many bottom items it can be worn with. Ideally, each top will go well with several bottoms.

Lay out any dresses, jumpers, jackets, suits, and accessories and likewise, see how they mix and match with other elements.

Once you have created a number of outfits go back to each item and check if it cannot be used to create another outfit. You want to get the most out of your wardrobe, so make sure you have considered all of your options.

Cover all of your activities

Look at your lifestyle chart. To have a functional wardrobe you need to make sure you have sufficient outfits for all of your lifestyle activities and for every possible weather situation.

And if you have quite mixed days with different activities you will need to make sure that your outfits are versatile so that they are appropriate for different occasions. The best thing to do in this situation - if you don't want to change into a new outfit - is to only change one thing to mix up the look. This can be as simple as changing the jacket you're wearing to give the outfit a different feel.

Document your outfits

Creating tens or even hundreds of outfits, chances are you won't remember them all. The best thing to do is to have a stylebook to document all of your combinations. Whether you take a picture or write down your combination in a notebook, this will help you quickly find an outfit when you need it. These days, you can also use one of the many outfit planner apps to store your style ideas.

Wardrobe organisation

Knowing what outfit you want to wear is great, but if you can't find one of the items you need for it, it's quite useless. Having an organised wardrobe with everything visible and easy to find is key to your ongoing relationship with getting dressed.

Arrange your wardrobe

Arrange your wardrobe in a way that makes sense to you. You could arrange your clothing by garment type, colour group, or even by outfit combinations. If you want you can also have a designated section for your weekly outfits. This is especially helpful if you like planning out your outfits in advance. Whichever way suits you it will be key to combatting those 'I have nothing to wear' days.

Avoid the chair

When you have worn your clothes but they are not dirty enough for the laundry basket, do you throw them over a chair where they accumulate into an uncontrolled mess? This practice will not only make it less likely that you will wear these items again but also overthrow your whole wardrobe organisation.Instead, have a designated area for worn clothes. You could, for example, put up a separate rack or a specific area in your wardrobe for your re-wearable items. And don't just throw them there, put them away neatly and in an organised manner. This way you will find it more appealing to reach for them and you will easily be able to find an item when you need it.

Invest in the correct hangers

To keep your clothes always looking their best and avoiding having to steam or re-iron, invest in good hangers.Using the right hangers for different garments will keep them wrinkle free while in the wardrobe and also extend the life of your garments, especially delicate clothing such as silk dresses or blouses.

Plastic & metal hangers

Plastic and metal hangers are the cheapest hanger options. Whilst they take up little space in your wardrobe and you can get them in different colours they are not always the best solution: they don't offer the great support for your clothes and you may have to deal with fallen off garments.

Wooden hangers

Wooden hangers are slightly wider than standard plastic or metal hangers and offer more support for your clothes, helping garments to stay on the hangers much more easily. They can also be infused with aromatic cedar which is a natural repellent for insects and moths, that may otherwise damage your garments. Wooden hangers often have wide arms and a contoured neck which makes them perfect for hanging suits, jackets, and coats. They also come with a bar for the hanging of trousers, saving space in your wardrobe.

Flocked hangers

Flocked hangers are covered in non-slip velvet, which is ideal for hanging silk or other light and delicate items. The use of this material prevents garments from slipping off the hangers as it grips the lighter material and is non-slippery. Flocked hangers come in different sizes and can also have trouser bars and nooks for clothing loops.

Padded hangers

Padded clothing hangers are ideal for special and delicate garments - such as tops, dresses, lingerie, and bridal wear. These hangers are enveloped with soft satin or soft cotton cushioning which protects delicate garments from marks or creases from the hanger and also add a luxurious feel to your wardrobe.

Specialist hangers

If you want to take your wardrobe organisation to the next step you can also invest in specialist hangers. They are available for scarves, belts, and even shoes.

Lastly, you will want to have a full-length mirror and good lighting close to your wardrobe so you can see your outfits properly.  

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