Family FinancesHave you ever tried shopping from your own closet? I hope you are inspired to do so after this post!
A few months ago, I decided that my wardrobe needed a complete overhaul.
I have never been a fashionista, and I don’t claim to be one now, but I realized that I had been living in a 6+-year frump. The clothing I wore was out of style and ill-fitting.
I needed new clothes, but I didn’t want to spend a lot of money.
My friend Holly suggested that I have her cousin, Candace, come one weekend and help me shop from my own closet–putting together stylish outfits from the pieces I already owned!
Whereas I have no clue about what’s in and out of style, Candace keeps up with the trends and has a keen eye for what looks good (and what doesn’t) on a person.
I was absolutely floored at the many beautiful outfits we put together with clothing that had been hanging in my closet!
Candace was tactful but truthful about what clothes I needed to ditch, and she gave me some amazing tips on things that should be worn together.
I’m now convinced that anyone can save money by shopping from their own closet.
Here are a few simple tips on shopping from your own closet:
1. Enlist the help of a friend.
This must be an honest friend, and it really helps if it’s your most stylish friend. If you don’t have a friend like this, recruit a friend of a friend! (This is what I did!)
If all else fails, recruit a professional stylist. (Although this will add money to this venture, it might be worth it if you have the funds to invest.)
2. Pull everything out of your closet.
Yes, I mean every single item. You need to see what is actually buried in your closet.
It might be more than you think! I found a really cute black angled cardigan that I now wear all.the.time! I had no idea it existed, and I still don’t know where I got it!
You will also want to pull things out of your drawers.
Lay everything on your bed, grouping them according to what they are (shirts, pants, etc.).
3. With the help of your friend, put together outfits.
Now the fun comes! Match up pants and shirts, skirts and blouses, etc. Don’t forget the jewelry, too!
4. Try on the outfits.
This is where you will have to put your feelings aside. You will need to try on every single outfit you put together and get your friend to critique how it looks on you.
If an outfit looks super cute together but makes you look less than stellar, then why keep it?
For me in particular, Candace checked to see if outfits made me look pregnant. I have a diastasis, which makes me look several months pregnant even though I’m not. I hate it when people ask me if I am!
There were several nice outfits that I still donated because they accentuated my belly.
5. Toss a lot; hold onto the outfits that make you feel GREAT.
I have not read much into the uber popular KonMarie method yet, but from what other bloggers have written about it, I think I’ve already been practicing this method with the help of my mentor, Holly!
Unless an outfit makes you feel amazing (or “sparks joy” as the KonMarie method suggests), donate it!
6. Hang the outfits together as complete outfits in your closet.
Previously, I hung all shirts together, pants together, and so on, but it saves so much time and now makes perfect sense to me to hang outfits together.
I can pick and choose which outfits to wear really easily and not waste any mental energy trying to decide what shirt goes with what pair of pants, etc.!
My mentor also suggested that I print pictures of the outfits to place on the wall of my closet, in case outfits get separated in the laundry.
7. Make a list of the things needed to fill out your wardrobe.
Hopefully, this will not be a lot, but after you shop from your own closet, you may find that you need just a few things to round out your wardrobe.
For me, it was a new bra, some skinny jeans, and some flats. We easily checked these off my list with one trip to Target!
I was really shocked that the outfits pictured throughout this post–as well as the ones below–all came from the day I spent shopping from my own closet!
Emily Ludwig
Um… Can I borrow Candace? 🙂
Julia
I was about to ask the same question!
Erin
LOL! She lives in southwest Virginia!
rebecca
No kidding, where can I get a Candice? About once a year I get everything out of my closet and really go through it for fit. I rarely buy new clothes so after years of going through my closet it seems kind of sparse.
I like the idea of putting together outfits during this process and hanging them together.
Erin
The concept of hanging the outfits together has been such a game changer for me! It’s taken away so much decision fatigue!
Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
I did something similar this spring. I emptied my closet and got rid of a LOT of clothes. Only keeping what I really loved wearing was key for me too. However, a week or two later I found out I was pregnant and my wardrobe has had to evolve again, haha. But I did a similar process with my maternity clothes I had stored. I realized many pieces I only had kept because I found them cheap at Goodwill or I thought that my options were more limited because I was pregnant. This time around, I’ve focused much more on only acquiring/wearing things that make me feel good (look good, are comfortable). I am also finally learning (the fourth time around) that just because I am pregnant does not mean that I have to wear maternity. Some of my favorite finds have just been pants or shirts from Goodwill in a couple sizes bigger or with a cut that suits a pregnant belly.
Erin
Congrats on the pregnancy, Lisa! That is wonderful! I love the idea of not overdoing it with maternity either!
Keelie Reason
I love this post and all of your matchups. I think your friend did a great job. I actually buy everything I wear from the thrift store or have it given to me. I should def do a post like this. I am seeing a lot of bloggers put together wardrobe posts. I think it is because we all wake up one day and realize we don’t have to worry about little babies peeing, pooping, and throwing up on our good clothes. What I wear now is crazy different than what I wore when my boys were really little.
Erin
Thank you, Keelie! Yes, she didn’t amazing! I think a post with your thrift store finds would be super fun to read! I totally agree about us waking up and realizing: “oh–I can actually wear real clothes now!” LOL!
Victoria
I loved watching this unfold on instagram a while back. Now that I see all the photo’s it is even more awesome. I not only want to borrow Candace but I also want to borrow your mom because from the photos it seems like she buys a lot of cute clothes for you!
Erin
My mom is simply AMAZING! It is so funny because she absolutely LOVES shopping, but I hate it. (My sister got the shopping gene, and I got the bookworm gene from some long-lost relative, evidently!) She loves to buy me things…she just gives me the receipt and I pay her for what I like (and she is usually spot on!).
Lisa
I love this idea! I think there are a ton of options in my closet, but I never really took the time to sort through them and really reflect on which pieces I absolutely love. This is a great reminder and guide, thanks!
Erin
Thanks, Lisa! I hope you are able to carve out time for a “shop” through your closet!
Kristie
I love to wear clothes that make me feel beautiful. However, I don’t consider myself very good at picking out outfits. So I ask my teen daughter how outfits look together, and that is helpful. Although I would love to have someone like Candace!
PS I recently got some new outfits that make me feel beautiful and they were picked out by my dad who actually has really good taste!
Victoria
Your new clothes looks awesome!!
Maria
My only question, I see that several outfits were paired with the skinny jeans or the angled Cardigan; how can you possibly hang them as outfits then when they are used more than once?
I do need to do something like this cause I am drowning in my clothes!
Closet Gallery
Yes! Getting the closets organized can certainly lead to saving money, since you’re not buying items you don’t need or leaving perfectly good items unused. Great job!