Now that you’ve developed (or are developing a personal style – it is most definitely a process), it is time to assess your closet. This is not a “does it spark joy” or an effort at minimizing type of assessment. This is more of a “what do I have and how does it fit with my personal style, my life, and my body?” type assessment.
You want to assess what you have so that you make sure that you are getting the most use out of your wardrobe.
Assessing what you have is important for three reasons:
1. It reminds you of what you have so you don’t end up buying duplicates.
I am definitely guilty of forgetting that I already have something. I have bought similar tops, similar cardigans, and similar skirts so many times over the years.
Now, this isn’t to say that buying a sweater or top that is similar to something you already own, love, and wear like crazy is a problem. If you find something that works for you that is ethically made and you find yourself wearing it all the time, by all means, duplicate it. For years, I bought a new long black sweatshirt every year, because by the end of the year mine was so worn out. It became a uniform, and I loved it.
It is when we end up with two dark floral mid-length pencil skirts because we forgot about the first one that is the problem.
2. It reminds you of what you have so you don’t buy things that don’t go with anything in your wardrobe.
There is nothing worse than finding a great camisole, falling in love with it, and then bringing it home and realizing that you need a new bra. You will either never wear the camisole because you don’t get around to buying the new bra or you then have to go back to the store and get a new bra.
Neither of these situations will help you build an ethical wardrobe. If you are aware of what you already own before you go shopping, you are less likely to buy something that won’t work with anything in your closet. Buy pieces that work with what you already own so they are a welcome, likely-to-be-worn addition to your closet.
3. It reminds you of what you have so that you can actually wear what you have.
Have you ever cleaned out your closet and found an old skirt that you forgot about or a pair of pants that you had been looking for for awhile? I certainly have. The last time I “Marie Kondo’d” my closet, I found a bunch of “new outfits” . If you regularly go through your wardrobe, you are likely to find things that you had forgotten about and new outfit combinations. This helps keep your existing wardrobe fresh, which is awesome and will help you to buy fewer things.
Of course, as you are assessing your wardrobe, getting rid of things you no longer wear is a great idea. If it is lightly worn and still in good condition, but doesn’t fit your lifestyle or your body, pass it along. If someone else can get some wear out of it, that is the more ethical thing. Give it new life and give yourself some more space.
Every single time I do this, I discover something I love that I forgot about. I also find a few things that will get more use from someone else.
How to Build an Ethical Wardrobe When You Don’t Know Where to Begin
Step 3: Find your personal style
Step 4: Assess what you already have (and love), You’re here!
Step 5: Consider a uniform or capsule wardrobe
Step 6: Clean out your closet responsibly