5 Simple Rules to Reinvent Your Wardrobe for a Style Change

We’ve all been there, staring at the closet, thinking to ourselves, “I have absolutely nothing to wear!” If you’re on a budget but looking for ways to reinvent your style and wardrobe, we’ve got you covered. Between planning your style change to sourcing inspiration and adding new basics to your clothing rotation, we’ve got some serious fashion tips to help you get started.

1. Map Your Vision

Just as you might plan a mood board when redecorating a house or planning a party, gathering inspiration should be your first step in reinventing your style. Use Google searches and social platforms like Pinterest to gather samples of clothing you like.

As you build your repertoire of imagery, try to pull out specific themes or patterns that can dictate your fashion approach. This can include, but is not limited to, any of the following areas:

• Color palette: Are your inspiration sources moving toward a bright or neutral color spectrum? Compare your skin tone to warm and cool palettes to find the best hues for your complexion.
• Fabrics and texture: While some might love a big, bold pattern, others rely on simple, clean staples to carry their look. Pay attention to the type of fabrics, textures and patterns of the clothing samples you find and hone in on your personal preferences.
• Aesthetic: You might begin to notice that you gravitate towards a specific style or manner of dress. The possibilities for aesthetics are endless, ranging from sporty chic to light academic, gothic, preppy or business casual. Whatever you find, take note of your preferences to help rebuild your wardrobe.

2. Assess Your Wardrobe

It’s time to take inventory. Grab a paper and pen to track all the different pieces of your wardrobe. When you review your closet from a high-level, you’ll begin to identify clothing that you haven’t worn in a while or realize that you own almost ten striped shirts! 

After you’ve evaluated your wardrobe, compare it to your vision board. What outfits can you already make? What staple items do you need to purchase to complete these looks? More often than not, you’ll already have a majority of the items you need to create a great outfit.

3. Look for Layers

Layers are one of your greatest weapons in the battle of reinventing an existing closet. Place a sweater over an old dress or add a collar to a sweatshirt to help bring new life to an old piece of clothing.

After you’ve planned your fabrics and colors, assess the weight of each outfit, selecting only one bulky item (like a coat or heavy scarf) to pair with lighter items. Proportions can also make a big difference in how the clothing lays on your body. For example, if you’ve got a pair of pants or a shirt that’s too long, cuff them to the right length for a better fit.

4. Plan Meaningful Additions

If you’ve mapped out your wardrobe and maximized your outfit options, you might still need to do a little shopping to create the perfect closet. To help you save money while searching and make smarter purchases focus on buying staple items that can be paired with various other outfit combinations. Check out online consignment shops to score deals on lightly used but designer options. 

Remember, while statement pieces are perfect for a party, they’re not the best for a dynamic or cost-efficient wardrobe. 

5. Choose Style over Fashion

As your work through these style changes, don’t lose sight of the value in being true to who you are and who you want to become. Said Oscar de la Renta, famous fashion designer and icon, “fashion is about dressing according to what is fashionable. Style is more about being yourself.”