How to freshen your wardrobe without buying new things

So you’ve been itching for a new wardrobe but don’t particularly want to go the route of a shopping spree (and all that it entails). Or perhaps you do, but don’t necessarily have the means to support such bliss at the moment. Just the thought of budgeting may not seem all that exciting, but don’t allow it to snatch the wind from under your sails just yet. There’s hope! The beauty of improvising is that it can encourage us to be more creative. If you’re up for the challenge, these tips might be right up your alley. You’ll find that there are a few things that you can do to really make an impact in freshening up your wardrobe without burning holes in those cute little pockets of yours. Here’s one thing to keep in mind: “Fashion is what we buy, style is what we do with it.”

Make no mistake, our relationship with our clothes isn’t that different from our other relationships. Without spicing things up, we will eventually grow bored. But how is this achieved with clothes? By creating more outfits with the pieces that we already have. Seriously, go through your closet, pull out all those long forgotten pieces and show them some love. This brings us to the three R’s of fashion:

Reduce:

• Take care of your clothes: By taking care of your clothes, they’ll take care of you by giving you more use out of them.
• Quality over quantity: It’s always worth spending a little extra on quality pieces, especially the staples. They’ll stand the test of time.
• Trends are not our friend: Aim for high-quality, classic pieces that you can interchange and wear again and again.

Reuse:

• Wear your clothes: Literally. Wear your clothes until the threads fall out. Getting the most use out of the clothes we already own helps curb our desire to spend. 
• Repair those tears: Get into the habit of taking your clothes and shoes in for alterations and repairs.

Recycle:

• Donate: Donate what you don’t need, but remember, “If you wouldn’t give it away, throw it away.”

• Upcycle: Put those DIY skills to the test and repurpose your old clothes. The possibilities are endless.
• Sell online: Sell the clothes you’ll never wear. Why not

We all know that dreadful feeling of opening the closet, peering inside and standing there for what seems like hours, only to realize that there’s not a single thing you want to wear. As you flip through each hanger, you sink deeper into despair. How is this even possible? Given how much time and thought you put into your wardrobe, how did it ever come to this?! You’re convinced, that cute, cropped sweater that you wore all the time will soon be finding its new home in the donation bin. In fact, all of it will!

Your mind starts drifting to the last time you bought something new, remembering how happy and carefree you felt from the second you slipped it on. At what point exactly does that feeling escape us? If only somehow we can preserve it. What if it were possible to trick our brain into seeing the “familiar” with a fresh set of eyes?

Get organized

If you can relate, it may be time to go shopping – in your closet! Just like any retailer, you’ll need to organize your merchandise. Pull out everything and organize it according to season, occasion and color. Your morning routine will thank you later.

Doesn’t fit? Get rid of it

There are few things worse than poorly fitting clothes. Go through every single piece that you own and make sure it fits properly. Get rid of what doesn’t work and tailor (or donate) the rest. No need for clutter.

Get creative

Go online for some inspiration. Mix patterns. Accessorize. Have fun! Not handy with a needle and thread? A good pair of scissors should suffice. A simple T-shirt can be redesigned a thousand ways. Fabric paints and dyes can also liven up boring clothing.

Opt for a new do

Perception is everything. Changing our hairstyle can give the same ole boring outfit a completely different look. Spending $60 dollars on a new hairstyle vs. $500 on a new wardrobe? Hmm. Pretty much the same result.

Swap your heart out

Swapping clothes with friends is a great way to bond. Why not?

Makeup magic!

Makeup is a whole mood. It’s as much of an accessory as bags and shoes; creating different looks and vibes in an instant.

For many of us, the problem isn’t exactly our wardrobe. We just somehow lost the ability to see its beauty.  By shifting our focus, our wardrobe can go from feeling limited to a world of possibility.