Disclosure: This post is written in collaboration with Chums. The opinions are my own.
As the temperatures are getting cooler and the leaves are starting to turn, I start thinking about preparing for a change of season. Right now I’m in fall cleaning mode, and part of that includes putting away summer wardrobes and getting out clothing for fall and winter, as well as decluttering clothes my son has outgrown or clothing I just don’t need anymore. One of the hardest things for me to do is to decide what should stay and what should go in my own wardrobe, so today we are going to look at some factors to help you declutter your closet and how to put together a fall and winter wardrobe with all the right colours to fit your personal style.
How to Declutter:
- Look at the Size – The most obvious reason to get rid of a piece of clothing is because it doesn’t fit anymore. Whether it is too big or too small, you should ask yourself, “Will I ever be this size again?” If you think the answer is “no” then you should get rid of that item.
- Gifts and Items You Didn’t Pick Out – If someone gave you a sweater three Christmases, and you still haven’t worn it, you should declutter that item.
- The One Year Question – When decluttering clothes you should spend the most time considering those clothes you haven’t worn in the past year. If it’s something in the back of your closet that you simply forgot about, or didn’t haven’t an occasion to wear it, and you want to put it back in rotation for this year, then keep it. But if you haven’t worn it in the last year, and you do no see yourself wearing it in the coming year, then you should get rid of it.
- Items that No Longer Fit Your Personal Style – This should go without saying, but if you have an item that you won’t wear because it is “out of style” or because it no longer fits your personal style preference, or you simply hate the colour, that item should be decluttered.
Putting Together Your Wardrobe for this Fall and Winter
Once you’ve decluttered your closet, you can start planning your wardrobe for the coming season. I’m always excited to look back at my wardrobe and plan what I may wear to church in the coming months or what I may wear to holiday events we’ll be attending. I usually look forward wearing a sweater I haven’t had the chance to wear since February, or perhaps an item that’s been hidden away that I haven’t worn in 2 or 3 years. (It’s almost like getting something new at that point!) And of course, I will consider any new items that I may want to acquire to make my wardrobe complete.
Above all, when planning your wardrobe you want to choose items that look good on you. And colour is everything! You want to find colours that match up with the season, go well with your skin and hair colour and fit your personal style preference.
Seasonal Colours
If you consider the shades of fall leaves, you have the great makings of a fall wardrobe. Darker shades of green, as well brown and grey, are a great complement to bolder shades of red, crimson, yellow, gold, and orange. Meanwhile, winter ushers in the red and green colours of Christmas, as well as shades of blue, purple, and silver to echo the winter cold.
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Consider Skin Tones and Hair Colour
I personally have a fair skin tone and dark hair, so I tend to look for clothes in cooler colours, as well as darker colours. I tend to gravitate to blues, greens, and purples, a but I also feel like crimson is a good colour for me, and I also love dark shades of grey. Meanwhile, our daughter-in-law has slightly darker skin tones and a lighter shade of brown hair. She looks good in bold shades of yellow, orange, salmon and peach, as well as brown, olive and hunter green. If you find it hard to tell which colours complement you best, you should check out Chums’ free guide to seasonal colours.
Consider Personal Preference
While a particular colour may go well with the season, or people may tell you that you look good in a certain colour, I think nothing is more important than your own personal style. And I think this should be the number one factor when choosing colours for your wardrobe. So if you are going to a “fall ball” and you want to wear baby blue, I’d say go for it! And if it is time for the Christmas party at work, and you are feeling good about fuscia, you can do that to. Above all, you should be able to look at yourself in the mirror and love the way you look. If it puts a smile on your face, that is the most important thing!
I wish you the best of luck with your own personal decluttering, and I hope you are as excited about fall as I am!
