5.06.2010

# Comme les Français # Home and Garden

How to Live Well- The Wardrobe



While one’s wardrobe is not technically a room (unless you have a large walk in closet- and if you do- lucky you!) it deserves its own post because too many of us neglect this oh so important counterpart to our lives. Here are my tips for how to live well with your wardrobe:

All wardrobes need constant editing- at the very least twice a year when the major seasons change (Spring and Fall). Assess every article of clothing in your wardrobe. Do you love it? When was the last time you wore it? Does it still fit you? Does it need mending? Be ruthless. If you have an aversion to getting rid of things, put everything that is questionable into a space bag and hide it away for six months. If you haven’t thought twice about it during that time, you probably will never wear it.

Hang your clothes in an organized system that makes sense to you. For some people that is hanging all dresses together, silk blouses together, etc.; for some people that would be hanging your garments by color. I go slightly between the two. I hang my clothes by category (sleeveless shirts, short sleeve blouses, long sleeve, blazers- you get the idea) and I hang the clothes in gradients of color in each separate category (lighter colors to darker colors).

No wire hangers s’il vous plait. (A good way to recycle wire hangers is by giving them back to the dry cleaners). Use only high quality hangers in either wood, felt or cloth- your clothes will thank you. I purchased all black felt hangers from Bed Bath and Beyond for a great price- I love how they make my closet look like a high end boutique.

Take care of your shoes. I store most of my shoes in cloth shoe bags. Some people keep them in clear boxes or boxes with a Polaroid of the shoe on the front. Know when your shoes have ‘expired’. Are the soles really worn? Are they starting to look shabby? What about the interior of the shoe? Is it in good condition? I had to retire my very favorite pair of grey patent leather quilted ballet flats by London Sole recently and it was painful- but I had just worn them to death. It was the fashionable thing to do. And now I get to shop for a new pair!

Also, be ruthless with regards to your drawers. Undergarments, lingerie, loungewear, sleepwear and workout clothes should also be assessed at least twice a year. Get rid of anything that looks tired and ‘worn’. I like to ask myself ‘ if someone else were rifling through my drawers would I be embarrassed by what they find?’

And finally, just remember the French philosophy when it comes to the wardrobe. A chic French woman would rather have 10 high quality garments than a wardrobe stuffed with ‘options’.

My closet is pictured above. In this particular section I keep dresses, blazers and coats...

6 comments:

BonjourRomance said...

Great post. You are so right about cleaning out your wardrobe each season. Quality over quantity!
Hope you are feeling good, won't be long now! Sorry I've gotten way behind in all my Blogger rounds.
Wishing you a great weekend,
Mimi

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

You are an inspiration...and I have mostly plastic hangers and they are really sad!
I must add this to my do list.

CashmereLibrarian said...

My closet is neat and organized but way, way too small.
How is bébé?

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

I need to edit. And I love the idea of asking yourself how you would feel if somebody rifled through your drawer. Did you see the beautiful post Vicki Archer did on lingerie recently? Sigh.
Please don't worry if you fall behind in visiting. More important to fully relax and enjoy this time as much as you can. Although if you get a chance over the weekend, have a peek at my Friday post as I will put a link to Vicki's lingerie post and also a lovely post my friend Isabelle did on perfumes and her collection. Mother's Day on Sunday here in Australia. I'll be thinking of you as well! Nearly time! xx

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Mimi- Thank you and Bonjour! I have gotten so behind in my blogger rounds too- just been so busy with getting ready for the baby (busy and tired!:) Have a wonderful weekend xo

Hostess- Thank you my dear! Changing out the hangers makes such a difference. Good hangers actually help you assess what works in your closet and what doesn't. For example, it's harder to hang a shirt that is a bit worn and that you don't really like on a nice hanger.

Cashmere- tell me about it- My closets are so small too! But I look on the bright side- that way I can't collect too much wardrobe clutter :) The baby is doing great! My tummy is already very large and I'm finding it hard to maneuver around the day (and I still have 2 and a half months to go!). Hope you're well xx

Josephine- I'm going to look at Vicki's post now- it sounds amazing. Happy Mother's Day to you my darling! I hope your weekend is beautiful and memorable xo

Lillian said...

I'd love to see pictures of your other closets. This one looks so organized and open - easy access to all the items and it's not overwhelming!