How to Shop Your Closet in 3 Easy Steps

How to Shop Your Closet in 3 Easy Steps.

It’s challenging to get dressed this time of year. Maybe you’re doing a no or low spend month, perhaps you’re bored of what you have (raises hand) or, you’re in a funk and getting dressed feels like a chore.

If you see yourself in any of these examples, it might be time to shop your closet.

Shopping your closet is an easy, no-spend exercise that allows you to see the clothes you have and helps you get creative while discovering new outfit combinations. 

And I have some tips and tricks to help make the process productive and fun.

How to Shop Your Closet

Before you can shop your closet, you must ensure it is well-edited. 

Seriously, only attempt this if your space is organized.

Our guide, How to Clean Your Closet, will walk you through our quick edit process. 

The most critical step is to eliminate what doesn’t serve you.

I like doing this all in one afternoon. If you’ve done our Wardrobe Challenge in the past, your space probably needs a refresh rather than an overhaul.

I can return my closet to factory settings and purge a few pieces in about an hour.

What’s nice about starting your closet shopping with an edit is that you can use this time to figure out if you will keep or donate some of the items you’re currently not wearing.

If you can’t make an outfit out of it, you’re safe to let it go.

More on this below.

Create a Pinterest Board

Step #1: Define Your Personal Style 

The first step to shop your closet is to reference your Pinterest Board.

Keep an updated Style Inspiration Board on Pinterest that you curate over each season to keep your style top of your mind.

You’ll find the more you pin, the more your style will show itself. 

When I was a personal stylist, I learned that most women need help defining their style. They don’t know what they like, or they may like everything and have difficulty narrowing down their favorite looks. 

Having a visual of aspirational style helps you create a wardrobe that serves you, and allows you to evolve. 

Bring your Pinterest boards into your closet and allow them to inspire you to try different color combinations and play with shoes, layers, and accessories. 

Set Up Shop

Step #2: Set Up Shop

Nest, set up your space so you have room to move and play. 

Having  a rolling rack on hand for this exercise will keep you organized and allow you to see everything you have

Start by separating your items into four categories:

Basics: Jeans, black pants, a simple dress, layering tanks and shells, a cardigan, etc. Keep similar items together, so all your jeans together, etc.

Personality: What I sometimes refer to as novelty pieces: a skirt with embroidery, a patterned blouse, a tweed jacket, anything in a bright or bold color, and similar items.

Accessories: Lay them all out, your jewelry groups by category, so all your earrings, rings, etc. Do you have scarves you never use? Pull them out. Same for belts and bags. These are your outfit enhancers.

Questions: These are the pieces you’re wondering if you should keep.

Don’t rely on your memory, you really want to have everything in eyesight at your fingertips.

Build Outfits

Step #3: Build Your Outfits

Open up your Pinterest App and decide which inspiration pins you want to work with. 

Above is a real-life example.

I pinned this image of Victoria Beckham ages ago because I love how it mixes casual and elegant elements. 

I get a lot of push back about the Pinterest exercise, often hearing, “I don’t look anything like the models.”

Listen, there is no one on earth LESS like Victoria Beckham than me.

We have very different body types. I’m a foot taller, probably a hundred pounds heavier, and our lifestyles and budgets aren’t even in the same stratosphere.

This exercise is not about recreating an exact outfit, rather, it’s inspired by the pin. Her outfit is likely made up of pieces from her own collection and other brands I can’t afford.

So I pulled out old dark jeans , an inexpensive white blouse from Amazon, my camel coat from H&M and heels. Not as high as the picture but enough to give me a lift.

Don’t want to wear heels? A neutral pointed flats is an easy swap.

I felt fantastic, and I was able to get dressed quickly and easily. 

Now, I can use this look as a base and swap out the blouse for a striped long sleeve tee, replace the pumps with crisp white sneakers and as the weather turns, replace the wool jacket with a camel trench.

Creating multiple looks also pinned to my inspiration board. 

Pro tip! Be sure to take pictures of the looks you love so you don’t forget them. Keep them on your phone for easy access, or use a style app like Style Book.

Quick Tips to Help You Shop Your Closet

Break Things Up.

We tend to wear the same combination of items on repeat, to the point that we can’t see other options. You probably have a few favorite outfits, so start with them and break them apart.

This is why setting up a workspace is so helpful, you’re forced to see items individually. 

Make minor Adjustments and Alterations.

I can’t tell you how many times I would clean out a client’s closet, and she would have several items that would be perfect with a few minor alterations. 

If a pair of pants are a little big, a hem fell out, or buttons need replacing, action them immediately.

You don’t need to buy something new when you can simply fix what you already have. 

Stop Saving Things for Special Occasions.

That black dress you think is only appropriate for a rare cocktail party might look fresh if you throw on a denim jacket.

Don’t wait to have a reason to wear your finer pieces, especially if you have better jewelry and accessories, celebrate everyday by wearing them with a simple pair of jeans and tee shirt. 

Push yourself outside your comfort zone and try everything on before dismissing it.

Purge As You Go.

You’ll come across items you can get rid of, so keep a designated area to place them and donate immediately.

I always keep an empty laundry basket in my closet so I can add donations to it as I go about my day. 

It’s Easy to Shop Your Closet

All you need is some time, which is the biggest commodity for many of us. So, invite a girlfriend over; another set of eyes is a HUGE help. Order in, have a cocktail, and make it fun! Then, do the same for her.

Then follow these tips and you’ll be organized and inspired just in time for spring.