Is it possible to have a wardrobe that is 100% functional?

The big question is this: Is it possible to have a wardrobe that is 100% functional? A dream wardrobe full of pieces you love and wear? It isn't easy, but it is possible!

Why is it difficult? Because we live in a reality of extreme external influence, much of which is negative and leads to a consumerist lifestyle. Since most people don't use 30% of what's in their wardrobe, building a 100% functional and balanced wardrobe is challenging.

The words that will make all the difference in this post are intentionality, focus, and balance.

Being intentional about what we do makes all the difference! It makes us fully commit to the task until we achieve the desired result. Be intentional about self-knowledge and understanding your needs so you can focus on what you need ( not want) to consume.

Where should I start?

First step: Take a look at what you have!

Take your time to go through your wardrobe and get to know everything in there. Include clothes you wear, clothes you don't wear, damaged clothes, and clothes with tags.

It may seem absurd, but most people don't regularly clean out their closets. When they start this process, they're often shocked by how many clothes they'd forgotten they had! They find clothes that smell like they've been stored away, and even moldy clothes. I've seen it a lot!

In this first step, open your closet and take everything out piece by piece.

Make piles by type of clothing: pants, blouses, closed jackets, open jackets, dresses, shorts, and skirts.

Then, take a piece of paper and write down how many pieces of clothing you have in each category.

But why do I have to write it down? It's a lot of work.

Yes, it is work! However, it's important because this process involves more than just cleaning; it's also about recycling. This process changes your mindset and the way you think. It's only when you become aware of the quantity, waste, and condition of the items that you will allow yourself to act differently from then on. A change in mindset generates a change in behavior!

 Important: As you remove items from your wardrobe, check their condition. If any are torn, damaged, stained, or beyond repair, set them aside to donate.

Second step: Separate items in poor condition for disposal. Separate the items that you know you no longer want.

After doing this initial clean-up, it's time to try everything on! Everything? Yes! Everything.

Grab a pile of clothes and stand in front of the mirror. Start trying them on one by one. In this life, we need criteria for everything! At this point, you should ask yourself the following questions:

1. Does this outfit fit me? Does it suit my body type? Does it bother me in any way?

2. How often do I wear this outfit?

3. Is there an environment and occasion for me to wear this outfit?

4. Does this outfit reveal who I am? Does it show off the best of me, my style, and my age?

5. Do I feel good when I wear it?

That's the criterion! Clothes are not just fabric that covers your body, nor are they the most important thing in life. It's not one extreme or the other.

They are a communication tool that reveals who you are, your style, and your self-esteem. They show what you respect and value, and they make us feel good.

Therefore, you should dress well, choose clothes that fit well, enhance your body type, and match your lifestyle and the places you frequent.

Step Three:

The piles will start to shrink because you will begin sorting through the clothes you no longer want. To do so, it's important to be true to yourself.

Here are some more things to consider:

1. If a piece makes you smile or sigh because you love it so much, then it's a keeper! Keep it. However, it should only stay if it's in good condition. Don't keep something that's worn out. If this task is difficult for you, ask a close friend to help you decide what looks good on you and what doesn't.

2. If a garment fits you well and suits your style but you haven't worn it in the last year, you can donate it or set a deadline to give that piece another chance.

To determine whether it's worth keeping, see which pieces in your wardrobe it goes with. Does it go with several pieces, or just one? If it's just one, is it really worth keeping?

3. Don't insist on keeping clothes that don't fit well, are no longer appropriate for your age, or are too tight or loose. Get rid of them!

Remember, you need to make room for better things to come. Don't hold on to things that don't suit you or reveal the best version of yourself.

4. After that, store the pieces you're keeping and write down what you have left again.

Compare the two lists to see which pieces you have the most of and which pile has decreased the most. This is a great way to learn about your taste and personal style from your mistakes and successes.

Some people insist on buying dresses even though they don't wear them often. However, they repeat the mistake because they didn't really realize it. By analyzing the two lists, you'll see where you're successful and where you're not when shopping.

That's it! The cleanup is done! The right thing to do is to do this every year. This way, we won't accumulate stuff, and we'll always be exploring our wardrobe and all the viable options within it.

Next, we'll coordinate the remaining pieces in the wardrobe to see what's missing. But that's a topic for another post.

Are you up for the challenge? Ask me your questions and share your motivations. Know that you won't be the same after this process. It's worth it!

 Go for it!

Lilia Damiani