Wardrobe Rehab

declutter wardrobe rehab cull minimalist minimal closet

Over the weekend, I set aside my Sunday afternoon to tackle my wardrobe and give it a much needed clearout. Feeling once again inspired by Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and a recent documentary Luke and I watched on minimalism, I spent a few hours sorting through the clothing rack in my study and the contents of (my half of) the closet in our bedroom, to whittle my wardrobe down to the pieces I always reach for; those wardrobe workhorses that are not only practical, but that also give me joy.

Aside from the odd piece which was a little more colourful than the rest of my wardrobe, I mostly found myself wanting to part with things that I’d bought with only the best of intentions; pieces that I’d anticipated would quickly become wardrobe staples. This included things like breton striped tees (apparently you can have too many), black leather ankle boots, and a couple of coats which I’d been storing at home, that just won’t get the wear they should during Sydney’s mild winters.

Perhaps one of the things that has struck me most over these last few weeks is that as much as I love colour and vibrant prints on other people, when it comes to my own wardrobe, I am and always will be a neutrals girl at heart. There’s still the odd smattering of print in my wardrobe, and some colour beyond a simple palette of white, grey and black, but wardrobe classics are without a doubt the bread and butter of my closet.

After giving my closet a good declutter (and listing a huge chunk of it for sale via my Tictail Store, here), I also took some time to identify a few gaps in my wardrobe, which I’ll be hoping to track down in the coming months.

pale blue cotton shirt // It’s been a good couple of years since I parted with the asymmetrical hemmed cornflower blue shirt I used to own from Swedish label Hope. I found the hemline a little bit awkward (to say the least) and as much as I loved that shirt, something with a more traditional cut will definitely be a much more loved workhorse, particularly once it starts to cool down during the autumn and winter months.

black leather skirt // There once was this period where I was literally obsessed with buying vintage everything on eBay, and a black leather skirt was probably one of my more practical buys. Unfortunately the first apartment we moved into in Sydney would get quite damp in the summertime from the high levels of humidity, and this skirt suffered the brunt of it. I’ve been on the lookout for a leather skirt ever since, in a highwaisted pencil or a-line silhouette.

white blazer // If you haven’t already figured it out by now, I’m really big on wearing white and cream hues during the warmer months. A white blazer has been near the top of my wishlist for years, as I feel like it would be the perfect complement, however finding the right cut and fabrication is the only thing that’s been holding me back.

blue denim ripped boyfriend jeans // After getting a pair of boyfriend denim jeans from Grana late last year, I’ve been hooked to the boyfriend jean, and when I think about my lifestyle, it just makes sense to have a pair for those lazy weekends at home with the pets. I’m currently eying up a pair from H&M which look like they might be right up my alley.

ballet flats // If you take a peek through my archives you’ll quickly find that I have a bit of a soft spot for ballet flats. My go to is definitely Porselli, and I’m thinking about nabbing a new pair as a little bit of a birthday present to myself.

classic black tote bag // My Everlane Twill Zipper Tote has been holding up really well since I bought it back in June, but I’d really love something more sleek and structured for everyday. There are a few options that I’ve been looking into, and it’s currently a toss up between the Seville Tote from Lo & Sons, or the Petra Magazine Tote from Everlane.

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5 Comments

  1. Amy Joe
    January 10, 2017 / 7:45 am

    Hi, Just recently stumbled across your blog, and after reading every blog from the beginning, I absolutely love your style and musings! I find it similar to my own except I tend to gravitate towards midi and knee length skirts and dresses! I love the simple, chic, classic with a twist vibe that you have, and am a big fan of the minimalist approach and the concept of a movable capsule wardrobe. Would love to see your top five pics for each seasons in terms of clothing (rather than accessories and shoes) in a high-end version but with lower end alternatives for those on a budget, and how you would wear them and transition them into other seasons? Also would be great to see a few posts on what to wear with different items (almost like your own version of a how to wear..), for example a navy pencil skirt dressed up and down, work and casual, or LBD?
    Thank you for all your posts, looking forward to seeing more! Keep up the great work.

    • jamie-lee
      Author
      January 17, 2017 / 9:17 pm

      Hi Amy, sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you! Still trying to get into the swing of things (and getting a new kitten has definitely eaten up a lot of my free time!). Thank you so much for your incredibly kind comment! I’m actually trying to share some more budget friendly alternatives (and recently did a more casual video on my YouTube channel), but definitely would love to talk a bit more about what key pieces are best for transitioning etc. Also, I did do a building a work wardrobe from scratch series (it’s all on my channel – i think under the minimal wardrobe playlist), where I shared outfits for casual and corporate offices which might give you a few ideas. Hope that helps and thanks again for the lovely comment! xx

      • Amy Joe
        January 18, 2017 / 5:51 am

        excellent thank you! Im hoping to slowly work my way through your YouTube Channel! I look forward to it!

  2. Dreamer
    January 11, 2017 / 5:03 am

    What was the name of the documentary?

    • jamie-lee
      Author
      January 11, 2017 / 7:29 am

      It was called Minimalism – it’s on Netflix! x

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