Recently, I talked about how I don’t stick to the common advice of throwing out clothes you haven’t worn in a year. A reader, Suzanne, pointed out that many style experts do recommend this to keep your wardrobe updated.
There are several good reasons to let go of clothes you no longer wear:
– Keep only the clothes that fit well; ill-fitting clothes never look good. Holding onto clothes “just in case” you lose weight usually isn’t practical. If you have enough space and your weight fluctuates a lot, you might have separate sections for different sizes. If not, it’s better to discard clothes that don’t fit.
– Retain clothes that make you feel great. Why settle for less?
– Keep clothes that complement your body type.
– Maintain a clear view of your wardrobe. Overcrowded closets make it hard to see what you have, so it’s important to be aware of all your clothes.
– Only keep clothes in good condition. If something looks old, worn out, or damaged, it’s time to toss it.
However, I still hold onto many of my older clothes since my weight is stable and I have some really old items in my closet. Here’s why:
– Fashion trends tend to cycle back, albeit in a slightly different form. While stylists might argue that older pieces can never be quite right, mixing them with newer items can make them feel fresh and fashionable again.
– My fashion preferences fluctuate a lot. If I only kept clothes that made me feel great, I’d have very few items left! While many advise focusing solely on personal style and avoiding trends, I admit I get drawn to trends and end up with many clothes that have short-lived appeal. So, I keep those that I might like again later.
– Being creative with older clothes is actually fun. Going through your closet and putting together new outfits can be enjoyable and worth holding onto an older piece for those moments of inspiration.
– Following the one-year rule would leave me with a very small wardrobe, leading to boredom and potentially more shopping.
Additionally, playing with old garments to make them trendy again can be a fun challenge. Designers often draw inspiration from past styles, and you can too.
If you have enough space, you can organize your clothes into different sections. I have my main closet for current favorites, a secondary one for less frequently worn items, and a reject closet for things I don’t quite like anymore but still fit and are in good condition. If items in the reject closet go unworn for more than a year, they get discarded.
Living in different countries, I also keep an old winter wardrobe that I rarely use but might need if I move to a colder climate again. It’s also useful for winter holidays.
So those are my reasons for keeping many of my old clothes. What about you? Do you hold onto old clothes, and why?