A Naturally Curated Closet

A Naturally Curated Closet, 5 easy ways to pare down your closet naturally.

Above: Cuyana silk cami, Babaton murphy blouse (similar by Everlane), Cuyana apres swim coverup, Cuyana silk tee dress, Cuyana cotton cashmere v-neck sweater, Hope lova blouse, Lou & Grey chambray popover, Everlane relaxed silk shirt, Cuyana dolman silk shirt, Cuyana pima turtleneck

Lately I’ve noticed a big uptick in the amount of interest in capsule wardrobes, but I’ve also noticed a trend to replace every item of clothing you own with a new season. I don’t believe this is in line with what a capsule was meant to be and feel like it’s wasteful to replace your entire wardrobe every few months. Instead I utilize a year-long minimal closet that is more naturally curated instead of replaced as quickly as the trends change. No storing, no sorting, no clean outs every few months, just curating it and being mindful of it in my everyday life. Today I’m sharing a few of my tips and tricks that I use to keep my minimal closet curated in a natural way.

Define your wardrobe.
Take a real look at the needs of your wardrobe, and be honest with yourself. How do you dress 99.9% of the time? Do you need items versatile enough for office work or home? Do you enjoy dressing up or are you more casual?

Look for versatile clothing.
Clothing that has multiple functions or can last through multiple seasons via layering is preferred over clothing that is very seasonal. Obviously you will have certain items like swimsuits and parkas that are very seasonal, but for the most part I like to consider how many seasons I can wear an item during.

Try the hanger trick.
An easy and natural way to single out clothing that you don’t frequently wear is to try the hanger trick. This involves turning all of your hangers around backwards at the start of the year (or whenever you choose), then once you’ve worn an item hanging it the proper and forward way. Every now and then when you check in on your closet you will notice the clothing that you wear more frequently as well as the clothing that you haven’t worn at all.

Don’t focus on the number.
At some point you might have to pare down your wardrobe. Try not to focus on the number as much as you focus on being true to your needs and style. Does the garment fit? Does it serve your needs? Do you wear it often? Can you wear it multiple places? Do you already own something similar?

When you have to buy, be conscious.
Quality over quantity has always been my motto, and buying clothing that will last longer for me is almost always a better investment than poorly made garments. In addition to that, I have been increasingly buying more eco-friendly and socially responsible clothing from places like Cuyana, Everlane, and some of these places.

Additional reading:

 

Do you have a natural way that you keep your closet curated? Any tips or tricks to share?

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Comments

Responses to “A Naturally Curated Closet”

  1. Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle

    The hanger trick is great! I routinely keep things because I might wear them. The hanger trick is a great way to show me that it’s NOT going to happen. LOL

    Reply
  2. Lo

    I love my capsule wardrobes, but struggle with the minimalism part a lot. I do like to rotate things seasonally to keep it interesting for myself, and to feel like my wardrobe can “breathe,” but I also find myself oscillating between wanting to hang onto stuff in storage “just in case I’ll like it next year” and wanting to purge down to the bare minimum. I might have to try out keeping everything within sight year round rather than storing to truly evaluate!

    Reply
  3. Liz Mays

    I desperately need to try some of these out. The hanger trick is a good start and I could start focusing more on the things I actually wear.

    Reply
  4. Gisele

    This is good advice. I clean out my closet at least once a year and always have something that I never wear.

    Reply
  5. Joely Smith

    I also read your post on minimalism. Both great posts. I am not sure I am quite ready to be a minimalist yet. My mother is one, my daughter NEEDS to be one. I feel her anxiety would be much better if she had a minimalist lifestyle.
    As for wardrobe. I would love to do this. I will to a degree. I find I need to keep extra pieces due to writing about fashion often on my blog. Regardless I do skim down my closet at the change of every season. I am going to do the hanger trick though – I am curious how it will turn out! I will only “turn” the garment however if I actually wore it – and not just for a photo shoot!
    I also agree about buying eco-friendly and sustainable clothing. This too is something I am doing more of myself!

    Reply
  6. Lisa Favre

    My friend told me about the hanger trick and it’s something that I want to try out! It’ll give me a good idea of what I haven’t worn within a year.

    Reply
  7. Krystal

    Thank you for highlighting the wastefulness in an ever-revolving wardrobe! I see lots of capsules on blogs, and they are often filled with new clothes. It always makes me wonder where the old ones went, and how the heck could a person on a normal income afford to replace everything four times a year?

    Reply
  8. Dogvills

    These are awesome tips. And I need to try some of them. That hanger trick will be very helpful.

    Reply
  9. Jenn

    Great tips…I just did some house cleanning and cleared up a lot of the clothes and shoes in my closet.
    It is a lot better, but still need some work!

    Reply
  10. Mimi Green

    I never understood the point of a capsule wardrobe. I’ve been revamping my wardrobe to get a more cohesive look.

    Reply
  11. Jenny

    I just cleaned up my closet a little bit but man there is just too many clothes still and not enough room even though we have a big one in closet.

    Reply
  12. Nellwyn

    I’ve been transitioning to a more minimal closet slowly but surely and I’m loving it! I really agree with you about shopping more consciously and investing in pieces that are high quality and will last for years.

    Reply
  13. Chelley Martinka

    I love this. I just recently decided not to just purge because I’d lost weight, but because I wanted pieces and not just a closet of clothes. I am in love with my Fall wardrobe, and know many of the items I have will carry e through different events and seasons.

    Reply
  14. summer ann

    Hej Jessica!
    I love your ethos and whole heartedly agree with it! I think the popularity of capsule wardrobes is fantastic, but it can be just another guise of consumerism to purchase all the “proper” pieces. I think curating a wardrobe, over time, that is authentically you is a better option. Therefore, it’s not about acquiring or purging, it’s about creating something that enhances who you are and what you present to the world. That takes time and knowing who you are and what you like. I love your focus on replacing your items with better quality/more sustainable choices and I appreciate the brand recommendations.

    Reply
  15. Japans

    It’s very well documented. It was helpful. Thank you.

    Reply

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