If you’re anything like me, you’ve grown out of your old style of clothes since coming to college, and desperately long for outfits that better represent who you are now. My personal favorite spot for inspiration is Pinterest, but taking those pins and turning them into real outfits is the tricky part. Â
My first biggest piece of advice is to evaluate what clothing you already have and sort them into four piles: 1. Donate, 2. Revamp, 3. Staples, and 4. Sentimentalism. Pile four can be interchangeable with any category you’d like (ex. athleisure, professional, bathing suits, pajamas), I like doing sentimentalism: parents’ clothes, outfits I bought and haven’t worn yet but still vibe with, and the occasional school merch. Â
I guess working backwards, let’s talk about pile three. I consider staples to be clothes you wear every day that make you happy and confident along with just your basics (plain tops and bottoms, also things you can layer like leggings or tights). Pile three is really helpful when it comes to reworking your wardrobe on a budget. Usually donating a lot of clothes makes you feel like you’re left with nothing, but knowing the 7-point outfit trick (from one of my previous articles) can really help this begging stage when you haven’t collected your statement pieces yet.
Now, when it comes to pile two, you don’t have to be a professional seamstress, it can be as simple as cropping a top or trimming some bottoms. Think of pile two more of as a pile you’re not ready to donate, but don’t wear enough with the way it currently is.
And of course, pile one. Donating clothes you no longer wear or want is so much more ethical than tossing them in the trash. Even if you just pass them along to family or friends, when they go to the trash they just end up in landfills. It would also be cool to see your clothes be repurposed or restyled on someone else who can appreciate them!
Now that you’ve gone through what you have, it’s time to rebuild. The most inexpensive way to go about this is thrifting, flea markets, and garage sales — seriously, don’t sleep on the garage sales. Shopping second hand is definitely more ethical and affordable, but if you’re going to shop firsthand, I definitely recommend keeping a few things in mind: 1. Will the item last a long time / is it good quality?; 2. Is it just a trend / will you get sick of it after a couple wears? (this is so important when buying clothes because you don’t want to have to redo your whole wardrobe every few years); and 3. Is it too tight / too big? Clothes are made to fit you, do not justify buying clothes by telling yourself there is room to grow/ shrink into them. Unless they are intentionally made to be huge or small, I say buy your size. Â
I hope these tips are helpful and you’re able to feel more confident in your outfits ahead of summer! Now is the perfect time to revamp your closet and start wearing what suits you best.