August 28, 2020

Make Room Summer Wardrobe, Fall Is Coming!

I think every woman and their mom is already talking about fall, the cute clothes they’ll be able to wear and pumpkin spice everything. Although I’m not ready for fall because I love warm weather, I definitely have been getting my clients ready for it.

Whenever I work with my seasonal clients, not only do I tell them what they’re missing for that season (i.e. must haves or some fun, new trendy pieces), but we also do a decluttering session too! Our goal is to take out any summer pieces they can’t wear in the fall OUT and we put the fall pieces IN – sweaters take up a lot of room if you don’t have a giant closet. But then of course there are those pieces that my clients just don’t know about. Everyone goes through this. Heck, I’m a professional wardrobe stylist for over 17 years and I still go through this!

Here are some helpful tips and tricks to get you going with your seasonal closet change out and decluttering session:

1 – Decide what summer pieces you can’t wear in the fall

Although I love color so I wear color all year round, some people aren’t comfortable with it and that’s totally fine. You have to feel good in what you’re wearing, right? So what are some colorful pieces that are so bright that even if you put a jewel tone or a black over it, it’s still not “fall appropriate”, color-wise? Once you find those, pack them up.

What pieces can’t be layered? I’ll admit, you kind of have to have an eye for this. There are just some tops out there that don’t look good with a jacket over them. However, some of these pieces you could wear a scarf with! Side note: If you think that fall scarves are just super thick and bulky, there are plenty of scarves out there that are a lighter fabric so keep conducting a trial and error.

Overall, were there pieces that you didn’t end up wearing that you said at the beginning of the summer you were going to try to wear?! It’s time to donate those to Arc’s Value Village!

PS – Don’t forget to go through your pants and shoes too!

2 – Summer out, fall wardrobe in!

Before hanging those fall pieces back into your closet, are there items you just don’t like anymore? People do go through a revamp over the course of a year…especially with COVID, we have had a lot of time to focus on what we really love and just overall practice self-care. Plus, most of our lifestyles have just, well, changed due to the pandemic. If you don’t love something the moment you take it out from hiding, donate it!

There will be pieces you will be on-the-fence about and frankly, this is the perfect time to try them out. Wear those pieces around the house since we’re quarantined. If you like them after a few times, take the next step by wearing them out in public when you’re running errands. If you STILL like them, keep them. If you find yourself not liking them, uncomfortable in or you keep tugging/fixing them, put them in the donation pile! Now if you make it to the step of going out in public and you don’t feel confident in them (I would say try 2-3 times), you’re going to wear it on your face so it’s just best to put them in the donation pile.

I bought these olive green pants from Arc’s Value Village in spring 2019 and I hadn’t worn them a lot so I thought, well what else am I going to do during quarantine? So I wore them around and I fell back in love with them. They’re a Gap chino which I’m obsessed with! So comfy and so breathable:

Olive Green Gap Chino Pants: $8.99

Can I just add that chino pants are a great versatile piece to have in your closet? 😉 You can wear them with just a tee like I am here, but you can also wear a nicer top to give it a more business casual look. Plus, they’re great for traveling! They don’t really wrinkle either which is key in my book!

3 – Make a shopping list of items you need and want

I’m sure that you have seen on social media, tv or some type of platform a style you really like. Don’t be afraid to try it! Even if it’s a little more wild and crazy, it’s okay to have a few statement pieces that are outside your comfort zone. It makes your wardrobe fun, even if it’s something you would only wear out with your friends.

If you aren’t sure what ‘must haves’ you should have, look at the fall fashion collections over the last couple of years from your standard stores; what do you see on repeat? I know one thing you’ll see – all the animal print.

The nice thing about thrifting at Arc’s Value Village is if you do come across something that is new for you whether that’s a style or a color, if you end up not liking it (use the method I mentioned above, wear it around the house and out in public), you didn’t spend a lot on it. You can then hand it down to someone or just re-donate it.

If you’re reading this and you seem overwhelmed or don’t know where to even begin, that’s why personal stylists like us exist! Visit arcsvaluevillage.org/shop/personal-shopping-service to book an appointment. PS – it’s FREE!!

Happy Decluttering and Happy Fall everyone!

-Melissa

MHstyleconsultants.com / IG: @MH_style_consulting / Facebook @MHstyleconsulting

To book an Arc’s Value Village personal shopping appointment, click here