So finally summer is over. It's been lovely, but as they say, "all good things must come to an end". This week we have gone from one extreme to the other - i've been both way too hot to be in the sun, to feeling a definite chill in the air and even sneaking the heating on for a quick half hour to warm my office up!
Your winter wardrobe.
How is it looking? I'm going to share my top tips with you for getting your wardrobe ready for autumn/winter over the coming month.
There is something so satisfying about getting organised and clear. It's cathartic and gives a feeling of order and clarity. I urge you to take on board some, if not all, of my suggestions to get your wardrobe ready for the new season.
Say goodbye to your strict summer items
Now may be a bit too soon, but in the coming weeks the first step is to go through and pull out all your summer items; the ones you know you won't be wearing again until at least next April.
If you have a lot of space - such as a spare wardrobe and drawers in another room, you could move the items there. My preferred way, however, is to buy some vacuum storage bags and store them either in a loft or up the top of a wardrobe. They make a pile of clothes half the size and also protect from damp and moths. You can buy them from places like John Lewis and Lakeland or online at Amazon.
Get out your warmer items
If you've packed your winter clothes away, it's time to get them back out. Once you have put away your summer items you will see what you have left for this season. I advise hanging everything you can, aside from things like gym kit, PJs and underwear, and heavy knits. Some people worry about shoulder dent marks, so if there is an item that would suffer from this then you can keep it folded in drawers. In my experience drawers act like a vortex and many things that go in don't often get to see the light of day as they are forgotten about! They also often come out crumpled and creased and require more effort to get them ready to wear. If you do have to use drawers, then the ONLY way to fold them is the Marie Kondo way. Google it!:)
Hang what you can, and ideally use the same hangers -the thin velvet flock ones, sometimes known as huggable hangers. They can be bought online from The Hanger Store.
Winter shoes
Also, take a look through all your winter boots and shoes. If they are looking a bit tatty, it is amazing what some shoe polish and a re-heel can do! Now is the time to get them done before they are really needed. Invest in some suede and leather spray and get them protected before the wet weather arrives. It really does work and will make them last longer.
Boot trees are also essential for any knee highs. Boots are an investment and they really need to be supported and not chucked in the bottom of the wardrobe if you want them to last.
Build your winter wardrobe
Once you are cleared out and organised, take a look at where the gaps are and make a list of what items you need to fill those gaps.
Calculate what you can afford to invest over the coming months to refresh and buy some new items. Decide on the essential high priority items first, before you spend money on the extra pieces you want rather than need. Winter clothes are more of an investment as coats and boots usually cost more than other items.
Before you buy anything new, have a day window shopping and trying on things in different stores, or do so virtually saving things on Pinterest so you can compare what's out there and make good choices of items that work together.
If you really don't have the time or energy to do it alone, please get in touch as I would love to help!
Lizzie Edwards is a London based personal stylist and image consultant for women over thirty five.
