Want to clear the tat out of my wardrobe but will be left with hardly any clothes! Any advice please?

[Jemster]

This weekend I am determined to clear out my wardrobe and sort through my clothes. Since having 2 dc my shape has changed and so lots of my clothes don't quite fit and are generally a bit on the tight side. I have hung on to them but they are taking up space that I could do with for other things. Thing is I can't bring myself to get rid of them as I don't have much spare money to buy replacements.

Also a lot of my stuff is cheap and looks tatty and worn. My clothes never seem to stay looking nice for long. I'm fed up with rummaging around in a drawer full of tatty tops that have seen better days. I bought a pair of trousers in DP sale and after one wash they look awful and the hem's come down.

What would other people do in this situation? I feel like I just want to get rid of it all but then I would be left with very little to wear and I don't have the money to buy a whole new wardrobe. Help please.

For a start take back the DP jeans and get a refund! I probably wouldn't get rid of everything even if it doesn't quite fit as you will be left with nothing.
Think about what you wear the most - is it dresses, jeans, leggings? And set about finding good replacements that fit you well before getting rid of the old stuff. Also look at Ebay to get better quality clothes but much cheaper.

When I was in exactly the same situation I did a big clear out, and chucked -

Anything that was old and tatty
Anything too stained, torn etc to mend
Anything too short
I considered things that might fit if I lost weight individually

I didn't have much left, but got a couple of pairs of trousers from eBay (decent high street, gap and next) and a couple of tops in sales and had a good look in charity shops. I got this very skeleton wardrobe for about £60 and built up around that in time.
Getting stuff of similar/matching colours will help a few clothes go far.

I started with getting rid of everything tatty, didn't fit, didn't like.

I gradually started replacing items, starting with basics like jeans, as I love jeans and jersey too.

I think the trick is to cull your wardrobe slowly and think about what you like or don't like about items so you don't make the same mistakes again.

I rece

Oops.. I recently culled my wardrobe. I started off by thinking about my 'style'. I had so many different types of looks going on and I wantes to strip it back to basics.So, for me, I was - dressing down: skinny jeans/jeggings, tees and long cardigans and then some dresses with tights for when I feel like dressing up a little.

I bought a few pairs of jeggings and skinnies from Primark. Despite Primark's reputation I've always found their jeggings and skinnies to be good quality - one pair are goig strong 7 years on. And even if they don't last, at £7 a pair I don't mind too much. I used to buy all my jeggings and jeans from Topshop and would be gutted when they went out of shape or the stitching fell apart at that price. I've bought them from Dorothy Perkins too and haven't been pleased with the quality..

Tees I bought from Primark too. I paid between £2-4 per t shirt. Just simple t shirts in different colours. I didn't need to buy any cardigans as I already had a good few going strong.

Dresses I am buying gradually from different places as I want ones that really suit me and make me feel great for the days I feel like dressing up a bit.

I replaced all my tights, bought from Sainsburys. Leggings I find h&m the best quality.

I looked at my shoes - kept a pair of brown boots and a pair of black. 2 pairs of converse in versatile colours. Chucked everything else. Will probably need to get some sandals and ballet pumps for the summer.

It's such an amazing feeling when you open the wardrobe door and love everything looking back at you. I was the same as you where I had loads left over from pre dc and I found it so depressing being faced with it all every morning - when my shape and style had changed.

Good luck op :)

Also, don't know if you're guilty of this, but a big downfall of mine was buying stuff in the sales just because it was a good price. built up a fair amount of crap clothes doing this - it's just false economy if you don't love the item. Make sure you're 100% happy with anything you buy. That's not to say you can't be 100% happy with cheap clothes, just don't buy thingss because they're cheap, if that makes sense.

MotorLoo I am the same as you in that I have too many styles and I just don't know what suits me. I actually feel like nothing does anymore. I am 38 and feel like some of my clothes are too young for me but I don't want to dress too old either. I am so out of touch with clothes and have just lost confidence in my appearance.
The other week dh and I went out for a nice meal and I literally had nothing nice to wear. Lots of ill fitting bits & pieces but not just one nice outfit. It kind of put a dampener on the evening for me.

Hang all your clothes up on a rail, even t-shirts, with the hook facing towards you. When you wear something put it back in with the hook facing away. After a few weeks move all the ones you haven't worn to a pile and start going through it working out why you've not worn it. If it doesn't suit you charity shop, too tatty, bin, wrong season put it in a case and don't bring it out till the right season. You'll be left with a very small looking wardrobe of things you actually wear. It's not any smaller than before because you weren't wearing those other clothes they were just taking up space.

Then look at what you have left, think about what your style actually is vs what you might want it to be, and plug any gaps with a wish list, don't buy things not on your list.

My sister did this for me and it's amazing, I plugged gaps with eBay and charity shop finds and I'm saving for other bits, though I splurged on Victoria secret underwear.

I don't miss the stuff I chucked b because I never actually wore it.

Good luck

Maybe that is a good place to start. Think of an outfit that you would like to wear for going out. What sort of outfit would you like, or have seen on someone else that you liked?

ifisayno that is great advice, thank you

I know Jemster, it can be hard to be fresh and trendy without looking like you're trying to dress too young. But on the other hand not wanting to dress like your nan.

And as for styles, it can be hard to find 'you'. Before my cull I had band tees and ripped denim shorts, floaty boho dresses, gothy bits, smart pieces, surf hoodies and tees - just a complete mishmash. So I just thought right, I'm stripping it right back to basics - jeans/jeggings, t shirt and cardigan with converse and then the dress, tights, boots ensemble for nicer occasions.

I think before you cull your wardrobe and shop for new stuff have a really good think about what you think your style should be - what do you wear most of in your wardrobe? Do you need to be comfy or dress smart for work?... Whenever I'm out and about I look at what others are wearing and get ideas. But then you have to think about what will suit you as an individual. For example I'm a pearshape so try to wear longish tops and cardigans to disguise my big hips - I couldn't get away with a short top no matter how much I liked it!

Also, what about having a day out 'window shopping'? Just looking at different styles, getting ideas, trying things on, but without actually purchasing anything - just to get a feel for your potential wardrobe before you commit to buying anything.

I had a good clear out it with a bit of hedging.

Take absolutely everything out if wardrobe

Put back only items you currently love

Get bin bags. Charity, rubbish and then the don't know pile

Fold up everything in the don't know pile and put away out of sight, say under the bed or top of the wardrobe. So it's gone but not gone. Put a note inside with today's date.

So, if you need anything from there you can get it but you might be quite surprised how long it is till you look at it all again. Then repeat the process

As for new clothes, I'd suggest buying good quality bras and splurging on matching knickers if budget allows. A good bra can be 35-50 pounds but will lift, support and feel so comfortable. In London rugby and pellar and / or Victorias secrets

Then, how about Pinterest to find whole outfits you like the look of and shop for the pieces to make it work. Last year I bought a few long denim skirts on eBay this way. Lots of good charity shop finds too.

Group clothes in your wardrobe by outfit or at least work out what goes with what. Starting with shoes and work upwards. If you have an item you love that doesn't have its own outfit then work out what's missing and buy it. Then you'll actually wear it!

Great thread. Has given me the kick to clear out.

I had a huge clear out a few weeks ago. My wardrobe is now very empty looking but it doesn't feel that bad. In fact it's kind of liberating. I wasn't wearing any of the things I got rid of so I've still got the same amount of clothes that I had before, it just looked a bit daunting at first.

What I do have is laid out neatly and clearly so it's much easier to get ready in the morning. No more rooting through heaps of tat to find what I want.

My plan is to buy new clothes slowly and carefully. Even if that means only getting one item every other month. If I see lots of things I love then I'll get them but I don't want to buy for the sake of it.

Pinterest is really good for ideas. Once you've pinned a few things you can start to see your own style developing.