When do you need a wardrobe makeover?

4 Steps to your Post COVID wardrobe makeover 

The alarm clock goes off, you rollover and crawl out of bed, as you brush your teeth your brain starts to wake up - hold on something is different today.  Then it hits you, you remember, you are heading into the office today, and really getting dressed!  It still feels so strange, after months and months of working from home, this is hybrid working, no zoom or teams today. 

Then that sinking feeling hits you like a ton of bricks as you look at your wardrobe… ‘so what am I supposed to wear to work?’  Like most of the business world you have probably spent a large portion of 2020 and 2021 making your way through athleisure wear, matching comfy co-ords, then business up top and comfy down the bottom.  Somewhere over the last two years the corporate dress code has shifted and what you may have in your work wardrobe today, might just not feel right anymore. 

There is no better time than now to refresh your wardrobe. Most believe that a wardrobe refresh means that you need to throw everything out and buy new.  That is definitely not the case. So here are my 5 steps for helping to get the most out of your post Covid wardrobe and style.

1. Get to know your own personal style;

2. Find your colours;

3. Review and re-organisation;

4. Identify which core pieces you may be missing and fill the gaps

Step 1: Getting to know your personal style

After the past few years it's really important to give yourself 10 minutes, to actually think about your style and wardrobe.  The easiest way to do this is to consider 

i) 3 words of how you want to feel about your wardrobe and style

ii) 3 words of how you currently feel about about your wardrobe and style

iii) 5 pieces in your wardrobe you wear on repeat, what is it about them that makes you go back to them

iv) 5 pieces you never wear, what is about them that you are pulling away from

You should start to see some key themes come through now!

Step 2: Find your colours

Every wardrobe should have a good base of colours or neutrals this can include Navy, black, lighter tones.  If you are looking at your wardrobe and its a colourful rainbow, then you may need to add back in some staple core colours to help you get more out of your existing wardrobe.

Step 3: Review and organisation

This is such an important step in the process, you need to know what you have and what still works and what doesn’t.  The items that don’t work for you anymore or don’t fit in with the style you noted in Step 1, think about donating to organisations such as dressed for success or your local salvos.  

Then its organisation time, order by category and or colour, depending on the size of your wardrobe. Think about hangers that create space, such as the flocked versions and ensuring blazers are on solid hangers.  You may have previously had your wardrobe split into work and weekend.  With the lines starting to cross you may want to consider merging the two, so it becomes easier to mix and match items.

Step 4: Find the missing pieces in your wardrobe and fill the gaps

Every wardrobe needs the at least the following 6 basic pieces, where these are missing you will find it harder to mix and match items.

Women

• White/light blue shirt

• Basic white t-shirt

• Go to Dress

• Blazer

• Denim Jeans

• Midi Skirt

• Black pant

• Knitwear

• Shoes

  • Flats

  • Heels

• Accessories

Men

• Shirt

  • Suit Sirt

  • Linen Shirt

• Suit

• Blazer/Outerwear

• T-shirts

• Pants

  • Chinos

  • Denim

• Shoes 

  • Oxfords

  • Sneakers

  • Boot

Stylist Tips: 

1. Don’t give up on your pre covid corporate wardrobe, think about using these items as separates; 

2. Take a list with you when filling the gaps, to ensure you stay focussed on what you actually need;

3. Don't underestimate the value of organisation so you can see what you actually own.

Your wardrobe needs to be a place of joy and celebration of who you are now. Not who you were.