Hey loves! This past weekend saw the official start of fall and I couldn’t be more excited for more layers, darker lipstick, and taller boots. Thinking of all my favorite fall fashion trends got me thinking about how far my wardrobe has come since I graduated college. This post gives all the details on how I rebuilt my wardrobe post grad. And when I say rebuilt, I truly mean rebuilt. Over half of my wardrobe was from American Apparel (if you’re familiar with their clothing you know what that means). Basically my wardrobe consisted of either going out outfits or comfy (read: lazy) looks for class. Diving in to the workforce and generally simply just being older meant I had to do some serious work on my clothing options. Whether you’re a recent grad or just someone looking for change, here are tips for anyone looking to start fresh:
Out With the Old: Give Away Clothes You Don’t Wear
I knew I had to be real with myself about the clothes I wouldn’t be wearing as much post grad. I also knew I had to be real with myself regarding clothes that I hadn’t worn in over a year. Clothes in both of these categories simply had to go. I had an abnormally large amount of crop tops, bodycon skirts and dresses, costume clothes, and T shirts–lots and lots of T-shirts. Apparently it’s a thing in college to have so many random T shirts from events and clubs. While I kept the apparel that held sentimental value, I basically got rid of a majority of the other clothes. Before donating these clothes, I let some underclassmen go through they wanted any of it. After all, a lot of the clothing was in good condition but I just knew I wouldn’t need them anymore. I really didn’t feel like going through the effort of having a clothing senior sale, simply because I personally don’t like paying money for something another person has already made use of. For that reason I had no problem giving these things away for free.
In With the New: Shopping Hauls
After making it through a few weeks of work (and collecting those first few checks), I knew it was time to gradually build up my closet by going shopping! Honestly to at least get a solid foundation in my closet, I decided to do a full blown haul because that was the easiest way to revamp a wardrobe. I started at my favorite store for work clothes which is H&M. Every 3-4 months I would plan these hauls into my budget until I felt like I had made some leeway on transforming my closet. Some other places I love to shop include Missguided, Pretty Little Thing, Asos, and Zara.
Shop for Multi-Use Items
Shop for items you can wear in as many different styles and settings. When I’m shopping for work clothes, I try and pick up items that I can wear to a weekend dinner with a friend as well.
It’s easy to say, “just go shopping every now and then” to rebuild your wardrobe but then there’s the question of “what do I shop for?” Don’t worry, I have an answer! Shop for items you can wear in as many different styles and settings. When I’m shopping for work clothes, I try and pick up items that I can wear to a weekend dinner with a friend as well. Obviously there are exceptions like when you’re shopping for vacations or formal events. But honestly speaking, I definitely have some pants that I wear to work that I could wear for a night out if paired with a different top. This way I am making the most of my wardrobe and not just shopping separately for “turn up” clothes and work clothes. Shopping like this elevated my style from the look I had during college days.
Don’t Rush It! Save the Gems For Later
During college–maybe it’s because there are so many events (formals, parties, awards dinners etc.)– but I often found myself shopping for events and not because I wanted to build my wardrobe. When the event was over I really found no reason to wear the item again, at least not in the near future. Now, I find myself picking up items that I can’t really figure out how to wear in the moment but I know that I’d love to have it in my closet. Instead of shopping for events or shopping to wear clothing ASAP, I shop for clothing that I can work with later on down the road. For example, I actually purchased the top picture in this post last year. (Sorry guys, that means I don’t really have a link to the top!) I knew I liked the shirt’s style a lot but didn’t want to rush wearing it and so I actually wore it for the first time one year after purchasing.
Now, I find myself picking up items that I don’t know how to wear in the moment but would love to have in my closet.
Final Thoughts
My wardrobe and style are constantly changing so this is by no means an exhaustive list! These are just some of the main ways that I was able to drastically change by style as I transitioned from college to post grad life!
#EniGivenSunday
