After weeks of planning and subsequent deferring, I finally forced myself to tackle a closet purge. As a fashion editor, it’s pretty easy to amass racks of clothes and accessories (after all that’s what we do), so spending time for a proper cleanout is nothing short of a weekend-long affair. As the sun stays around for a bit longer and ice coffee becomes more of the norm, there are a few pieces I’m eager to add to my closet in anticipation of spring. But, I’m a faithful adherent to the Kondo method, so that means for any piece of clothing that enters my closet, something else has to leave–and I have just the items in mind. Looking through my closet, I’ve already noticed a few styles that have remained untouched for over a year– like delicate florals and body-con figure-hugging dresses. Whether they feel too fancy for the moment or are more difficult to style, I’m all about replacing them with items I’ll actually wear on repeat. After all, what good is it if it stays on the hanger collecting dust? To find out which items I plan on saying goodbye to and which ones I’m adding, keep reading ahead.
I’m doing a complete fashion 180 here– for the better part of a year, I have never reached for a body-con dress. And now that casual weekend errands have replaced weekend dinner dates, they feel less appropriate for the moment, and thus are taking up room for other dresses I wear much more consistently. What I love about a voluminous dress is that it can easily feel elegant with the simple switch of a shoe: with sneakers they can look casual, and with pretty sandals, effortlessly fancy.
Since moving to California, black jeans feel a little harsh for the breezy, sunny days. I’ve fully embraced light-washed denim, but I’m still not ready to completely give up my dark wash pairs either. For that, I’m opting for black acid wash. I can still wear them with everything else I’d normally wear with my black jeans so it’s not much of a style swap, and they’re a lighter look.
It was all about knit tops last year, but now I’m eager to try something different. Brands like A.W.A.K.E. Mode and Ganni can’t get enough of dramatic balloon sleeves, so I figured I’d take a page out of their books and adopt this style for spring. They’re much easier to pair than they appear, but in the spirit of experimentation, I don’t want to splurge yet so I’m trying out this piece from Who What Wear’s Target collection. It’s only $28 but looks way more expensive.
The chambray shirt is another style I’m choosing to purge. It’s rare that I reach for them, instead opting for heavier denim jackets that are easier to layer over tees and coordinate with my abundance of sweatpants. If I want the look of a denim layer, I discovered the hack of leaving a denim dress unbuttoned to style it as a duster. The result is a piece that is extremely versatile.
Floral patterns are so interconnected with spring fashion, it’s a trope at this point. But the truth is, some florals have felt a dated to me for a while. Specifically delicate florals that look too pretty and precious. While a moody dark floral will always be a mainstay in my closet, variations of light denim will be replacing the bulk of my flowery dresses. I’m starting with this acid wash mini, but I plan on adding varying tones of denim too, like Zara’s bubblegum pink denim jeans.
Skinny jeans can look great tucked into a nice pair of boots, but it really is a gamble when it comes to the fit. A much more effortless silhouette is the baggy jean. They capture that grunge girl chic that’s simultaneously cool and fun, and as I’m on the curvier side, I find that they flatter my pear shape a bit better. Paired with a white bodysuit and floss sandals–I think I found my spring uniform.
Seeing as I haven’t been on a fancy night out in months, strapless dresses don’t really have a place in my day-to-day wardrobe. Worn with strappy heels and a structured bag, they’re a simple, effortless date-night outfit, but when it comes to more casual affairs styling a strapless dress isn’t so easy. One-shoulder dresses are like their much more versatile cousin, and I love that I can pair this minimalist version from Who What Wear with a pair of combat boots, mules, or sneakers. Will I still be sticking to the KonMari method if I buy it in every color? Time will tell.
