A wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear – sound familiar? Follow these seven tips to get out of a style rut …
1. Edit Your Wardrobe, One Category At A Time
Watch Alison Hope Murray’s “Clutter to Capsule” series on TikTok for advice on how to let go of unwanted or unused pieces in your wardrobe. Alison suggests trying on items by category (blazers, jeans, midi dresses) to establish what colours and shapes suit you, and those that don’t flatter. The end result? A neat wardrobe filled only with things you love. @alisonhopemurray
2. Drop Your Mumsy Image
Small, easy switches are all that is needed to elevate style from mumsy to MILF, believes Irish entrepreneur Anne Marie Gee, founder of Reloved Again Townhouse, on London’s Kings Road. “A wardrobe in a limited palette is cooler and easier to mix and match than lots of prints or strong-coloured pieces. One-colour dressing also elongates the silhouette.” She suggests making a shopping list of fashion classics. “Invest in white shirts (try With Nothing Underneath); white T-shirts (Selected Femme); a V-neck navy sweater (look out for Raey’s sale at www.matchesfashion.com); the best blazer and denim shirt you can afford (though H&M has a fantastic inexpensive shirt edit). I prefer trouser-style denim instead of standard jeans, for comfort as well as style.” To update accessories, she recommends buying a new pair of sunglasses (try Gentle Monster or Prada), some trainers to add a youthful edge (try Asics 1990 V2 in beige) and interesting vintage jewellery. This winter Anne Marie will be swapping her own parka for a long-line quilted jacket (www.flannels.ie outlet) and wearing Mou boots (www.mou-online. com), a grown-up version of Uggs. www.catwalkgee.com.
3. Nail Your Style In Three Words
LA-based personal stylist Allison Bornstein developed the “Three Word Method” to help her clients build a wardrobe that reflects their style and works for their lifestyles. How to find your words? Identify the pieces you wear the most, and characterise them. You might be “Classic, Tailored and 1970s” or “Romantic, Vintage and Edgy”. To get started, read Bornstein’s Wear It Well: Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed, Chronicle, €22. The bottom line: when your outfits feel lacking, or just not “you”, refer back to your three words and identify the missing element. Photograph by Jennifer Trahan.
4. Adopt A Personal Shopper
Pre-2020 personal shopping was mainly appointment-based, for high-end pieces. Now, personal shoppers, such as the young team at Brown Thomas, have direct relationships with customers, often via WhatsApp and Instagram. This means you receive instant updates on new deliveries, sizes and even the odd bargain. For details and advice at your fingertips, DM @brownthomaspersonalshopping
5. The Accessory Challenge
Get creative with your jewellery and accessories. Pop on a pair of trousers and a sweater and challenge yourself to create four entirely different looks using only scarves, jewellery and hair accessories. It’s surprisingly fun!
6. Get A New Wardrobe
Investing in a new wardrobe can been transformative, making it easier to choose what to wear in the morning. PR Roisin O’Hea worked with BeSpace in Stillorgan to design floor-toceiling sliding wardrobes with dedicated spaces for her collection of kimonos and dresses and shorter spaces for blazers, trousers, shirts and tops. Since the redesign, she says, she has “shopped her wardrobe” and found pieces she had forgotten about. Interior designer Roisin Lafferty recommends joinery companies Oikos, O’Gorman Joinery and Christoff.
7. Time & Space
Enlist the help of the brilliant Kildare Village Personal Shopping team for an unhurried style re-set, in a beautiful private space (with friends if you like). Appointments last 90 minutes. For bookings; www.kildarevillage.com.
