Have you already got your wardrobe in shape? If not, now is the time. Fashion expert Lily Cole reveals her tricks on how separating old favorite parts is guaranteed to work.
Corona is currently putting a spanner in the works when it comes to meeting friends or going on vacation. Most of us therefore spend just as much time at home as we haven't in a long time. Instead of blowing tribulation, we can also use the time in our own four walls for smaller projects and thus make the most of the time. Our tip: muck out the closet.
Believe us, we know that: We hoard, hoard and hoard, because you could use the parts in the closet after all. When the cousin marries the best friend on the first Saturday in September at exactly 27.3 degrees or the loved one invites you to a very special excursion with the dress code "Flower dress too small". You notice: We can think of many reasons for storing clothes. But we're going to put an end to that now. We call for textile detoxing and asked a real expert how the project "clearing out the closet" is guaranteed to succeed.
"Have nothing in your house that is useless or not beautiful!"
Lily Cole is a model, actress and activist. She is committed to sustainability and the environment and is therefore a real pro when it comes to fashion. In an interview with BRIGITTE.de, she told us that getting rid of items of clothing that you no longer need is not as difficult as we always thought.
William Morris once said, "Have nothing in your house that is useless or not beautiful." When I clean out my closet, I wonder if the part in it is nice or useful. Do I really love it? Or is it just a kind of sentimentality? (Or as Marie Kondo would say: "Does it trigger joy?")
Then ask yourself if you have worn it in the past year. Asking yourself these questions will make it easier to decide whether you want to keep something or separate it better.
Two heaps make mucking out easier
From now on it is time to do the hard work. Take your time, because mucking out the closet shouldn't end in rushing, says Cole. "It sounds banal, but such a muck-out campaign only works if you really enjoy it." So make yourself a coffee, get the chocolate from the shelf and set the music to loud. Next, pick up each piece from your closet.
Sometimes it is immediately clear what you want to keep and what not … sometimes you are also unsure and this gray area can be very confusing. I always find the "Maybe" pile useful to give you some time to think about the individual parts and to make the right decision in the end.
And then there is the "repair" pile. I have worn some of my favorite pieces so often that you can see them. So I put them in a pile and as soon as I have time, I fix them. I like the character these parts get over the years.
What to do with the mucked out parts?
When we have finally separated from one or the other piece of clothing, it is time to recycle, after all, the parts you have chosen are much too good to just throw them away.
If you know someone who would look great in this sorted out garment, it might be a nice gift. You can also organize exchange parties with your friends, where everyone brings a selection of parts and you can then exchange them with each other.
You can sell particularly high-quality parts on second-hand platforms such as Vestiaire Collective or in vintage stores. And of course there is also the possibility to donate clothes.
Lily Cole is leading by example and has discarded her former favorite pieces at Vestiaire Collective. It is part of the "Wardrobe Reality Check" challenge that the online platform for second-hand fashion in the luxury segment launched on the occasion of the 50th World Earth Month. The challenge is to help break old habits, rethink and free yourself from unworn ballast. So that we learn how to make your wardrobe sustainable, stylish and future-proof.
"In the course of the 'Wardrobe Reality Check' challenge, I decided to buy a pair of green satin heels from Miu Miu, black dior heels, an acne dress, a top from Marni, a bag from Mulberry and a few heels from Resell Balenciaga. "
But Lily doesn't just sell on second-hand platforms. "I love buying vintage parts. You can find beautiful treasures without feeling guilty."