1. Eva striped Merino jumper, £190 and Clement wool-blend trousers, £220, both Cefinn; 2. Juniper colourblock mac, £110, White Stuff; 3. Ba&Sh braid belt, £145, Feather and Stitch; 4. Silk Ferry blouse, £229, LK Bennett; 5. Leather Trinity bag, £495, Strathberry; 6. Agathea chunky loafer, £248, Reformation
If you do need to invest in some new items, you need to make sure that they’re going to pull their weight as a wardrobe workhorse, so try them on with your favourite knits, shoes etc. Ask yourself: will you really wear it much if it only looks good with heels? Don’t be seduced into buying clothes for occasions that may never arise, either. “Our wardrobe needs to reflect our lifestyle, even if it’s not the dream lifestyle we would love to have,” says Mair.
Another common mistake is to buy too-small clothes as an incentive to lose weight, because those purchases have the potential to make you feel bad about yourself should they end up hanging in the wardrobe unworn.
The last thing you need to do is to have a thorough clear-out – and you have to be ruthless. If you haven’t worn something in the past year (with the exception of occasionwear, skiwear or swimwear) then it has to go. Enlist a friend or family member as moral support if you need it, and if you can’t bear to part with a garment you don’t wear, then put it into storage.
Afterwards, your clothes should have a bit of breathing room, and you may even rediscover old clothes you’d forgotten you had – the most cost-effective way of refreshing your wardrobe.
