Don't underestimate the need to reassess what looks relevant - the personal shopper Annabel Hodin advises doing this every four to six weeks. If you need a little help, consider the moderately priced services of the former fashion stylist Beth Dadswell, who will come and edit everything for you (from £250).
If you've managed to get this far, trust me, you don't need to fork out for a personal stylist! You also don't need to reassess quite so regularly, in my opinion. Every three months, or each change of season should be enough.
But one thing that will help to keep your wardrobe - and future shopping - in check is to assess where holes exist in your current collection and keep these pieces in mind. If you are still unsure about what "Basics" you should have in your wardrobe, check out my Wardrobe Basics series. Another helpful post, is this one in which Garance Doré identifies her 10 wardrobe basics.
What are your wardrobe basics? Those things that provide the foundation of any outfit?
So that's it. The 10-step plan is completed. You should now have a perfectly streamlined wardrobe, from which you can put any few pieces you care and create a wonderfully chic and elegant outfit. Now you just need to make sure that your wardrobe remains organised and easy-to-use. Geneva concluded her Wardrobe Rehab series with a few rules for focusing her future shopping. I have tried this before - remember my own rules after I completed my shopping ban a year ago? From the state of my wardrobe at the beginning of this detox, it seems that I didn't really stick to these rules. Instead, therefore, I have decided to make a list of those things that are missing from my wardrobe and will keep this with me for any trips to the shops. Hopefully this will keep me in line in the future:
One thing that I recently read on Dead Fleurette which resonated and which I hope to apply to any shopping trips I take during 2011:
"Admire certain garments from afar and face the truth that they will never work for me"
What do you think of my choices? Do I need to explain myself?! What's on your shopping list?
This is the final post in the Wardrobe Detox series that has followed my efforts to attain a healthier and lighter closet. If you have missed any of the posts, you can recap here: Part 1: the initial edit; Part 2: finding your style; Part 3: storage and organisation; and Part 4: giving to charity.
*Photo source