How to update your wardrobe without buying new clothes

A closet full of clothes but nothing to wear?

We’ve all been there – scanning our closet, searching for an outfit that looks and feels right for the day ahead. It’s easy to be struck with decision fatigue, even with a closet full of clothes. That’s why we have gathered our best tips on how to feel inspired by the clothes that already hang in your closet.

Rotate regularly

One of the easiest ways to refresh your closet is to regularly rotate your garments and display old favorites that you may have forgotten that you own. This is especially helpful if you store your clothes in a dresser where most of the clothes are hidden out of sight.

If you feel like you could use more closet space, try to only make room for clothes that are seasonally relevant. Just like you would put away Christmas decorations in storage over the summer, you can do the same with your clothes. Read our tips on how to store your winter clothes and how to prepare your wardrobe for the spring season.

Style and organize your space

Once you get into the habit of rotating your garments seasonally, take the opportunity to make your clothing storage visually appealing. Try out different storage solutions and present your clothes in a way that makes you feel excited to wear them. Here are our best tips on how to organize your closet.

Revive and repair

You can also repair and freshen up your garments to make them look and feel brand new again. There are many ways to do this. A loose button can easily be sewn back with thread and a needle, garments that have shrunk or lost their shape can be steamed to regain their natural texture, and pilled clothes can easily be revived with the help of a fabric shaver.

Swap with friends

If your friends are up for it, it could be a great idea to organize a clothing swap where you can try on and exchange clothes that you don’t wear that often. Ask everyone to go through their closets and select items that they might want to add to the collection.

Clothes often carry sentimental value, so lending and borrowing garments can be a perfect solution if you don’t feel ready to let go of your clothes. Especially if it’s among a close group of friends. It’s also becoming much more common for larger groups to organize local clothing swaps and rental services, so check to see what is available in your town.

Repeat your favorite outfits

We’ve been influenced to think that it’s shameful to wear the same clothes too many times. It may seem like influencers on social media own an endless amount of clothes since they are never seen in the same outfit twice. This sets an unrealistic standard for people to live up to.

In fact, from a slow fashion perspective, repeating outfits is the best thing you can do. We need to make do with what we already have. The most sustainable garment is the one you already own, so keep wearing your favorite pieces with pride.