As part of my curated wardrobe, each season I update my closet and create a seasonal appropriate capsule wardrobe in a very loose sense. I am so excited to share my process and tips to update your wardrobe for fall with you!
Over the last year, I have worked on creating a curated wardrobe. As part of this process, I figured out my personal style preferences, colors that suit me best, and what clothes I need to serve me best in this season of my life. Next, I created a ‘base wardrobe’ as I like to call it consisting of garments that are part of my wardrobe year-round. Per chance I stumbled upon the book ‘The Curated Closet‘ by Anushka Rees. I highly recommend reading it if you are trying to create a wardrobe that you love, identify your style, and update your wardrobe game so it fits your lifestyle.
- simple tank tops,
- T-shirts,
- long-sleeved T-shirts,
- shirts and blouses,
- jeans,
- pants,
- Sweatshirts,
- and thinner sweaters & cardigans.
Having a ‘base wardrobe’ has really made updating my clothes for different seasons much easier.
The process to switch out your wardrobe takes some time; I highly recommend doing it though. I also found the longer I have been doing this the less time I have to spend.
Process and tips to update your wardrobe for fall
Re-evaluate your current wardrobe
Before I start creating my fall wardrobe, I re-evaluate what I currently have in my closet:
- Eliminate any pieces that no longer bring joy, fit my style and lifestyle, or need replacing. I add any item that needs replacing on my shopping list. Items I don’t wear year-round, I’ll add to my list under a sub-category. This helps me see what items are a priority and which aren’t.
- Questions to ask yourself: Did I wear this? Does it bring me joy? Can I give it away and I wouldn’t miss it?
- Tend to all pieces that are still good but need mending.
Get your fall clothes out of storage and pack up all the summer clothes
First, I think of the weather for the upcoming season and what to expect. For me this means, in early fall we often have a mix of warm and cooler days, and the late fall can be quite chilly. I select a fall wardrobe that consists of a mix of warm and cold weather items geared towards a Midwestern Fall where you can encounter anything between 30 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Becoming clear on what you need will help you in the process of updating your wardrobe for fall.
Once I have re-evaluated my closet it is time to get all my fall clothes out of storage and add them to my current wardrobe. Then, I decide on what I want to keep from my summer wardrobe. I’ll keep some summer clothes as I don’t want to be caught on an 80-degree day in a flannel, or sweater.
Next, I also pack up all my summer clothes that I won’t transition and put them in storage. I highly recommend storing your out of season clothes separately from your current wardrobe. If your closet allows, this could be a separate section in your closet, or store them somewhere else until next year. I recommend storing them somewhere else, as many closets really don’t allow you to store them in a completely separate part where you won’t get distracted by off season clothing. Take some time to think through the best storage options for you. It could be as simple as putting off season clothes in separate drawers or bins that you store in your closet.
Clothing transferred from my Summer Wardrobe
In addition to the clothes, I have as part of my wardrobe year-round, I keep some summer specific items for warm days.
- Shorts
- Dresses
- dressier tank tops
Make a list of all the clothes you want to add to your fall wardrobe
Now that I have figured out what I’m keeping in my base wardrobe, what I am transitioning from summer, and added my fall clothes, it is time to make a list of gaps in my closet. Once I have everything on my list, I start to prioritize. Some items are need right away; others can wait a while. Over time the gaps become less and less urgent. Next, I start online searches to look for those items from stores that I know work well for my figure, my values, and have good quality clothing. I often wait for a sale to snag the clothes I want. It really helps to have the exact clothing item on a list already. A great trick if you’re often sidetracked and influenced by great deals, or sale content of influencers etc.
I make sure all items I’m adding to my list align with my inspiration for my fall wardrobe:
For my fall wardrobe I have chosen my favorite #softsummer color analysis colors for fall – cranberry, teal and jade, and pinks. For neutrals I love incorporating ivory, taupe and navy. My curated wardrobe is mostly consistent of casual, classic pieces as those best suit my lifestyle. If you need more business casual or office looks, I can easily swap out items to suit your lifestyle.
Lessons learned from wardrobe updates:
Creating a wardrobe for a new season should be a fun process and not become overwhelming. I have definitely teetered at the edge of frustration, wanting to give up, and feeling uninspired. That’s ok, lean into those feelings, it’s part of the process just like feeling inspired, loving your clothes and style choices. Giving myself grace has been the most important lesson I have learned. It’s ok if your closet isn’t yet what you’d like it to be. I try to enjoy the process as much as the final outcome.
Taking pictures when I particularly like an outfit and creating a style book of sorts has helped too. Oh wait, I also share many of them on the internet. Something I thought I’d never do. Ok you don’t have to go that far… just a folder on your phone, tablet of computer works well. Yay, to all the advanced selfie options we have nowadays.
Another really helpful tip in the process of updating my fall wardrobe is, not to take myself too seriously and trust your gut or intuition. Don’t care too much what other people think about your choices. Does it make you happy, then go for it. Are you second guessing yourself, find out why. Often that gives me the first clue that something is off, and I might want to make some changes.
Most importantly, have fun with your wardrobe, it doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s a process to be enjoyed not dreaded.
Follow along for more tips I often share on Instagram.
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