Planning Ahead - Being Wardrobe Ready

This winter it finally dawned on me. I can have a complete seasonal wardrobe ready to wear, if I plan a little ahead. This occurred to me when I had a specific look that I wanted to sport but found myself floundering once the season arrived. I delayed going out to look for a few key items, such as wide-legged jeans, 1970’s style, and some cashmere sweaters, which in the end weren’t as easy to find as I had imagined. I assumed that I could waltz into a few stores and voila; everything would be waiting for me. It got me thinking about how great it would be if I could transition into the next season with more grace and preparedness.

Currently, I have my sights set on Summer. Since I moved to Toronto, I discovered that there are really only two main seasons, Winter and Summer. Spring and Fall are so short that building a wardrobe around them doesn’t make a lot of sense. In the heart of winter, as I’m bundled up and fending off the cold, I conjure up summery thoughts; walks along the boardwalk, strolling through the city, riding my bike or hanging out in parks. I feel hopeful. Maybe for the first time in my adult life, I can be style ready for seasonal changes.

I started by creating a mood board. I perused the web, gathering images that displayed colours and silhouettes that caught my eye. This became my guide to distinguishing what I’m most attracted to and what I would love to wear this summer. Themes were easy to spot. I love wearing long colourful dresses with medium brimmed straw hats. Skirts, tops and pants come secondary. I’m not a shorts wearer, but I know this would be at the top of many women’s summer wardrobe. Study what you’ve gathered. What is the reoccurring theme; ruffles, dynamic sleeves, simple lines, flowery prints, neutral colours, vintage? What stands out to you?

Once you’ve honed in on the characteristics you wish to see in your wardrobe, the next step is taking stock of what you already have. Go through your closet and find all the clothing that resembles your target style. I’m sure that you will already own quite a few items that you love to wear. Now see what else you have in your seasonal wardrobe. There will be clothing that doesn’t match your vision and items that simply don’t have anything to pair with.

When I started to look through my wardrobe I found a wide array of colourful dresses, both long and short, which hinted to me that I don’t need to buy any more. Then there were my colourful, feminine, cropped tops. I like them all, but when I looked to see what I have for pairing options, I found a hole in my wardrobe. I am really short on skirts and pants. Many of my tops are colourful and short, therefore I envision owning a few high waisted neutral pants and skirts to make a complete and very comprehensive summer closet.

Since I was already in the process of doing inventory, I checked to see if anything was worn out and in need of replacing, then made a note of that.

I created a shopping list. My list consisted of: a neutral, high waisted, wide legged, linen or cotton pant, a long jean skirt, and a brown or khaki, high waisted, medium length, cotton skirt. Also, I do need to replace a pair of walkable sandals. That’s it! With those select items, I am confident that I will have some complete looks for my Summer Style without buying too much in the process.

With a clear vision of what I need, I’m excited to begin my search right away!