If you started 2020 hoping for a fresh start, you may have thought about buying a whole new wardrobe.
That makes perfect sense, in the opinion of stylist Lisa Kisber.
“One of the ways you can feel fresh … is to take that on with your wardrobe,” she said.
“Obviously, how you dress can affect how you feel.”
Thankfully, said Kisber, you can refresh your style without spending a dime.
“After the holidays, we’re all sort of on a tight budget, but you still want this sense of renewal,” she said.
Her big idea is to re-purpose your spring and summer clothes for the colder weather.
“We’re getting pieces out from your summer wardrobe and trying to winterize them so that you can have that sense of newness without actually having to go out and get a whole new wardrobe,” she said.
An easy way to add more energy to your day-to-day is to incorporate bright colours into your winter outfits.
“People tend to shy away from colour when it comes to winter, but … when it comes to energy, we all have that drain on energy with the long nights and short days,” she said. “It’s one of those times of the year that can just be draining.”
Below, Kisber and stylist Talia Brown Thall share their tips for resetting your closet in 2020.
Don’t spend on trends
Trends come and go, but classics are forever.
This is Kisber’s top piece of advice for refreshing your wardrobe.
“If you’re looking to buy trends, don’t spend a lot of money,” she said. “If you’re looking to buy classic, well-fitting, right-for-your-body pieces, those are the pieces you should invest in.”
This is especially true if money is tight, said Kisber.
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Save your money for pieces that “you’re going to be able to wear for years to come,” she said.
“Sometimes people buy trends because everybody’s wearing them, but they don’t necessarily feel great in them … If you are not an animal print person, if it makes you feel funky and weird, why buy animal print?”
Invest in comfort and confidence
Brown Thall, once Meghan Markle’s stylist, says her number one priority is making sure her clients feel confident.
“If you love what you’re wearing, it speaks volumes to everybody else around you. People can always tell when you’re not comfortable.”
To that end, Brown Thall always suggests the option of tailoring to her clients.
“Most things can be altered so easily, and it’s cheaper than buying all new,” she said.
“If you love it, you should make it yours again and re-love it.”
Do your research
Climate change is a growing concern for Canadians. When it comes to fashion, so is sustainability.
Kisber recommends that you research a company’s sustainability practices (if there are any) before you commit to shopping with them.
“Why not buy from brands that are doing things that are good for the earth?” she said.
If sustainability is your top priority, Kisber suggests a low-buy or no-buy year.
She also recommends secondhand and thrift shopping as a “great way to make sure we’re not caught feeding the process of manufacturing.”
Thall Brown agrees.
“I’m not saying that you should be adventurous and buy colour … you have to know what you’re comfortable in. If you’re not comfortable with a bright red coat, then don’t buy that.”
Don’t keep everything
In Thall Brown’s work, she often sees clients keeping clothes that don’t fit simply because they remind them of something else.
“If you want to keep something, I suggest you box those pieces and put them somewhere else for the time being,” she said. “If five years from now, you still haven’t gone back to them, somebody else in the world can really use them.”
“Clothing shouldn’t become so emotional.”
This year, we’re hoping to take the focus away from making resolutions and put it towards resetting some of the most important parts of our lifestyle: everything from our finances to parenting and more. Each day this week, we will tackle a new topic with the help of the Global News’ ‘The Morning Show.’ Read them all here.
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