New York crept up to a just-barely 70 degrees last weekend, and I saw my fair share of shorts to mark the occasion. This was, of course, all immediately followed by an absolutely frigid week. The east coast’s annual “fake spring” was as fake as ever, but it probably triggered a shift in how you’re feeling about your wardrobe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve struggled through a few recent days in a too-light coat because the thought of wearing your puffer again just feels too sad. Though it isn’t actually time to put away our boots and earmuffs quite yet, we can definitely start thinking about it.
Being a vintage collector is fun, but it also comes with responsibility. Well made clothing should outlive us all, and being the temporary wearer of a years-old garment means you’ve been tasked with making sure it’s taken care of. Below, I share my process for properly treating and storing your winter wardrobe to ensure that you’ll be excited to delve back into those same pieces next fall.
Step 1: Take Stock
Now is a great time to consider what you did and didn’t wear this season. Do you have any coats, heavy knits, or winter accessories (hats, gloves, scarves) that were barely worn or never worn at all? If so, you’re probably looking at one of the following issues: bad fit or fabric, styling struggles, lifestyle changes, putting off repairs or alterations, or straight up forgetting you even had something because it was shoved in a dark corner of your closet. Take the time to try things on, play around with styling, and consider if there’s anything you can do to make the things you have work for you by next fall and winter. That may mean making changes to your clothes, or coming up with a new organization system to make things easier to access. If you’ve taken the time to consider your unworn items and still don’t feel compelled to take them out within the next few weeks, it may be a sign to let them go.
Once you’ve decided what you don’t want to keep, take the pieces you’re ready to let go of and sort them into two piles: purge now and purge later. Your purge now pieces are items that aren’t of value - they’ve been worn past the point of wear or repair, or they’re items that can’t be re-homed, like socks or underwear. Clothing that’s reached the end of its useful life should either be donated specifically to places that accept textile waste/scrap fabric, or thrown out. Don’t “donate” anything dirty, damaged, or ratty to a thrift store or shelter. While it may feel like you’re doing a good deed, you’re actually just passing off your garbage to someone else. It’s disrespectful to workers, volunteers, and shelter clientele to make them sort through and deal with your trash.
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