Once upon a time I had a grey marle t-shirt from a popular high street boutique with its eponymous label printed in traditional branded primary colours across the front. It was the coolest thing you could possibly own, that and a canvas tote bag that was, again, emblazoned with the same branded label.
I wore that t-shirt to death and had it in my wardrobe a long time after it should have been relegated to the cleaning cupboard, ripped up and used for polishing my boots. I loved it dearly; it was a piece of clothing that signaled my personal turning from tween to teen and thus my awakening to the wonders of mature, individually determined fashion choices. But it was way past its use-by date by the time I put it aside.
What pieces are lurking in your wardrobe you should get rid of right now?
Are you still wearing that beige leather jacket, circa 1998, that Michelle Geller would have rocked, along with bindi and sequin mini-skirt? I hope not!
It’s easy to cut out last season pieces (or last decade) and replace them with upgraded and on-trend pieces by looking for things that connect wardrobe items together. Think of it like the roots of a tree – ever reaching, always there, always changing yet, of paramount importance, feeling comfortably grounded.
A smart leather jacket, for example, is a perfect long-term addition.
It’s the kind of piece you can wear with jeans, a pretty dress or throw over a pencil skirt with ankle boots for a very 2016 look. It will connect various items in your wardrobe and you’ll find yourself wearing it often.
But not if you’re still hanging with Michelle in 1998 ok!
Swap out old styles for the classic motorcycle jacket in black, cropped at the waist and, if you want it to be a classic, avoid too many embellishments. Belts, epaulettes, studs and redundant zips might look cool now, but we want this piece to be a stayer so the simpler, the better.
If we think about what’s really on-trend right now, anything off-the-shoulder is what you’ll want to wear this summer. In most cases it’s replacing last season’s crop-top trend – and not a moment too soon in my opinion, because in many ways off-the-shoulder is a lot more flattering to wear. Unlike the crop-top, done in the right way, an off-the-shoulder top can be worn in more settings – to work, running around after the kids, drinks, to pop down to Woolies. It’s a simple upgrade that won’t break the bank and, let’s face it, Marilyn Monroe loved it so it’ll always be in fashion.
Denim is another area of your wardrobe that could/should get a constant makeover because really, it’s one of the more simple of staples to upgrade. Jeans these days have come down in price and you can source high-quality denim from the high street, online or even second-hand.
This season you want to be wearing ‘cut-off’ styles, to replace your ankle hugging skinny jeans. Fear not, your beloved skinnies aren’t going anywhere (phew!) but rather think about upgrading to a style that looks literally cut-off, perhaps even frayed with a ¾ length.
Worn with the aforementioned off-the-shoulder top and moto jacket you’ll be swanning around town looking like you’ve stepped right off the streets of New York City, and all by doing some simple upgrades to your wardrobe. It’s that simple!
Whether it’s time to part ways with some of your wardrobe and get some extra cash in your back pocket, or if you’re in the market to upgrade to some affordable timeless classics, check out Gumtree’s clothing and jewellery section. You never know what stylish gems are lurking in your local area.
What I’m wearing:
Earrings: Wilderness Bazaar
Top: Sourced on Gumtree of course!
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff
Jeans: She In
Boots: Ash ‘Ilona’ Booties
Bracelets: A mixture of vintage, Murkani,
