A sustainable wardrobe does not have to be a wardrobe consistent of sustainable fabrics. It is just as much a wardrobe that consist of clothing that is used. Too much clothing is added to our wardrobe without satisfying us, and this is destroying our environment and world. We therefore have to be more aware of what clothes that brings us joy, so that we can get the most out of our wardrobe and create to a conscious closet (Skjold & Stenstrup, s. 21). In this blog post, I will guide you through a wardrobe analysis; an exercise created by researchers from Kolding Design School. This exercise is an intimate and painful process, where you go through your clothing to determine whether it is something you use or not. The purpose of the wardrobe analysis is not to throw out a bunch of clothing, but to teach you about preferences and choices, and by that create a conscious closet. The wardrobe analysis is very personal, so it is very important that you do it alone. A friend or a boyfriend can be disturbing, since they have different style and no relationship to your closet. But it is important to talk to them after, because they might help you avoid making a bad purchase (Skjold & Stenstrup, s. 22-23).
The wardrobe analysis starts with you doing the three following steps: (1) Pull all the clothing you own out from your wardrobe and drawers, (2) Place it all on a bed, floor or another place where you find it manageable, and (3) Divide the clothing into three piles: one for your favorites, one for the clothing that you usually find in the bottom or back of your wardrobe, and one for the clothing you keep because it means something special to you.
Ask each piece of garment from the pile of your favorite's questions like “which material is this clothing made of”, “any similar colors”, “How does it feel to wear”, “Do you receive compliments while wearing the garment” and “When do you wear it”. Write your answers down and go through them. This will help you figure out what the reasons for your love to these garments are. I did this and figured out that my favorite item was a pink Birgitte Herskind dress. This is because it can be regulated in the waist, meaning that no matter how bloated my stomach is, I always look and feel good. The dress has the perfect length for a tall girl like me, which is another reason that I love it.
Ask each piece of garment from the pile of your passive clothes the same questions and write down your answers. I figured out that one of my passive clothing items is a pink dress with dots. It fits me in a strange way, since it is too tight, the material sucks to my skin and I feel like my tits are too small for the cut of the dress. I bought it 3 years ago and have not used it once, but I have not thrown in out, because a part of me still hopes that it will suit me properly one day. This has made me realize that this is a definition of a wrong purchase, and I am sure that this awareness will help prevent me from buying something like that again. Pieces of clothing like this is therefore something I need to donate.
Ask each piece of garment form the pile of clothing that has an affection value to you. Ask questions like “does it remind you of something or someone you care(d) about?”, “Does it remind you of a period in your life” and “Is it something you bought or received as a present?”. I figured out that my most important piece of clothing, is my grandmothers old black turtleneck pullover. I cannot remember the last time I used it, but it still means so much more to me than the Birgitte Herskind dress, because it is a memory of a person that I loved extremely (Skjold & Stenstrup, s. 24-31).
There is no recipe for a perfect closet, and this wardrobe analysis is not something you should use to determine your style. Because your style changes through life. But having a closet where your clothing consists of the following parameters, is close to perfect, and will bring you joy – at least according to my experience with the wardrobe analysis: (1) the material can withstand normal use and washing (2) the clothes meet the requirements for functions that you need to get covered in you daily life, and (3) the clothes fit your style, it makes you the best version of yourself and it reminds you of something good (Skjold & Stenstrup, s. 32). Our style and body changes over time, and because of this it is important to know, that clothing will appear in the passive pile through life. But if you use and buy your clothing consciously, this waste will be minimal. Give your passive clothing items to other people that will find joy in them, when you don’t. This can maybe contribute to prevent them from buying something new (Skjold & Stenstrup, s. 37). And remember to use the things you already have in your wardrobe!
Bibliography
Skjold, E., & Stenstrup, J. (2020). Se dit tøj i øjnene. In E. Skjold, & J. Stenstrup, Klæd dig bedre: en guide til mindre tøjspild og mere garderobeglæde (pp. 21-45). København: Gyldendal NonFiktion.
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