Knowing When to Let Go: Editing Your Wardrobe

"Everything in your closet should have an expiration date on it the way milk and magazines and newspapers do." --Andy Warhol

One of the hardest things about maintaining your wardrobe is knowing when to let something go, especially if it's a piece you've loved and that served you well. Here are some quick tips to help you make the tough decisions to take an item out of rotation.

  1. 1. The color has faded (or darkened).

  2. If your white shirt has become dingy and greyish, or your black sweater is now off-black, it's time to let it go and find a replacement.

2. It's stained.

Sorry, but no matter how much you love an item, once it's got a permanent stain on it, it's time to go. You may think people won't notice, but you're wrong.

3. It's torn and can't be repaired invisibly.

The other day I was holding one of my cats when he took umbrage to the idea and leapt out of my arms, kicking all over the place and ripping a big hole right in the front of my t-shirt, just under the collar. I love that t-shirt; it's a great soft shade of pink and so incredibly soft. But guess what. Gone. You can have tiny holes in sweaters mended (keep the little swatches of matching yarn that come with many items, and note on them which item they go with). Also, if your wool or cashmere sweater has been attacked by moths and has little holes all over it, it's time to trash it. Moth-eaten is an insult for a reason.

To keep moths and other insects from lunching on your clothes, put cedar blocks or lavendar sachets in with your sweaters, and make sure you wash or dry clean them at the end of the season before putting them in storage.

4. The fabric has pilled.

Sure, you can repair most pilling with a sweater shaver, and I highly recommend this trick (I use mine all the time). But there comes a point where the shaving isn't working anymore, and the pills are picking up everything but boys and money. It's time to discard the item and get a new one. Note--if you're shopping and find THE perfect black skirt, pants, white shirt, etc., don't be afraid to buy two and have one in reserve.

5. The nap has worn off.

For suede shoes and clothing as well as corduroy and other textured fabrics, it's time to let the item go when the nap begins to wear away.

6. The elastic has given out.

Now, you can have elastic replaced in waistbands, of course--but for items that contain stretch, when the stretch gives, the item goes. This is especially true for shapewear.