Hello, hello everyone! Happy new year, I hope 2026 has been gentle with you so far. With all the very serious issues going on right now, I like to keep this little corner of the internet light. But I will say, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” -MLK

Since it is still January, it only makes sense to talk about New Year's resolutions. So here we go with our blog post of month... 

How to get the most from your closet, maximize each item to their styling potential, and get those cost-per-wears down. 

And how do we do this? By shopping your closet!

Shopping your closet is just what it sounds like, it's going to your closet first before looking outside to fulfill your style needs, nay, impulses. It is a way to be creative with the items that you already have and to use them in refreshing ways. Like all of us, I also get bored with my clothes, those pesky thoughts come into mind, "if I only had this item, then my outfit will be complete" or "I want to wear what she's wearing, but I don't have it " and the urge to go shopping is strong. 

Instead of giving into the temptation, I want to fight it, but sometimes I struggle how. Then, an idea came into mind. What if I create a mood board not on my fantasy wardrobe but the actual one in my closet? And here we are. I am at the beginning of this experiment, results will prove themselves later, but I am feeling confident, and I want to share my process in hopes of possibly helping others who may feel the same way. 

Step 1: Make the mood board 

I like Pinterest for this, but screenshots saved onto an album in your phone works too. 

Create two sections: My Closet and Fantasy Self

Next, start saving everything you are attracted to. Don't worry about editing yet.  

*Helpful tip to stay on track: Look up outfits with items you already own. For example, "Bohemian army green pants outfits". The more specific you can get the better. 

Step 2: Edit, edit, edit 

This step is uber important, without it, a mood board can cause more confusion than clarity. 

What I determine is if the outfit is something I can see myself wearing right now. If it is a yes it goes into the my closet section and if it isn't then it gets moved into the fantasy self section of the mood board. 

If done correctly I am left with is an inspirational mood board of clothing that I already have hanging in my closet. Sometimes seeing other people style similar items in a new way is enough for you to get excited about your items again. 

Bonus Step: What to do about the Fantasy Self section

Once you have combed through and determined what goes where, you should be left with a ton of inspirational outfits. These serve a purpose, they show you where you might be going with your style. Look for patterns. For example, while looking through my fantasy self pins, I noticed a lot of the outfits I like, the people in them are wear mid-calf, cowboy inspired leather boots. This tells me that I am drawn to that look and that some leather boots might be a fun addition to my closet. Once I determine if they would be a smart purchase, some of these fantasy self outfits get moved into the my closet section. The goal is to slowly(!) start moving some of the fantasy self pins to the other board. 

OR, after a while you decide that you appreciate the outfit, but it isn't for you, it gets deleted. 

Much like other years, I want to consume less. While no-buys and low-buys are great to challenge your consumption habits, this method is not as cut-throat. I actually would recommend trying this method in combination with a low-buy challenge. Ways you can do this : allowing yourself 5 new items this year, or after every purchase you can't buy anything else for a whole month afterward. The idea is to slow down and give that new item the chance to marinate in your closet. 

What do you think? Would you try this method? 

Till next time, 

Dre