Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette. In today's video, we'll discuss 11
inexpensive things that you can easily do from the comfort of your home or
whenever you have time to improve your wardrobe.
Sometimes, it's hard imagining
improving your wardrobe without spending money while going shopping for something
new. But there are in fact a number of things that you can do at home that
really improve your wardrobe and it's easy on your wallet too.
The first thing you want to do is to figure out your personal style values.
What does it mean exactly? Well, have you ever bought something that you regretted
after the fact? I certainly have. Those purchases often clog up one's wardrobe
and it prevents you from building a wardrobe that reflects your personal
style and your values. To learn more about my biggest wardrobe regrets, please
check out this video here. Now, your values may be different from my values. Maybe
you want things to be inexpensive or you value that you don't have to think much
about them or you want something that is really long-lasting. For example, my
values are intentional purchase, good value, longevity, and a classic look. When
I grew up, basically, my family bought everything that was on sale or when
there was a deal to be had and naturally, that rubbed off on me. So when I started
out, everything I bought was on sale and the higher the discount the better it
was. The problem of that approach is that you end up with things that you would
have never dreamed of buying and you just added them because they were cheap
but you wear them very rarely or never and so the cost per wear is extremely
high which is bad. And the flip side, if I force myself to be deliberate and look
for something that I know I will get a lot of use out of, the COS power, goes
down and that's a good thing. Which brings us to point number two, good value.
As I mentioned, growing up, I didn't have much money and to this day, I value a
good ratio between quality and price. Now at the end of the day, quality trumps value in my book
but nevertheless, you can often try to find brands or
things that have a relatively high value for a relatively low price.
Number three is longevity. When I buy something, I wanted to not look shabby
after a few years and I want to be able to wear it for a long period of time.
Which brings us to point number four, classic look. I could wear a tie or a
sweater or a jacket for 10 or 20 years if they have a style that is grounded
and classic and that works for me. If I got something too fashionable,
I may look trendy at the moment but ten years down the line, I look at it and
think, oh my god! What was I thinking? So, what are good ways for you to figure out
your values? The first step is to go to your closet and pull out the things you
don't wear or you hate. Now, ask yourself - why do I not wear this? And be
honest with yourself and in the beginning, that may be hard because you
just think you don't have the right occasion but ask again until you get
clarity but why you're not wearing this piece. Now, on the other hand, pull out
your most favorite clothing pieces and ask yourself - why do I like wearing it?
Why do I wear it so often? What makes this piece a great addition to my
wardrobe? Now, if you do this exercise properly, you end up with actual values
that work for you and that are truly a reflection of what's important to you
and why you end up wearing something. Then write those values down. Maybe on a
checklist on your phone or on a piece of paper, whatever works for you. But the next
time you go shopping, bring those values with you and before you buy it,
make sure you answer all of those questions that came up so you make sure
it reflects your values. And be honest. If you want to wear something because you
want to impress others or you want them to say "WOW" or you want them to think
that you have a lot of money, then be honest to yourself. Write those down and
check it fulfills those criteria. It's always easy to be a little idealistic
and tell yourself that you do something for a different reason but the more true
your to yourself in this exercise, the better and the more happy
you will be once you buy something in the future. The second thing you can do
is to get more use out of the things you already have by coming up with new
combinations that you might have thought about beforehand. If you're anything like
me, sometimes you put together an outfit not because it's the best possible look
but just because you could find the ingredients that were on top of the pile.
Not only could it be very limiting simply because of the small number of
items, but you also may resort to putting and comparing the same things together
over and over again. So when you have some time on your hands, you can actually
think about outfits, put them together so when you're in a rush you already know
what to wear and what looks good together. Ideally, start with pieces that
you do like but that you don't wear very often. They're already in your closet,
they don't cost you any additional money but there are ways to incorporate them
into your outfits. It's important to visually hold things together so you
actually see what it looks like. Sometimes at first glance, you might not
think it will work but force yourself to do it and then take a picture of the
combination so you can visually remember it and they have an archive and you can
easily come back to it when you are in a rush or in a moment where you can't
really recall what you'd put together that you liked back then. Three, identify your
stylistic Achilles heel and make a plan to tackle it. Everyone has a weakness or
two in their wardrobe. For example, for me, it's the fact that my wardrobes are
split out between a studio and my personal closet and then sometimes,
things just end up on a pile and I put together things that are just available
to me right then if I have to rush out the door. Of course, the best solution to
that problem would be a gigantic walk-in closet where all of my ties would be
visible to me, all of my accessories, all of my shirts,
all my shoes but sometimes that's not a reality.
We had planned to do a closet project but now it's on hold
and we'll just have to make do with what we have. However, for me, that means I
could just regularly go through my wardrobe, see what I have and don't just
put things on a pile but actually put them away so I can see what I have and
combine it when I need it. The fourth thing you can do is to hand
wash your sweaters especially your wool and cashmere sweaters or cardigans. Now,
fortunately with the advancement of washing machines, hand washing isn't
entirely necessary anymore but if you want to learn more about the
topic please check out this in-depth video here. By the way, it's a whole
series on clothes maintenance and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. In an ideal world,
you'd wear a sweater once and have your valet take care of it, clean it, wash it and
store it in your closet. Unfortunately, that's not a reality for most of us. So,
if you take care of your sweaters and how you wear them, let's say, with a dress
shirt underneath of them, you may have to only wash them once or twice a season. If
you're at home with lots of time on your hands, now is a good time to start taking
care of your wardrobe. Number five, properly store and rotate your offseason
wardrobe. Sadly, most of us don't have closet sets are so large they can have
their entire wardrobe at their disposal at all points in time. Because of that,
most people will have to resort to switching between the current season and
the off season. That means, you have to probably store away your off-season
garments in garment bags and put them, let's say, in the attic and maybe not in
the basement because otherwise they may smell dusty. But of course, it depends
entirely on your situation and where exactly you live and what the conditions
are there. So, why do you store your offseason clothes away?
Ideally, you want to see everything that's at your disposal that is
currently appropriate for the season without being distracted by all the
stuff that you can't wear anyways. To learn more about how specifically you
can do that, please check out our in-depth guide on how to store off-season
clothes. Number six, use a clothes brush to dust off all your jackets and wool
overcoats. While you're rotating the seasonal wardrobe and storing away
everything in nice garment bags, a clothes brush will really help you to
elongate the lifespan of your garments. Why? Well, over time even if things hang
in your closet, they get dusty and the dust together with other stuff can just
really be hard on your clothes. So by dusting them off, you will just not
only ensure that they don't smell bad but they will also last longer. On top of
that, it saves you money because you won't have to bring your clothes to the dry
cleaner as often. Not only does dry cleaning cost money but it also shortens
the life span of your garments. So it's a win-win. So what about the lint rollers
with disposable tape? I strongly advise you not to use those because of the tape,
they pull out loose fibers and you're much more prone to end up with pilling.
They're also much more expensive because it's a disposable item versus a quality
clothes brush is something that you buy once in your lifetime and it will just
last and serve you well. While a lint roller just gets a dust off a chop of your
garment, a brush really helps to more deeply remove the dust from your blazers,
jackets and overcoats. Number seven, learn how to make small repairs in your
clothing yourself. Of course, you could bring into the alterations tailor but
then you have to go there, you have to pay them. If you just have time at home
and you're watching a movie maybe, you want to learn how to sew on a button for
example. Even if you don't think you have a threat or needle or the right tools,
maybe you've come across a travel sewing kit which is often available on
airplanes or at hotels. Maybe one of your garments has a little hole and if you
fix it while it's still small, it won't become big. If you want to learn how to
swing a button step by step as a total beginner, please check out this video
here. For example in today's video, I'm wearing a pair of pants where I fixed a
little hole that opened up just below my pocket and by just closing it, I'll get a
lot more wear out of it. The eighth way to use your time is to just iron all
your shirts. That's particularly true if you store them hanging on hangers but
even if you fold them, having a nice crisp shirt that's already ironed will save
you time in the morning so whatever you put it on normally and it will just be
very satisfying. Now, I know some people hate ironing and others love it but even
if you hate it, if you do it during a time where you wouldn't do anything
otherwise, it's productive. It's a great way to get ironed shirts. Ideally, you
turn on a podcast or maybe put up your computer and watch some Netflix because
nothing makes you as prepared for the world is a freshly ironed shirt.
Of course, once you're done with your shirts, you can also move on to your pants and
your slacks as well as your jackets and we created an in-depth series where we
show you step by step how to iron a shirt, how to iron a jacket, as well as
pants. Number nine, sort of the clothes that
need to go to the alterations tailor or need to have some major repairs done.
We inevitably end up with garments in our wardrobe
that are maybe stained, have major damage, or just a little too big or a little too
small and we have to take care of them so we can wear them the next time. The
problem is, it's very easy to forget about that and so next time you reach in
and you may not think about that there is a big stain on your jacket and you
put it on and you walk out the door, then it's just embarrassing.
Also, when you're packing for a trip and you're putting together your wardrobe and
you realize, oh I wanted to have that fixed or altered but now I'm in a time
crunch and that can't bring it along because it's too late. That's always a
bummer. The most economical way to deal with
it, is to just create a pile with all the items that need to go to the dry cleaner,
all the items that need to be fixed or altered and then go in one run.
Oftentimes, your tailor may even give you a discount because you bring a bunch of
things at the same time and you save yourself the cost of a trip every time
back and forth. The tenth thing you can do is to get out all your shoes and take
some time to polish them. Now if you want some good tutorials, head over to our
friend Preston Soto from the elegant Oxford, he has some really great tutorials
on how to shine your shoes and make him look like new or like an entirely
different pair again. Last but not the least, maintaining your wardrobe not only
takes time but often also tools so think about what you need and to get some
inspiration, you can check out our posts on wardrobe maintenance essential tools
here. In today's video, I'm wearing a very homey outfit that starts with a tennis
sweater or cricket sweater in white with black accents by Charles turbot. I'm
combining it with a light blue oxford shirt and a tie that is jacquard woven
but also printed from Fort Belvedere which you can find in our shop here. It
picks up the blue of the shirt as well as my Fort Belvedere socks, they tie
together my black and off-white houndstooth pants that have some lemon
in them which lets them wrinkle in a very sophisticated way and my brown full
brogue wingtip Oxford's.