If there’s one thing I definitely have enough of, it’s clothes. I have been working in fashion for the last seventeen years; This is a job that naturally accumulates a lot of clothes. Additionally, I’m a bit of a hoarder.
I still have my first pair of Converse, which I bought for my 13th birthday in 1990, as well as vintage home knits that used to belong to both my mother and father. So I definitely have a lot to choose from in my wardrobe. both old and new. But sometimes I still open the doors and feel like I have nothing to wear.
This is where most of us fall into the trap of buying something new. I was like that too until five years ago. Cheap clothes and accessibility meant that if I wanted to perk up, I could pop into a high street store on my lunch break and pick up a new outfit.
These purchases were often ill-considered, impulse buys, and in an attempt to move away from supporting the damaging fast fashion industry, I decided to do something radical: I took a break from shopping for a year (I also stopped writing about trends). she was managing fashion and accepting gifts, but that’s a story for another day).
It was during this period that I discovered the Wardrobe Relay. It didn’t have a name at the time – it was my idea – and I can’t take credit for the concept itself, which I borrowed from Not Buying New, a now-defunct Instagram account (what a shame, it was a great account), but the idea is simple: take a piece of your outfit and put it on for the next day. you are carrying So maybe first you’ll wear a classic button-down white shirt with blue jeans, and the next day you’ll wear the shirt over a pair of light Breton trousers and replace the jeans with a skirt. She will then sit under a Breton apron dress and… you get the idea.
What’s the point, I hear you crying? In my experience, there are many benefits including:
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It will encourage you to wear your clothes more often. We should all aim to wear every item in our wardrobe at least 30 times.
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It will force you to think more creatively about your outfits, perhaps wearing skirts or a back-to-front cardigan under partially unbuttoned shirt dresses, such as underskirts.
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It’s incredibly useful, especially when packing for short trips. When I first tried it, I was commuting to London three days a week. My relay attire meant I had less to carry in my overnight bag.
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It makes you think twice before throwing something in the dirty laundry basket and wearing it the next day. This saves laundry, water, electricity… I’ve talked to many people who say they’ve been doing the Wardrobe Relay for years without knowing it for exactly this reason.
I don’t count shoes or coats in my Wardrobe Relay because they tend to pass the seasonal baton pretty regularly, but everything else (except underwear and accessories) is fair game. To demonstrate this, I embarked on my longest wardrobe challenge yet – ten days! – and today I bring you the results:
First day
I don’t wear my dresses often enough. I’m naturally pretty casual and am much more likely to reach for a pair of trousers in the morning, especially when it’s cold out. So for day one, I chose this upcycled gingham number and dressed it up with a necklace and scarf. I’ve never worn this combination before and I love it! We are already reaping the fruits of the relay race.
The second day
One of my favorite tricks to mix up my old favorite dress is to throw a knit tank top over it. This comes with the added benefit of keeping you warm; This is a great way to wear a summer dress year-round. If you’re worried about my legs being cold, rest assured there are some hidden tights you can’t see here.
The third day
Okay, so the knit tank top is a bit much for the Wardrobe Challenge because it’s so versatile and has the ability to amp up just about any outfit. But this just goes to show how great knit tanks are.
Fourth day
I bought these cords secondhand and my favorite way to wear them is with the knit tank top mentioned above. So I liked being forced to make them look really different with this look. This oversized shirt doesn’t get the love it deserves; I’ve had it for years but have only worn it a few times.
Fifth day
Another opportunity to wear the barely worn shirt and I paired it with my probably extremely worn vest (which has been worn about once a week since I got it). Long skirts like these are great for adding more wear to long items that won’t fit neatly into a pair of trousers. I’m so happy with this! I will visit again.
Sixth day
Once you’ve been doing the relay for a while, you can start to get more experimental. During my first run five years ago, I was pretty partial to shirt dresses because you can wear them so many different ways. I only wore this model as a dress on its own, but I liked it better this way.
seventh day
I couldn’t wear the dress on its own because I wouldn’t have anything to carry with me tomorrow, so I wore wide-legged trousers underneath. I wasn’t so sure at first, but now I think I can be convinced after seeing these photos.
eighth day
I’m back in my comfort zone with the ultimate Wardrobe Race product: a reversible jacket! I love this lightweight one because I can wear it like a cardigan; It looks great with another jacket and is perfect for cool summer days. Once you start transferring you really appreciate the most versatile items in your wardrobe.
ninth day
Easiest. Relay. Non-stop. I have been known to wear the exact same outfit and then turn the jacket inside out for a completely new look. This is especially good when traveling with only carry-on luggage (which I usually do; I traveled to Thailand with a small bag!). But that could make tomorrow’s relay a bit challenging, so I tried something new: wearing the jacket as a shirt.
tenth day
I got this outfit idea from someone I saw on social media; Taking style inspiration and applying it to pieces you already own is a great way to experiment without buying anything new during the race, and yesterday’s jeans worked perfectly for the look in question.