Choose glamour
My failsafe is always a black tux. It’s easy; I know it works for anything, anywhere; I know I’m going to be comfortable, and I know I won’t be cold. BUT, occasionally, I’m reminded how nice it is to dress up. At this year’s Fashion Awards I was wearing a tux until five minutes before I left the house, when I decided to switch to my floor length Saint Laurent gown. It’s good to flex that muscle now and again.
Perfect the white tee edit
Every year I go through my white T-shirts, dividing into a “keep” pile and a “charity” pile. I’m particular about a bright white when it comes to tees, so as soon as they don’t look fresh I offload. Because of the regularity, it’s an area that doesn’t warrant a big spend. I have some favourites – like those by Sunspel and Linda Meyer-Hentschel – but I often buy mine from the men’s department at Uniqlo.
Replenish moth protection
Every six or 12 months I go to totalwardrobecare.com to replenish cedar balls, scented drawer sachets (which I add to my sweater bags), and May Chang Essential Oil – all to protect against moths. There’s nothing worse than losing a sweater to a hungry moth. On the rare occasion that it’s happened, I’ve shipped the casualty straight to The Seam, which does a brilliant invisible repair (they fix shoes and bags, too).
Stock up on staples… to a point
I’m a serial repeat buyer, which works for me… yes, I do need 10 variations on a white shirt. But admittedly, I don’t need 15. It’s the same with black cashmere sweaters, and grey and navy versions for that matter. So that needs attention. I’m also going to be stricter on my one-in-one-out rule: no more shopping until I’ve made space for it – especially in those categories that I already have well-covered.
Borrow more from my husband
I recently found a pair of ’90s pinstripe grey wool Gucci trousers in my husband’s wardrobe that he hadn’t worn in about 20 years. They’re roomy, but they pull in to a good silhouette when belted. It makes me wonder what else he has lurking in there… no doubt some gems.
Buy less, wash more…
… Sneakers. I’m always more inclined to replace my Nike Daybreaks when they start to look less than box fresh, but give them a quick gentle spin in the washing machine and they come up like new. Zip in a bag, set to 30 degrees on a delicate cycle, low spin, and air dry.
Make time for a blow dry
Not wholly a wardrobe resolution, but I need to remind myself that good hair can make or break a look; and that includes everything from track pants and a T-shirt to a gown. I always have a better time when my hair is done. Hershesons has long been my go-to, and its app makes it super easy to book. I just need to be better organised with time. In 2025: more blow dries.
