It’s that time of year again. Seasons are changing, and there’s a task that very few girls enjoy doing, but we must: editing your closet.

Acquiring clothing, or stuff in general, is an emotional thing. You remember purchases in tandem with memories, and what you wore to various events as if it punctuated the occasion. I still keep dresses that seem haunted by ex-boyfriends, and smoky nights spent in bars, unable to part with a piece of fabric that seems fundamentally tied to the way I experienced the world at one point or another. Clothing is skin, and it’s come time to shed.

I have quite a few friends who find this task impossible. One of my closest pals this summer is a self proclaimed hoarder. Also being a bit of a sartorial magpie, and avid collector of clothes myself, I find parting with pieces one of the toughest things to do. But I’ve managed to fine tune some tips when it comes time to rein it in. Here’s what I got.

1. Take stock of who you are now. Has your style evolved over the last year? Are you in a different headspace than you were before? If so, your tastes may have changed. Get rid of anything that reminds you of the “old you”.

2. Can it be worn in a new way? If not, chuck it.

3. If you’ve started collecting garments that can be resold at various consignment stores, it might be a great idea to invest some of that old wardrobe into different pursuits. If you collect designer, taking your threads to Magwood, Rescue Vintage, and I Miss You is a great way to make some cash that you can put towards a new hobby, a trip…or even some new clothes.

4. Do you see yourself wearing this in a year, or two? Fashion, as we all know, is hopelessly cyclical. Certain pieces can be kept in storage until the next “boho-Stevie Nicks-on-a-yacht” thing happens. If the answer is no, get rid of it.

5. Be ruthless. Often we complain about not having anything to wear when we have too many options. It’s the cage of too many choices. The process of editing allows you to rediscover, or uncover the clothes you may have forgotten…or the clothes you desperately want to forget.

6. Will you actually get it fixed? Sometimes we hide the garments with rips, and stains in the hopes that yes, we’ll actually get this fixed. If it’s been languishing away, and you haven’t called a tailor, it’s probably time to let it go.

~ Natasha Hunt