Refresh your wardrobe: 6 solutions when your closet feels boring

You open your closet and nothing feels right. You keep wearing the same combinations and your wardrobe seems to lack any personality. Sound familiar? Then it is time to refresh your wardrobe. And you can do that perfectly well with what you already have.

You do not have to replace everything. With a few smart adjustments, and sometimes one or two targeted purchases, you give your outfits their spark back. Below are six solutions, plus color combinations per season to start with.

First: shop your own closet

Before you buy anything new, look at what is already there. Hang your closet by color, from light to dark. You then see at a glance which colors you have a lot of, which are missing and which combinations you have never tried.

Then lay a few pieces on the bed that you never normally wear together. You will be surprised how many “new” outfits are already hanging in your closet. Take a photo, so you have them at hand next time. Do you notice that you keep reaching for the same few pieces? Then those are your favorites, and they say a lot about what you really like. Use them as the starting point for everything else you do.

6 ways to refresh your wardrobe

1. Add an accent color

Do you wear a lot of black, grey or beige? Then your closet quickly feels flat. One color from your palette, in a blouse, scarf or bag, immediately brings life to your outfits. Choose your power color, for example.

2. Try a new color combination

Do you always wear the same combinations? Combine two colors from your palette that you have never worn together. Because they come from the same palette, chances are it works straight away.

3. Play with texture

A lot of the same fabric makes outfits predictable. Put smooth against coarse: a satin skirt with a chunky knit sweater, or a silk blouse under a wool blazer. You can read more ideas in how to combine neutral colors.

4. Let accessories do the work

Sometimes it is not your clothes, but the lack of accessories. Statement earrings, a belt that emphasizes your waist, a bag in your accent color or a beautiful scarf completely change a simple outfit.

5. Choose a different silhouette

Do you always wear skinny jeans? Try wide-leg trousers for a change. Always loose sweaters? Tuck one into your trousers. A different proportion between top and bottom immediately feels like a new look, with the same clothes.

6. Wear layers

A blouse under a sweater, a cardigan over a dress or a blazer over a T-shirt. With layers you combine colors and textures, and turn a basic outfit into something with more depth.

New color combinations per season

Two or three colors from your palette that you wear together. Do not know your season yet? Read what the 12 seasonal types are.

Refresh your wardrobe with small purchases

Do you want something new after all? Then choose pieces that give you lots of combinations. These are purchases that refresh your wardrobe in one go:

• A top in your power color, which you can wear with all your basics.
• A scarf in two or three colors from your palette, which connects your base with your colors.
• A lipstick in a color from your palette, small but visible.
• A blazer or cardigan in a new color that goes over many outfits.

Take your color fan with you when shopping, and only buy what you can combine with at least three pieces from your closet.

Refresh your wardrobe in one weekend

Want to really get to work? With this plan, you will have a closet that feels new again in one weekend:

1. Saturday morning: everything out. Empty your closet and sort by color. Set aside what you never wear.
2. Saturday afternoon: take a critical look. What no longer fits, what is worn out, what does not suit you? Give away, have altered or store.
3. Sunday morning: ten new outfits. With what you have, create ten combinations you have never worn, and take photos of them.
4. Sunday afternoon: your wishlist. Write down which two or three pieces would complete your closet.

Why does your wardrobe feel boring?

Often it comes down to three things: too much of the same colors, too little variation in fabric and shape, or colors that do not suit you. That last one is often overlooked. When clothes make you look washed out, they feel boring, however beautiful they are on the hanger. Also read 7 signs a color does not suit you.

Want to know which colors really bring your wardrobe to life? Take the free color test or get your colors analyzed. Your Style Guide also contains combinations and styling tips.

Looking for inspiration? On our Pinterest page we collect outfits and color combinations for each seasonal type.

Frequently asked questions

Read also: How to build a wardrobe and How to wear more color