An Oldie but a Goodie

We all know that feeling you get when you stare at your closet and can’t find a single thing to wear. Nothing inspiring – it’s like you’ve worn it all before. That’s why I gave myself the challenge of taking an old piece, something super unseasonal, and trying to find a new and exciting way to reinvent it. 

I was cleaning my closet the other day, and lo and behold, I found a whole bunch of stuff that I absolutely love and kind of forgot about. I had either over-worn them or they were too summery to transition into fall or winter. Stuffed at the back of the closet to a corner where they gather dust. But, not this skirt. Not this fall.

I grabbed one of last year’s summer essentials – that perfect floral skirt that had multi-functions. I traveled with this skirt to warm beaches and wore it as a cover up at the beach or a quick grab and go on a coffee run or whatever. It’s such a boho looking skirt that it made total sense to keep as a vacation look. Truth is, once I challenged myself to recycle, I was totally able to breathe new life into it.

Paired a taupe should pad tee and a chunky black combat boot, I was to extend my wear and modernize the look to fit into fall. I threw on some gold accessories and waited for that perfect Indian summer fall day, and off I went.

It’s not too complicated an exercise: before you toss or donate your clothes, see if there is anything you can give a second life to – that special piece that might feel slightly off trend, but still has the DNA to translate into a future look. I tried it with a bunch of stuff and came up with some creative ways to reinvent everything from paper-bag pants to cropped sweaters (ok, maybe I’ll reserve those for workouts only!). Next time you’re cleaning out your closet, I challenge you to pick out a piece you think you’ll never wear again and build a whole outfit around it. What can you come up with?