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By Anouk Mathern, Prise en Flagrant Délire
The weather in Geneva has been playing with our nerves this fall, making the ever coming back “what should I wear today” issue increasingly tricky. Icy winds in the morning, rising temperatures throughout the day and warm sunshine bring us to combine summer and winter fashion to a point where even the most spacious closets scream for help. It’s a mess and you still feel you wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time ? Time for some wardrobe management !
What to keep:
- your basics which will never fall out of fashion, which you still love and which fit you perfectly (such as your khaki trench, skinny jeans, little black dress, leather blazer,…)
- pieces associated to nice memories
- pieces your friend would consider “typical” of you, which closely fit your personality
What to give away to charity: if it’s worn-out and is no use to you anymore, giving to charity will help others, make useful space and free your mind.
What to sell in a second hand shop: what is near-new & unworn. Clothes that haven’t been worn for over a year deserve a new life.
- those shopping mistakes we all make : the shoes which looked so nice on you in the store but end up being too painful for you to walk with them, that nice orange dress from last year’s collection which doesn’t suit your complexion,
- fashion or accessories gifts you wished you could have changed,
- clothes that are part of another period of your life,
- clothes you hardly wore but that simply do not fit you anymore following weight loss, weight gain, change of shape.
Second hand shops provide a guilt free solution to clustered wardrobes. And it’s green since you end up “recycling” selected pieces by providing them with a new owner. Of course, you won’t get back what you initially spent- a maximum of 20% if you bought full price- but what you’ve earned is yours to spend the way you feel like. Check with the second hand shop you’ve selected that what you plan to bring is in line with the style and brands on offer before visiting. A contract will be drafted stating the second hand price as well as percentage taken by the store. Items are usually kept 4 to 8 weeks and what is not sold is given back to you. No risks involved, you can only win !
Author's bio
Anouk Mathern worked 10 years marketing luxury department stores and outlet centres in Paris before moving to Geneva 5 years ago. The second hand and fashion shop she co-founded in les Eaux-Vives offers both second hand and new collections at reduced prices to browse through. Find out more on www.priseenflagrantdelire.ch
