How to Edit Your Closet for Joy with Ewelina from Shop.Your.Own.Closet
How to Edit Your Closet for Joy with Ewelina from Shop.Your.Own.Closet
All that before even considering buying anything new!
As most of my readers know, I am no stranger to craving more and more fashion pieces, even though my closet is full of interesting and versatile items. During one of the Substack discussions, I was stopped in my tracks by a comment from Ewelina from Shop.Your.Own.Closet, who shared that she has her own methods to organise the wardrobe in a way that brings joy without buying something new. I was intrigued. She kindly agreed to an interview and is sharing her methods with us - have a look!
Please tell us about yourself
My name is Ewelina, and I am a Conscious Closet Coach—your go-to person when you feel stuck with your wardrobe, unsure of what to wear, or tempted to buy something new despite having a closet full of clothes, shoes, and accessories.
As a Conscious Closet Coach, I help women rekindle their love for what they already own and discover new ways to style their clothes. In other words, I inspire you to shop your own closet. My focus is on wardrobe edits because knowing your wardrobe inside and out, organizing it so that everything is visible and easily accessible, is the first step to finding joy in what you wear and how it makes you feel.
My greatest joy comes from seeing how a freshly vacuumed, tidied, and reorganized closet can bring confidence and happiness to its owner. Taking proper care of clothes, bags, and shoes so that they remain beautiful and precious, continue to bring you joy, and serve you longer is crucial. This is something I love to talk about—sharing my knowledge, featuring local seamstress and cobbler services, and more. Besides my passion for fashion, I work as a commercial engineer in the Renewable Energy industry. As an engineer, I appreciate systems and structure, which I use in my wardrobe edits.
How has your style evolved? Have you discovered your style, and how would you define it?
As I grow older, I find my style becoming more refined and grounded. I understand myself better now, instinctively knowing what suits me in terms of style, cut, and color, as well as how I want to feel throughout the day or on special occasions. I also enjoy the creative space that fashion offers—a platform where you can express yourself freely. Whether following trends or staying true to a particular style, as long as it brings you joy, fashion allows endless possibilities.
Looking back, my style journey started with inspiration from fashion bloggers in the 2000s. I also read local Vogue-like magazines and sought inspiration from my favorite brands’ websites. Then came the Instagram era, which opened up a whole new world. If you have the patience, you can now explore fascinating spaces that let you nerd out on what you love most in fashion—whether it's a brand, a style, a stylist, or an approach to fashion, such as slow and conscious fashion.
Instagram is also where I found my first stylist and personal shopper, who conducted an in-person wardrobe edit for me. These were unforgettable experiences that were worth every penny. I’ve occasionally used stylists since then and can only recommend this kind of closet wellness splurge, as it truly opens your eyes to the endless possibilities within your own wardrobe. In fact, I’ve just booked a session with Allison Bornstein (who’s now also on Substack) for mid-October, where I’m excited to get a fresh perspective on my winter wardrobe. And yes—stylists use stylists! Just because I offer wardrobe edits and styling services doesn’t mean I don’t seek the same services from others.
After the pandemic, I discovered the American brand Tibi, led by Amy Smilovic. I’ve immersed myself in their style classes and the creative pragmatist approach they champion, including their modern, classic 3-adjective principle, which Tibi masters so well. I can now confidently say that I’ve found my favorite brand.
Ewelina’s Methods for Editing Your Wardrobe for Joy
Track Your Outfits with an App: Use an outfit planning app (I use Cladwell and Indyx) to ensure that you wear all your garments frequently and continually find new, inspiring ways to style them.
Or a Visual Tracking Approach: If an app isn’t your thing, you can use a more visual approach in your closet. Each time you wear something that doesn’t require washing and return it to the closet, simply turn the hanger in the opposite direction. This way, you’ll quickly see what you’ve worn recently and what you can wear instead, especially if your goal is to make the most of everything in your (hopefully edited and tidied) closet.
Give Yourself Challenges: When there’s something you’re struggling with in your closet, choose that item as the main building block of your outfit and build around it. Start with your regulars—those things you wear the most.
Document Your Outfits: Take pictures of what you’re wearing daily. You don’t need to share them with anybody—simply keep a photo album on your phone and start marking your favorite outfits. Understand why they are your favorites. What is the common trait?
Define Your 3 Adjectives: This is a game changer. It will give you direction and answers to many questions and doubts.
Perform Regular Wardrobe Edits: Becoming close friends with your wardrobe also means knowing exactly what’s in it, especially if you’re tempted to add something new. Regular wardrobe edits—whether with a stylist or on your own—are essential for maintaining a well-functioning wardrobe. My recommendations are:
Set the scene with a favorite playlist or drink.
Allocate 20-30 minutes per category for review.
Evaluate each item.
Add the pieces that fit you and that you love to Pile 1.
Add the items that need care to Pile 2 and bag them for dry cleaning or repairs immediately.
Clean your closet with a moist cloth.
Hang Pile 1 items in an inviting way, sorted by color, to mimic your favorite store.
Love your wardrobe and shop it instead of craving new things!
Care for Your Pieces Every Season: Every season, and as needed, I go through each garment, bag, or pair of shoes, giving them the care and attention they need—a garment peel, reattaching a missing button, applying leather cream, or packing items for delivery to my favorite dry cleaner and tailor in Copenhagen.
Thank you very much, Ewelina and see more tips at Shop Your Own Closet!