'I'm a personal shopper. Here are the clothes I'm keeping and ditching this winter.'

A wardrobe detox? It’s exactly as it says. You examine your wardrobe. Get rid of the toxins and work out what works for you. What stays, what goes and what gives you indigestion. Or doesn’t agree with you. Then decide what to keep, what to store, what to ditch, and lastly, what to buy.

Here’s the thing: you can do what your gut tells you. But as we all know sometimes it lies. And so does the mirror.

Sometimes it’s confusing. Sometimes your wardrobe doesn’t match your lifestyle. (A million glamourous tops but you live in activewear? Yep!) Time to get the experts in. Someone to tell you the truth. So I invited myself in. Had a long hard look at myself, got tough and sorted out my own winter wardrobe.

I agree with the psychologist who said you’re dreaming if you think a wardrobe detox or declutter will get rid of any deep psychological problems. If only it was that easy! 

But you will feel more organised, get dressed easily (with things you love wearing) and create more wardrobe space. That’s good enough for me!

But first, listen to What Are You Wearing?, Mamamia's weekly fashion podcast. Post continues after audio.

What to ditch (gift, recycle or donate).

I’ve never been a fan of those in and out lists in fashion; it’s more about building a wardrobe and avoiding silly trends, but sometimes things just have to go. Yes, I’m talking about anything that’s falling apart with tears, rips, holes and pilling. Anything threadbare has to go.

What else? 

Anything too tight. Anything too uncomfortable. You will never reach for it if it hurts. Say goodbye to things that don’t fit and that you can’t do up. Even if you lie on the bed. And hold your breath. You will never get into them. Vote them off the island. 

(Anything too big? Wear it!)

Remember the fashion silhouette right now is slouchy and oversized. So if you want to look Farshun (which is why you are here reading this now) then ditch/donate the following: 

• Tight shirts that pull at the front.
• Tight low-rise skinny jeans.
• Tight black pants. 
• Short tight skirts.
• Teeny dresses. 
• Tough leather biker jackets? Only models off-duty look good in them. So tricky to wear. Never look chic.
• That shrunken single-breasted short blazer? I haven’t changed my size but the shape of a blazer has. (It’s not me: it’s you!) It looked uncomfortable. It was uncomfortable. Wrong on every level. OUT!

Which brings me to skinny jeans. Did we really torture ourselves so much? 

I found my low-rise skinny jeans. I tried them on. Now I realise why the term muffin top was invented. I like to call it the "situation". I feel I need to cover mine. 

Do what you like with yours. I’d like to be able to breathe. And not have jean seams indented in my legs. You know what I am talking about. 

But wait, there’s more!

Ditch anything that is tricky to wear. 

Goodbye to anything hard to style. 

That needs constant ironing. (White cotton shirts? I love you but you need to be starched and chic). 

Goodbye to clothes that WEAR you. That might be kooky colours. Frumpy florals. Pesky prints. They never have longevity. They never look expensive unless they are. 

Celebrities wear all those things ONCE. They don’t need to build a wardrobe of pieces to wear again and again. On repeat. Just saying. 

Can we talk about shoes?

Anything scuffed, with heels worn down or toes that are not repairable need to go. Remember shoes make or break an outfit. (Invest in white shoes and they are an instant updater!) Change the shoes, change the outfit. 

In terms of fashion: Say goodbye to those low-ankle little boots. They only worked with skinny jeans. Now we are wearing baggy jeans, ankle boots have lost their best friend. They both look wrong. (Keep wearing them if you feel good in them. I am just here to share my fashion tips). 

Peep-toe wedges and outrageously high stiletto heels? They don’t look modern any more either. Crazy platforms are back but I know I probably won’t wear them again. I am not going to the Met Gala. 

Ditch any black shoes that have nothing to say. Neither here nor there. They will just drag everything down. Every time I put on black shoes I take them off again. White or tan shoes take everything to another level. 

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Ditch anything that still has tags on it. You will never wear it. It doesn’t spark joy. 

New things you love and adore do not have swing tags still attached to them. You put them on in the car on the way home.

One more thing: Please do not keep things just in case you get invited to some random fancy dress party or Halloween. No, no and no! 

Unless you have a closet like a dry cleaner, these need to get out of the house. Stat.

What to store.

There are some things that still fit you. (And the quality is OK) but they need to be stored. Things that are not fashiony right now but might last the distance and be right later. 

Hint: It takes about 20 years or more for things to come back in fashion and when they do, they never look the same.

Basics are always good things to store.

Good quality knit sweaters, straight black pants, a knee-length trench, knee-length pencil skirts and good quality neat blazers. 

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Any knee-length tight coats may be stored though I am not sure when they will be back. Moths might have a party in your wardrobe and get more out of them than you in 2043. Yikes. 

If you have the space keep anything that has good memories (like your 21st birthday floral dress/wedding dress/ leather jackets/kooky bright sweaters and your mother's trench). You may keep them. 

They are your history and it’s lovely to have those reminders. You can occasionally visit them in the back of the wardrobe to stroke them affectionately. Just don’t wear them. 

What to keep.

Here are the pieces I am pulling out for another winter. My philosophy is to buy early in the trend and get seasons of wear. 

I’m pulling out my big coats that are really long - six years old and still going strong. My old navy pea coat. My slouchy knits. Baggy jeans. Leather pants. Big long double-breasted blazers. Anything with shoulder pads is a keeper. Anything grey. White baggy jeans. Oversized trench coats. Long A-line skirts. Baggy camel pants – in every fabric and every shade.

For accessories, I’ve dug out my '90s kitten heels, loafers and patent Mary Janes with a block heel. A big tote bag. My Boho slouch bag? I killed it so needs replacing. But I’ll keep wearing my square '70s shoulder bag, oversized clutch bags and bum bags across the body.  

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What to buy.

All of the keepers above if you don’t already have them. Invest in neutral or grey outerwear. Love khaki. Avoid black unless you’re like me and already have a totally neutral wardrobe. 

Invest in bomber jackets. Big shoulder jackets. Pretty blouses. Midi skirts and dresses. Baggy jeans. Puffer jackets to wear with kitten heels. 

Combat boots. Knee-high boots. They go under wide-leg jeans and pants AND look fabulous with a long skirt. White shoes will instantly change everything you own. I should know I have about 10 pairs on repeat.

I pretty much stick to a uniform: jeans, a blazer, a white sweater and shoes. And that suits me just fine. 

You can read a more concise guide on what to buy to joosh up your wardrobe here. 

FiFi Milne is a former fashion editor turned personal shopper and expert wardrobe detoxer. Superpower? Predicting fashion so you don’t have to. 

For more style tips from her, head to her website and follow her on Instagram.

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