5 Tips in Preparing Your Wardrobe for Winter

Are you ready for the coming winter? At every season's beginning, fashion magazines are chock-full of tips on which clothing and accessories you need to get through the next three months. However, most don't tell you how to use what you already have! Instead of telling you how to build a new winter wardrobe, we'll tell you how to get ready for winter without breaking the bank.

Winter Shoes and Boots

If you've shopped smartly in the past few seasons, you should have at least one good pair of winter-worthy shoes on hand--and now is a great time to make sure they're up to the task. Check your shoes for rips, worn soles and other wear. If any of these areas have problems, take them to a cobbler and have repairs done; if that's not practical, hit the clearance racks and stock up on some warm winter footwear.

Woolen Clothing

At the beginning of spring, you should have washed and stored your woolen wear, giving your warm-weather wardrobe some room. While it's still relatively warm out, get your woolens together and get them freshened up. A wool wash or some gentle shampoo with a few drops of eucalyptus oil will clean your clothes and keep moths away. Squeeze out as much water as possible, and dry the items flat so they retain their shape. When your woolens are dry, hold each piece up to the light, looking for tiny rips and holes. If you don't know how to mend woolen clothing, take it to a cleaners' or seamstress for help.

Gloves

Your gloves take a lot of abuse each winter, and they're often forgotten until the next cold snap rolls around. Just like your knit sweaters, knit gloves need hand washing and repairs. However, you can easily dress up your gloves--all you need is a few beads, colored felt and a wool needle.

If your gloves are leather, they shouldn't be washed, but conditioned with a good leather conditioner. Most leather gloves are lined, making moisture retention a problem. An easy tip is to save the little silica packets that come in almost everything these days, and put them in the fingertips of your gloves when in storage.

Handbags

You don't have to go broke buying fashionable handbags each winter--all you have to do is freshen up what you already have. Check your bags' seams, hardware and linings, taking them in for repairs if necessary.

Putting Together Your Look

To prepare your winter look, you should put together pieces that are comfortable, simple and basic, but in fabrics that are easily embellished with the right accessories. For instance: a cashmere dress can be dressed down for a school conference, or dressed up for a date-night dinner. Your basic winter wardrobe should be made up of as few pieces as possible; use accessories to breathe new life into each day's look. It's easy to choose neutral colors, but you have options here too, in shades of navy, black and chocolate brown. With these tips, it's easy to discover your wardrobe's potential!