Shopping my shipping: Shop your closet challenge, Part 2

Reduce your consumption by rediscovering what you already own

Continuing my deep dive into my own wardrobe, this is the second post in the ‘Shopping my Shipping’ series. Having transported most of my clothes in a shipping container all the way from England to Australia, I thought I’d take the opportunity to shop my closet and rediscover some old favourites, and put together some new outfits. Shopping your closet is a great idea if you’re trying to reduce your clothing consumption, and make the most of what you already own. Here are just some of the things I found lurking at the bottom of my shipping!

Green oversized Zara knit

Full length photo of Helen wearing a chunky oversized khaki green jumper, with blue skinny jeans.

This is another Zara item from my uni days. I just adore this one, it’s like wearing an enormous blanket. Super cosy, very warm, and all in all very comforting. It’s big and baggy enough to pop over almost any outfit, including several other jumpers, so perfect for those freezing days you just want to curl up under the closest thing to a duvet you can find. Hopefully there won’t be too many days like that here, but it’s good to be prepared. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to curling up on the sofa in this one.

Zara cropped off-the-shoulder top

Full length image of Helen wearing a cream and red thin-striped crop top over black skinny jeans.

Only as I write this do I realise just how many clothes I have from Zara! Apologies for this being a slightly Zara-centric series. I think I spent way too much time hanging around their sales during university, and my wardrobe is still full of things I thought were bargains at the time. This is a top I have tried to make work for years, never quite getting it but never wanting to part with it. I love how it sits off my shoulders, and the red and white pattern, but I think it’s just not long enough. I’m not generally comfortable showing my midriff, and even with a really high-waisted skirt this tends to ride up. If I were a good few inches shorter it would be a different story, but, reluctantly, this is one that I will have to pass on to a new home.

New Look polka-dot tea dress

Full length photo of Helen wearing a rust-coloured short tea-dress with white polka dots.

There are two things that make me uncomfortable about this dress: the length and the colour. The length is slightly better than pictured when it’s had a good iron, but it still definitely qualifies as a bum-skimmer. In terms of the colour, I feel it’s just a bit too close to my hair colour to suit. Most often I get around the length issue by wearing it as a top (as pictured in the next entry), which makes me like it enough to forgive the colour. I like the loosely 1940s shape, with the almost capped sleeves, and the collar and lapels (even if they do lack structure, as you’d expect from a budget brand like New Look). Another to give a few months’ notice and rethink down the line.

Black faux-leather skirt

Full length photo of Helen wearing a black short faux-leather skirt with a zip detail down the front, and the orange tea-dress as a top.

A couple of years ago this sort of faux leather skirt seemed to be everywhere. Keen to add a bit of interest to my work wardrobe I was happy to jump on board the trend. But I think this one kind of misses the mark. The zip detail isn’t particularly appealing, and overall it lacks to structure to sit well. One to pass on to a charity shop, where I’m sure a new owner will find a better way to style it than me!

Pink velvet jacket

Full length photo of Helen wearing a rich, berry-pink velvet jacket, over a black top and blue jeans.

I adore everything about this jacket apart from its actual construction. The material is soft, and I love the vibrant colour. But it has no structure, and is coming apart at some seams. As you can see, it’s so shapeless that the lining peeks out of the sleeves, and the lapels have basically just disappeared. Having said that, it is good as an almost shawl stand-in for more formal events, and the looseness lends itself to dressing down with casual looks. This jacket can count itself on probation, but for now at least, it is in my goods books, despite its many flaws.


That’s it for Part 2! I’m already starting to notice some interesting patterns in the things I want to keep and that I want to part with. Shopping my closet is definitely helping me to think seriously about what I want from my wardrobe, and the kind of clothes I actually end up wearing the most. Check out Part 3 for more rediscoveries!

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