The notion of a New Year wardrobe overhaul often sparks conflicting emotions.
For some, it promises a liberating fresh start, leading to a more streamlined style and fewer morning dilemmas.
Yet, for others, the thought of confronting overflowing closets, sentimental attachments, and the daunting prospect of beginning anew can be overwhelming.
However, Parisian stylist Elsa Boutaric advocates for subtle, rather than drastic, wardrobe refreshes. She shares her essential guidance for curating your closet in 2026.
Start with sorting not shopping
The instinctive response to a style rut is often to buy something new. A coat, a pair of shoes, a statement piece that promises reinvention. But Ms Boutaric insists that the real reset begins long before a checkout page.
“I always start with a wardrobe edit to assess what no longer works and what truly fits my client’s lifestyle,” she says.
“We need a wardrobe strategy before buying anything new.”
That strategy is less about what you like best and more about what you wear the most.
How you actually dress day-to-day matters more than who you imagine yourself to be. A wardrobe reset means interrogating how often you reach for something, what you feel best wearing and where your life currently sits – work, weekends, evenings, travel.
Without that assessment, new purchases tend to repeat old mistakes: beautiful pieces with nowhere to go.
The items we hold onto for too long
Every wardrobes contains their ghosts – pieces that once worked perfectly but now date everything else around them. Denim is often the biggest culprit.
“I would say, denim is often kept past its prime and can look outdated,” Ms Boutaric explains, “a tailored wide-leg pant is a modern upgrade for 2026.”
Jeans cuts are often less timeless than tailoring, reminding us of past phases and eras more quickly than other items.
Wide-leg trousers, particularly in structured fabrics, offer the same ease of wear while being less trend-led.
The same applies to overly trend-led pieces that no longer reflect how you dress now. The reset isn’t about erasing personality – it’s about removing what you won’t wear this time next year.
M&S Satin Twill Triple Pleat Palazzo Trousers, £46
Mind the gap
One of the most common frustrations Ms Boutaric encounters isn’t a lack of clothes, but a lack of connection between them.
“What I see the most is a lack of strong transitional pieces between casual and elevated looks,” she says. “Invest in a good quality blazer and elevated basics to fill that gap.”
These are the items that turn jeans into an outfit, or make a simple dress appropriate for more than one setting. A well-cut blazer, a cosy knit, a crisp white shirt – they don’t shout, but they do a lot of work.
A New Year reset is often about strengthening this middle ground. Not investing in rarely-worn pieces of workwear or loungewear – but the pieces that carry you between the two.
Zara Limited Edition Fitted Suede Leather Blazer, £299
Arket Roll-Neck Wool Top, £45
H&M Oxford Shirt, £19.99
Keep, alter or donate?
Editing a wardrobe is as much emotional as it is practical. Boutaric’s rule is refreshingly straightforward.
“If a day-to-day piece hasn’t been worn in over a year, it usually goes.”
That doesn’t mean everything unworn must leave – occasionwear and sentimental items live by different rules – but for everyday clothing, inactivity is information. If something doesn’t fit your life now, it’s unlikely to suddenly earn its place.
Boutaric suggests the hanger trick for figuring out what you wear most. Flip all your hangers backward, then turn them forward as you wear items; after a set time, you’ll see what you reach for most and what you don’t.
Tailoring is the middle option that’s often overlooked. A coat that feels slightly off, trousers that drag, a blazer that almost works – these can often be rescued. The reset isn’t about perfection, but intention.
Refreshing without replacing everything
The idea that a wardrobe reset requires a full overhaul is one of its biggest deterrents. In reality, small, considered changes tend to have the biggest impact.
“Add a well-tailored blazer, wide-leg trousers and a [good quality] crisp white shirt or tee,” Boutaric suggests. “These pieces instantly elevate and modernise any wardrobe.”
They also work across seasons, trends and settings – which is precisely the point. A reset should make dressing easier, not more complicated.
Styling tweaks matter too. Switching trainers for a loafer, adding a belt, wearing a shirt more undone or leaning into proportion can recalibrate an outfit without necessarily adding new statement pieces, Boutaric says.
Boden Iris Snaffle-Trim Leather Belt, £55
Mint Velvet Gigi Brown Suede Penny Loafers, £55 (were £110)
M&S Chunky Bevelled D-frame Sunglasses, £35
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