“I love hearing from people being excited about their wardrobe – they’re not daunted anymore. And there’s a knock on effect on the rest of their lives – partners are happy, they don’t feel the need to go shopping all the time, they’re saving money.”
Meet Hannah Gray, passionate founder of The Clothing Cleanse.
With many years under her (ahem) belt as a stylist, designer and buyer in the fashion industry, Hannah loves helping people discover their “personal uniform” – and become confident in their own style and way they dress.
What’s her story?
She started The Clothing Cleanse because she wanted to help people feel good about themselves and the clothes they already have – instead of feeling the perpetual need to buy more and more.
She sees herself as an “antidote to the disposable fast fashion culture” – instead of encouraging people to follow what’s ‘hot this week’, she helps people find their own unique style and wear their existing clothes with pride and confidence.
She is also passionate about educating people about sustainable fashion, and showing them that “ethical” clothing isn’t just about wearing brown hemp. She encourages people to consider where and how their clothes are made, how much they really need, and to donate old clothes instead of dumping them.
I guess most people would call her a ‘wardrobe stylist’, then?
“I don’t really like using the term ‘stylist’” she says, going on to explain that it tends to conjure up images of a complete stranger rampaging through your precious wardrobe. “I’m not like Carson from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy!” she muses. “I don’t tear into people and throw their clothes around going “Oh my god, this has to go! What were you thinking?!””
Friendly and un-intimidating wardrobe advice? Me likey.
How does a Clothing Cleanse work?
I was very keen to get Hannah’s advice on my wardrobe – while I don’t consider myself a total spaz when it comes to dressing myself, 6 months of tripping around the world in the same 3 outfits had somewhat hindered my ability to style myself ‘professionally’. I needed to figure out my ‘work uniform’ – polished and professional, but not corporate.
Hannah started off by laying out each item of clothing on my bed. Once we eliminated all my old work skirts and shirts that were no longer ‘me’ (yes you, frilly blouse), she created outfits from my existing clothes – outfits I hadn’t even considered before. She then suggested I add a few key items to ‘pull together’ all my existing pieces and create even more outfits.
After our session, she sent me notes of the outfits we discussed, as well as image examples of the additional items I needed. How awesome is that!
(A few days later, I marched into Cue on a black-high-waisted-pants mission. I tried on every pair in the store, and one was perfect. BOOM. Mission accomplished. Easiest shopping trip ever.)
Apart from taking the stress and confusion out of shopping trips, I ask Hannah what else her clients get from a Clothing Cleanse. “Day to day simplicity in getting dressed,” she says. “They have outfits ready to go.
“Plus, you have a renewed sense of confidence in yourself – knowing that it’s ok to wear what YOU want, without having to follow the latest fashion, is incredibly powerful.”
Amen to that.
So if you’re going through some big changes and want a fresh start – maybe you’ve lost weight, or you’ve just had a baby, or changed jobs or gone through a breakup or maybe you just find yourself buying the same damn things over and over because it’s easier to just buy something new than rummage through your overflowing wardrobe….
…it’s time to call Hannah.
Final tips from Hannah:
- If you want to buy ethical, simply buy Australian made brands. You’re already removing the carbon miles and cost of importing, and the clothes are of a higher quality. Which means they last longer, so you buy less! Hooray!
- Good ethical brands to check out: Vege Threads, Kowtow, Bassike, Per-tim, Dress Up
- Want to do your own Clothing Cleanse? Be truly honest with yourself when eliminating clothes, and be ruthless. Think about if you’ve worn something in the last year. And if not, why? Why did you buy it? Make a note of buying behavioural patterns.
- Compulsive buying is like comfort eating – it’s psychological. Instead of buying new clothes to make yourself feel better, do something else like spend time with a good friend, get a massage, or listen to Christina’s podcast*
Happy cleansing!
Connect with Hannah:
- Read more about her services on The Clothing Cleanse
- Follow her on Instagram
- Say hi on Facebook
- Email: hannah[at]theclothingcleanse[dot]com
Friendly FYI: Hannah did not ask me or pay me to write this. I paid for my Cleanse and I will probably pay her for another one next season! I found her service to be extremely valuable – even though I didn’t have an overflowing wardrobe. I recommend her to any woman who wants to reduce wardrobe confusion and/or learn how to create outfits that work for you and make you feel amazing 🙂
*may or may not be author’s note…
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