The sustainable closet: I tried an app to help me wear everything in my wardrobe

A new variety of apps are offering users the chance to digitally catalogue their closets. Could it help us ditch our addiction to buying new? Style editor Annmarie O'Connor tests one out

Annmarie O'Connor: "Every now and again we all need a few tree branches and discarded pieces of wood to show us what is possible before we click to cart." Picture: Hazel Coonagh.

Shop your closet. Wear what you have. Buy less, style more. Such are the sustainable slogans that clutter social media—30-second video tips from fashion influencers clad in minimalist staples. It looks easy. It sounds easy. It’s not easy. 

Despite having written a book called The Happy Closet, my own wardrobe has felt rather chaotic of late. Although an ace at decluttering and capsule dressing, a recent and sudden drop in weight left me in sartorial no-man’s land, buying interim pieces to fit a body that was not mine to keep. 

I had a capsule, alright, but one borne out of consequence rather than consideration. Once my health improved, so did the privilege of making decisions about what to wear. I had a choice: spend more money filling seemingly imperfect gaps or make do and get creative with what I have. I chose the latter. Here’s why.

Creativity thrives when resources are scarce. Remember as a kid when you invented magical universes from tree branches and discarded pieces of wood? The same theory applies to acquiring more sustainable style. Don’t think ‘what can I wear?’ Imagine it. Here’s how.

You’ll need a phone, a full-length mirror, a clothing rail and decent lighting. Next, you are going to find the item you wear the most and create as many outfits as possible, taking selfies of each and saving them to a folder. Pro-user tip: Be playful. 

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

The less prescriptive your approach the more you will surprise yourself. There is no right or wrong – just what feels good. If pickings are slim, pull the old switcheroo. 

Use a scarf as a turban or belt or reinvent a buttoned shirt as a chic wrap. Doing so creates a sense of what you have rather than what you lack. And trust me, we all have more than we care to admit. 

Once you have maxed out the possibilities of one item, replicate this across different garment types until you’ve created a de facto catalogue. I use this hack when I’m travelling with carry-on luggage only and as a handy reference point on mornings where I’m staring at my slide-robe as if trying to solve string theory. Speaking of which… Getting dressed shouldn’t require a degree from M.I.T. Although, you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise. 

There’s always that one garment – the one you love but takes a feat of engineering to figure out how to wear. I like to workshop these items on my freestanding rail after I’ve proven to myself, with the help of those outfit selfies, that I have more than enough clothes. This takes the pressure off making it work. 

Sometimes things don’t and that’s okay. If something simple is missing, like a pair of black ankle boots that could increase the potential of that billowy blouse with the swing tags intact, I put it on a shopping list in my phone’s Notes app. I then assess what’s missing according to need and whether it could add value to my current collateral. 

If the answer is no, I’ll gift the garment in question it to someone who can. That’s my bottom line. Granted, making an exception once or twice can’t hurt. Until you do it again and again. Over time your closet will be filled with cliques and cores that have nothing in common with each other. And then what? Unless you have a digital clothing index, up-to-date analytics on your dressing patterns and a team of personal stylists on call, something’s got to give.

As with most things, there’s an app for that. In fact, it does just that. Indyx, a digital closet companion, breaks the cycle of mindless buying, celebrating what you have and teaching you how to shop smarter for things you love and will actually wear. Features like outfit planning, calendar integration and a resell platform make it a one-stop shop for nailing a more sustainable style.

What does this involve? Photographing and cataloguing every item of clothing and accessory with details on where and when you bought them and for how much. Gulp. Yes, the process is time-consuming but worth it if you’ve lost control of your wardrobe and want a wake-up call. Not only will you discover the net worth of what you own, but also the cost-per-wear of items worn based on the daily outfits you log to your pinboard. 

The more consistently you post, the more granular the insights. Plus, add-ons like community feedback and paid access to stylists help close the inspiration loop. Worth noting: the trial is free but subject to a monthly fee thereafter should you wish to continue. 

By choosing the paid Insider subscription, you retain access to goodies like the user analytics that drill down into the why behind what you buy, plus premium features including exclusive access to the Indyx Insider community. 

Prepare for the reality of what those ‘small’ purchases really cost to live rent-free in your head. If you engage primarily on your phone, appreciate hard data and online camaraderie, give it a go. For Gen Xers like me and those with little time to spare, the at-home mirror selfies will do nicely.

So, what did I do after choosing to make do? I made peace with the consequences in my wardrobe. I understood that what I perceived as chaos reflected a time of extraordinary change. I appreciated how each piece supported me in its own way. 

Some are no longer fit for purpose but that’s life – perfectly imperfect. My universe is still magical. In fact, I surprised myself at how playful it can be. 

Every now and again we all need a few tree branches and discarded pieces of wood to show us what is possible before we click to cart. Imagine that.