A "Compulsive Overbuyer" Just Sold 9 Bags of Clothes—Here's What She Kept

For some people, a simple spring cleaning session would suffice when it comes to organizing their house and getting rid of old stuff. But for Elle UK fashion writer and vintage seller Daisy Murray, a much more comprehensive closet purge was in order for her London apartment. On Instagram, she posted about her decision to simplify her wardrobe. "Years of compulsive overbuying and a bizarre need to keep everything—'I want to give it to my daughter!' 17-year-old me screamed while clutching an American Apparel boob tube—left me with about nine Ikea bags worth of clothes to sell, and sell I did," Murray said. 

Intrigued by her commitment to closet purging, I reached out to Murray to get more insight into her decision and learn about the items she deemed worthy of keeping. "With so much of the world in slow-mo, my commute eradicated, social life decimated, and spare time abundant, I felt this was the perfect time for my final push to achieve wardrobe clarity," Murray told Who What Wear. "I began this 'journey' (cheesy, but true) three years ago when my parents cleared out my wardrobe. They refused to act as a storage facility any longer (rude), and I was confronted with the real scale of my shopping habit."

Murray also explained how she was able to avoid throwing away a single item, despite being "ashamed" of the huge volume of clothes she had amassed. Murray credits her love of vintage, which tends to retain its resale value, as well as her penchant for buying classic pieces. "So most of my clothes were either worth saving, gifting, or selling at a reasonable price," she said on Instagram. 

Murray's downsizing left her with her dream closet "that feels like a concept store stocked entirely for me," she told Who What Wear. Along with a single bag of sentimental pieces like her prom dress, Murray kept key items that she wears over and over. Scroll down to see what she kept and learn more about her closet-cleaning tips. 

1. Light Summer Dresses

In this category, meant to wear during the peak of summer as well as on vacation, Murray kept four specific kinds of dresses: strappy, linen, white, and bright colors. 

2. Organic White Cotton T-Shirts

"Pay what you need to to have the perfect white organic cotton T-shirt," Murray told us. "Invest in one and it will trump all the cut-price ones you bought over the years."

3. Black Midi Dresses

Murray told me that she kept several black cotton midi dresses for cooler early-summer weather in London. 

4. Trench Coat

Trench coats also made the cut after Murray purged her closet. I loved the way she styled this one with a dress and chunky boots. 

5. Strappy Sandals

In terms of Murray's capsule collection of shoes, strappy sandals were at the top of her list. 

6. "Dad" Sandals

Yes, chunky sandals are still in. I love how Murray wears them with a floaty dress and bucket hat. 

7. Chunky Boots 

This is exactly how to wear boots for summer: Contrast chunky boots with a breezy mini dress. 

8. Straw Bag

What's summer without a functional and cute straw bag? 

9. Party Dresses

10. Sneakers

Murray also included sneakers in her capsule wardrobe. The well-reviewed ones below are my favorite pair—and it doesn't hurt that Jessica Biel also owns them.

11. Mules 

12. Jeans

Muray admits that since she heavily favors dresses, she only owns one pair of jeans. 

13. Mini Handbag or Vintage Baguette

14. Beaded Bag 

"A vintage baguette or mini handbag can be worn to so many events," Murray told me. 

15. Dresses for Work 

When it's time to head back to the office, emulate this look and try a printed midi dress with a blazer. 

16. Leather and Wool Coats

For winter, Murray kept her collection of leather and wool coats. 

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