TikTok is full of oxymorons. Adverts encouraging users to decrease screentime whilst also being one of the reasons attention deficits are on the rise, creators preaching privacy and simultaneously posting every second of their life for views, and the app encouraging sustainability at the same time as they make over a billion dollars from TikTok Shop.
One creator, JustMacRose, who bases her entire content (and isn’t subtle about it) on sustainable styling was even invited into the TikTok offices to be begged to go live on TikTok Shop. She found this laughable, as did I, but it piqued my interest.
Mac has many a video about styling on her page, from layering tips to styling exercises. “Styling is a muscle,” she says. “And it needs to be stretched.”
One such video is titled ‘Free ways to refresh your closet’. How, you may ask, is she planning on helping me refresh a wardrobe without buying anything? If I am bored of my clothes, surely the best way out of that is to buy some new ones?
According to the New Yorker, this just isn’t the case. The main tip from this video is to simply rearrange said wardrobe - specifically, by sleeve length. No shopping list, no new trend cycle to buy into. Just a different way of looking at what you already own.
So that is what I did. The method is straightforward (although rather time consuming and my bedroom was a tip for a lot longer than I would have liked), and at first, it seemed like purely a visual tweak. Instead of sorting through my clothes by type, I could clearly see items from sleeveless through to longsleeved, and all the heavier layers. In practice, it shifted into something significantly more fundamental: I could see exactly how to build an outfit.
Most wardrobes are structured in a way that mirrors retail spaces. Clothes are grouped logically, but not necessarily usefully. You know where your T-shirts are, where your shirts are, your jumpers, but this doesn’t mean that you’re able to see how they can interact with each other. As a result, dressing becomes repetitive. I would end up reaching for the same combinations - not because they’re the best or the most creative, but because they were immediately visible as I opened my wardrobe doors. As a result, I was bored!
Reorganising by sleeve length can pull you out of that slump. Instead of thinking in categories, I was able to see the relationships that could develop with each piece: what could go under or sit on top, what could peek through, what texture would compliment another. Pieces that I’d disregarded because they were impractical began to come to the forefront again. A sheer lace vest could be worn underneath a backless long-sleeve top to add texture and a bit more modesty if I fancied it (or worn backwards, could have the opposite effect). A pink babydoll vest could be worn on top of a puff sleeve blouse to emphasise the silhouette and add another feminine aspect into it. A black tank top worn on top of an oversized men’s shirt meant that I could play around with the form and the shape, and make sure I wasn’t drowning in material.
This is where Mac’s sustainability angle becomes more tangible. Much of the conversation around sustainable fashion focuses on restraint: buying less, resisting trends, being knowledgeable about everything you own. While important, the advice can often be out of touch and distant from the everyday reality of dressing yourself. What Mac’s system offers is a way to extend the life (and usefulness) of the clothes that you already own by revitalising them.
Arranging by sleeve length let me lower the effort required to be creative, which in a world governed by ever changing notions and constantly being on the move, could be pretty progressive.
Of course, the system is not without its limitations. For larger wardrobes, maintaining the structure may require more effort, and doesn’t entirely replace other forms of organisation. Occasion wear, or seasonal pieces, for example, may still need to be separated out. But for everyday dressing (especially in climates like the UK’s where layering is almost essential) it proves surprisingly effective.
Rearranging your wardrobe will not overhaul your style overnight, nor is it intended to. It can make your clothes feel more usable and enduring, though, and works pretty well as a style exercise. My muscles feel stretched, and thanks to Mac, I have a bunch more outfits to parade about town.