After a blissful few weeks spent wearing little more than loungewear, it goes without saying that most of us aren’t feeling particularly inspired in the wardrobe department right now. But as a new year begins, this feels like the perfect time to regroup, reset and re-emerge better dressed than ever – and setting a few fashion resolutions is the fastest way to success.
Are you hoping to finally nail that perfect capsule wardrobe this year? Vow to stop shopping high-street once and for all? Perhaps you’re hoping to get a little more experimental with your personal style, or simply make better use of what you already own? The options for creating a more stylish, streamlined, sustainable and joy-sparking 2025 wardrobe are endless – and a little sartorial self-improvement really does go a long way.
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To help you get started, team ELLE UK have put their promises to paper and made a few new year’s fashion resolutions of their own. Will this be the year we finally stop wearing head-to-toe black every single day? Only time will tell, but the mere intention is a start…
Clementina Jackson, Acting Site Fashion Editor
‘I have a terrible habit of buying something new, and then leaving it in my wardrobe until I “feel ready” to wear it. It’s completely nonsensical and often means I completely forget about an item for weeks or months at a time – by which point, it can feel too daunting to incorporate into my daily rotation at all. My New Year’s fashion resolution is to force myself to wear any and all new items immediately, so that I can enjoy them from the get-go. I’d also like to make better use of my embarrassingly vast shoe collection – Manolos were not made to stay trapped in their boxes! – and invest in more statement, patterned and colourful pieces to add some fun to my otherwise all-black everyday uniform.’
Augustine Hammond, Fashion Features Writer
‘In 2025, I intend to wash my clothes less. Strange as that sounds, it will make my clothes last longer and reduce water and energy consumption. I’ll spot spot-clean when possible, air out items between wears, and wash only when truly necessary. I also want to use my sewing kit more this year: instead of tossing clothes with minor issues, I’ll commit to mending them. Whether fixing a hem, sewing on a button, or patching a tear, I’ll prioritise giving my garments a longer life.’
Roberta Schroeder, Senior Ecommerce Editor (Luxury)
‘As I waddle towards the end of trimester three, the only fashion resolution I’m making this year is to resist the pull of the big grey sweatpants. Not all the time, of course – I’m expecting to spend around 90 per cent of 2025 marinating in them – but that remaining ten percent? It’ll be a drastically different situation. Instead of eBay-ing every scrap of my fashion-centric old life in favour of a practical new mum wardrobe, I’ll be sponging sticky-fingered marks off Simone Rocha’s supersized shirts (also ideal for pregnancy, FYI), and Comme Des Garcons elastic-waist barrel trousers. And as for the fabled, if grotesquely named, ‘push’ present? I’ve been leaving not-so-subtle hints about a certain vintage Chanel tote…’
Holly Gorst, Fashion Editor
‘I’d love to say I’ll stop wearing black, but it’ll forever be my favourite neutral. With that being said, I’m keen to delve more in to the vintage world in 2025, and focus on shopping pre-loved pieces. Nordic Poetry in Bethnal Green is my forever go-to, so I’ll be spending a lot more time trawling through the vintage treasures there.’
Natalie Zannikos, Senior Fashion Coordinator
‘I’m going to attempt to do monthly clear-outs, then donate unwanted bits to my local charity shop, or sell them on Vinted. Trends-wise, I’m intrigued to try a skirt over trousers, and want to give my contact lenses a rest in embracing being a glasses-wearer more. I’ll take styling cues from Miu Miu, Bella Hadid and Emma Chamberlain.’
Naomi Pike, Commissioning Editor
‘I recently helped my friend move house and I was completely amazed by how her wardrobe was only filled with pieces that I could imagine her wearing in the here and now. She had clearly cut the fat and so I hope to do the same going forward. I want to truly analyse all that I have and then make sure that each piece is something that I know I would wear in the immediate future. I’m hoping it’ll help me be better dressed. In addition, I’m almost embarrassed to think about how many days of the year I’ve spent wearing my McQueen boots – they’re fabulous and perfect, but I want to be better at wearing my whole shoe wardrobe next year. *Alexa, order Compeed every 4 weeks.*’
Hadya Tuofiq, Fashion Assistant
‘In 2025, I will try to shop more vintage, wear less all-black and trainers, and invest in statement pieces I can build outfits around.’
Naomi May, Deputy Site Editor
‘I am prone to relying on the same stale rotation of outfits to ease the process of dressing for a busy life on a daily basis, but that stylistic muscle memory is something I’m actively trying to rewire my brain to do differently. I have a wardrobe full of clothes, and it’s time that all of them saw the light of day. So, in 2025 I am going to wear all the feathers, fur and sequins that I forget I even own, and I’m going to make a conscious effort to avoid any ruts that I may have historically fallen foul of.’
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Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.