The Wardrobe Project (Emma Edwards, Wiley)

In 2022, Emma Edwards (Good with Money) realised she had a serious wardrobe problem. Not only was she stuck in a pattern of overbuying clothing, but she was also unhappy with the clothes she already owned. Edwards embarked on a radical experiment to change her attitude towards her clothing and herself. For one year, she would not buy, rent, thrift, or swap a single item of clothing. Instead, she would approach her current wardrobe with fresh eyes and a new perspective. Part memoir and part guide, The Wardrobe Project explores many prevalent issues within the fashion world, including how the industry conditions people toward excess, body shame and societal pressures. Written as a month-by-month account of the author’s experiments and lessons learned, each chapter offers tasks to help the reader create a wardrobe built on longevity and self-confidence. Filled with wit, brutal honesty and humour, the book proves enjoyable even for those without a particular interest in fashion or shopping habits, offering practical strategies to increase the wearability of existing clothing and combat the dreaded feeling of having nothing to wear. One standout suggestion is photographing each day’s outfit to create a library of options for those uninspired mornings. The Wardrobe Project is for readers who enjoyed Edwards’s first book and anyone interested in sustainable fashion and mindful consumption – as well as those who appreciate books that feel like a conversation with a close friend.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Chloe Cooper is a freelance writer who has worked in the book industry for nearly 10 years as a librarian, bookseller and sales manager. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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