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Love what you wear?

You should! (How appropriate for February, the month of love…)

But if not, you need to examine your closet and why you do not love your clothes.

It is possible that your clothing is not a true expression of the real you, your individual style, and your unique personality.

There are many basic clothing styles. Words used to describe these styles could be classic, dramatic, natural, chic, romantic, alluring, sexy, creative, eclectic etc. And your style might  even be a combination of several styles.

Take this fun quiz to get an idea of your style persona: Click for quiz.

You  need to find two or three words that describe your clothing style and design your wardrobe to express this style. Then you will “match” your clothing style.

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Something to wear!

Okay, we could spend many blogs on the basics but you need something to wear NOW, don’t you? So we will interject ways to find things to wear in your closet right now. We will start small and simple to get you thinking about what you can do with very little. Remember, less is more.

You will need to find a  solid color, matching top and bottom  in your closet.  The top can be a tee shirt, turtleneck, tank, sweater, blouse, or shirt. The bottom can be a skirt or pants of any length and fabric of your choice (remember your life style). You may choose something casual or something you could wear to work. If you do not have two items that match (and they don’t have match exactly), choose a dark bottom and a dark top. An example could be a dark wash pair of jeans and a black long-sleeved sweater or tee. These may not match but the eye will perceive them as a dark column of color.

Matching top and bottom

Matching top and bottom

Now the fun begins…change the look of this simple outfit by adding jackets, cardigans, vests, wraps, scarves, jewelry, belts, and shoes, You will have to PLAY in your closet with items you already own. Do NOT go shopping!   You can wear almost anything over this matched top and bottom for numerous looks. The matching top and bottom create an inside column of color which is very slenderizing. Make notes or take pictures of your newly created outfits so that you can re-create the looks easily and quickly. Aim for five different looks–more if you like.

Here are some examples to get you started–find something in your closet that will work for you. 

Top-bottom-cardigan

Matching top and bottom with cardigan

Matching top and bottom with jean jacket

Matching top and bottom with scarf

Don’t forget  to add accessories (shoes, belts, purses, jewelry) to add pizzaz to the outfits you have created.

Now you have something to wear!  Have fun and look good doing it!

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Nothing to wear?

It’s a known fact that we wear about 20% of what is in our closet 80% of the time. Our goal is to change that ASAP. No, it probably won’t be overnight, but as an ongoing process. We need to find out why you have nothing to wear amid a sea of clothes. If you have looked at your Closet-work Assignments (homework) you hopefully have gotten rid of anything that is not working for you. So what do you have left? If you no longer work (retired), are all of your clothes suits or dresses that are professional and career oriented? Then, of course, these may not be working for you any more. But we will still be able to use them in different ways. A suit can be broken up into components…you may like using the jacket with your casual pants or jeans.

We need to examine our lifestyle needs first. What do you do in a week or month?

  • do you work
  • do you entertain
  • do you  need dressy clothing
  • do you engage in sports activities
  • are you retired
  • are you a student
  • what is your age
  • what are your hobbies and extra-curricular activities
  • for how many seasons do you need clothes

All of these questions will determine what types of capsules you will need. Also, this will determine whether you will need capsules for cool weather and/or warm weather. Only you can decide what your needs and lifestyle are.

There is no “one size fits all” capsule wardrobe-you will design yours to fit YOU!

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The big hang-up-what hangers should I use?

There are many types to choose from but you should be consistent…keep them all the same:

  • WIRE (metal):  least desirable, flimsy, can collapse with weight of clothes, can rust, can leave marks on shoulders, used by dry-cleaners, temporary
  • WOODEN: very sturdy for coats and jackets, take up a lot of space, allows more space between garments for air circulation, can be expensive depending on type of wood
  • PLASTIC TUBULAR: will not rust or discolor garments, relatively inexpensive, available in a variety of colors and thicknesses, choose heavier ones for coats, jackets, pants
  • FLOCKED SLIM LINE (Huggable): take up less space, may not be colorfast, may rust when hanging wet garments (depends on brand)
  • PADDED: prevent snags, for lightweight clothing only, take up space

There are hangers with clips for skirts, some with a pants bar, and some for hanging a complete outfit. You will need a hanger for each garment as you will separate all matched sets and hang each piece separately (so each piece can be seen).

So which ones should you choose? It really depends on how many clothes and how much space you have to work with. If you have a lot of clothes and very little hanging space, the huggable may be your best choice. If space is no object, wooden ones are quite handsome. If you hang alot of your items to dry on hangers, the plastic tubular ones are the answer.

Regardless of your choice: NO WIRE HANGERS, please!

And where can you find these to purchase?

Check out the choices at Bed-Bath-Beyond, Target, K-Mart, and Wal-Mart. For online purchases, HSN carries the Huggables in many colors and hook finishes (brass, silver, etc.). My sister loves these! I like the plastic tubular-I have all white with heavy ones for my jackets, jeans, and pants and the lighter weight ones for blouses, tee shirts, and sweaters. Matching clips are available for hanging skirts.

 

 

 
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Mission impossible…not!

As a new blogger I am continuously amazed at all the new things I discover each day while writing here. Although the purpose of this blog was set quite clearly in my mind,  I probably should have written it at the beginning instead of now.

So I shall back-track and explain the purpose of this blog. There is a ton of information on the web about wardrobes, style, fashion, closets, etc.  If you have searched any of these terms, you will find hundreds (maybe even thousands) of pages on each topic. My goal is to put the important and useful information in one place…HERE…so you can use this blog as a self-help, step-by-step guide for making-over your closet and wardrobe. Consider it a course entitled Wardrobe 101.

It is for those of us who simply cannot afford an image consultant and/or those of us who do not want  some stranger examining our closet and the intimate details of our wardrobes.  You CAN do this yourself!  This blog is designed to give information and inspiration as well as tools (closet-work aka  homework) that you can do at your own pace to in order to simplify your wardrobe.

Be sure to explore all areas of the blog as articles are added and updated almost daily. Please feel free to ask questions, make suggestions, or  join in the conversations. This is your class!

Read our official mission statement here.

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The Capsule Wardrobe-What and Why?

The term “capsule wardrobe” was invented by British style expert Susie Faux in the 1970’s. This concept has also been referred to as clusters, units, or modules.  No matter what the name, the same idea has existed for years in France and England.

So exactly what is a capsule wardrobe and why does it matter? A Capsule Wardrobe is a well-chosen, small group of clothes (about 5-22 garments) that mix and match into a variety of combinations to meet your daily needs. This is the ultimate LESS is MORE philosophy.

“Having a capsule wardrobe is liberating. It is a great way of clearing your mind and helping you to focus (on other things).”  Susie Faux

Fewer clothes will free up room in your closet. You will be able to see what you have more easily. And if you can see it, you will not forget to wear it.

You will spend less time shopping for clothes and hopefully, you will shop with a plan. You will no longer be seduced by a sale that does not work for you. You will save money by only purchasing garments that you love and that will work with all the other garments in your capsule.

You will invest in quality basic garments with classic styling that should last for four or five years. Always buy the best you can afford. You may need several different capsules depending on your life style and your daily needs. These can include capsules for career/business, weekend/casual, formal/entertaining, and sports/exercise. Coordinate all of your capsules with each other to expand your clothing options even more.

Capsule dressing takes the stress and confusion out of getting dressed.

You will never have to say “I have nothing to wear.” Instead, you will say, “What do I get to wear today?

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“One-Trick Ponies”

prom dress

Dress-Topshop

So how did we dress when we started making our own decisions about what to wear?

Thinking back, I just remember buying (or sewing) a complete outfit with no regard as to whether the pieces went with anything else in the closet. It just had to look good on us the way we purchased (or sewed) it and it didn’t have to match anything else. It might have been a skirt and blouse or just a dress. Perhaps it was a 2-piece suit with a matching top.  I remember some of the clothes I sewed (as this is how I could control what I wore as clothes shopping with my mom was not a pleasant experience). Nothing I made went with anything else…it was just one outfit. I guess parts of it could have gone with other things but there was never any effort to put them together. This is what is still referred to as “one-trick ponies”–it only works one way or does just one thing. Prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses usually fall into this category.

Perhaps this way of dressing was different for you…let’s hope so! 

When did mixing and matching come into vogue? Stay tuned…

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Pull yourself together!

It all started with a paperback book in 1968!
I was a college student recuperating in the hospital from surgery on a broken elbow. My mother brought me a new paper back book to read while there. It started it all for me (and probably many more of you of a certain age)!





Pull Yourself Together or How to Look Marvelous on Next to Nothing by Barbara Johns Waterston

  

This book was one of the first self-help image books, if not the first one to appear. The information may be dated but it still works today, especially in this economy where we are trying to get our look updated without breaking the bank. (And yes, the author, model and fashion photographer, is the ex-wife of Sam Waterston of Law and Order.) She talks basics for any wardrobe plan.

Barbara’s philosophy still rings true today:

“Do be organized. It’s impossible to be well dressed if everything’s chaotic in the drawers and closets.”

“Once you’ve brought order into your life, you’ll be able to dress quickly and attractively and be free to concentrate on the ‘real’ issues. You won’t need to concentrate on yourself.”

To see more of her ideas, read the entire article from the Associated Press, March 13, 1968.

And yes, I still own this book (actually 2 copies) but neither are my originals. I was being ruthless one day and gave my pristine original to a charity years ago. After regretting my decision, I was able to find several copies at reasonable prices online.

We all want to look great and this is a great new year to do so. So follow my blog and you will have it all together by the end of the year if not sooner!

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A closet is…

Welcome to my very first blog!

Let’s start at the beginning…what IS a closet?

The definition of a closet is:

a small room or cupboard for clothes, household supplies, linens, etc.

For our purpose, we will be discussing all aspects of a closet for your clothes and accessories and ways to make this a place of joy when getting dressed every day. We will talk about organization, products, and most of all,  the clothes that comprise your closet. We will help you simplify your wardrobe and plan perfect capsules to meet your lifestyle needs and reflect your unique personality. We hope to inspire and educate with this blog. You will learn how I embarked on this journey, the frustrations along the way, and how they were overcome.

Please join me in my new endeavor!