Dahlings, what's the key to achieving worry free style? A well edited organized closet. I have to be honest, I'm not good at the organizing part but I edit my closet at least three times a year. Spring has yet to arrive and before you hit the stores to pick up those choice pieces to add to your wardrobe, take a couple of hours to evaluate and edit what you have in your closet and conduct what I call a closet sweep. Here are some tips to help you on your way.
1. Start by taking everything out of your closet. Group items by category. Tops should go in one pile, bottoms in an other and so on that way you can take full inventory of your wardrobe.
2. Have the right tools. To do this right, you will need a full length mirror, garbage bags, labels, and lots of hangers.
3. Next step is to make four piles with the following labels: Keepers, mend,( dry cleaning, tailoring etc.)toss, and donate.
4. Have a fashion show: Try everything on. This can be tiring and daunting but I suggest you invite a fashionable friend who is brutally honest to assist you in deciding what to keep and what items are a hell to the no.
Try each item on to ensure that it fits and flatters. Say good bye to anything with holes, stains in the armpits, sweaters covered in pills...in other words, anything you'd be embarrassed to be caught dead in.
You may have items that still look good but need to be altered for a better fit or maybe you want to take up the hem of a very long skirt, or take the sleeves off a shirt to make it look current. Put these items in the mending pile. You need to be honest with yourself here. No saving items because you hope to lose a couple of pounds.
Also think about when you last wore each item and how you felt. If you haven't worn an item in over a year, most likely you will not ever wear it again. This is not a hard rule of course. But do be honest with yourself about how often you've worn each item and where you plan on wearing it if you're thinking about it for the keepers pile. You should note the items you have repeats of so you can understand your buying habits and pitfalls. Too many solids, too few prints, too much black and not enough color? Find your weakness and make a note not to repeat the same mistake again.
5. Don't forget your shoes. Throw out any shoes with gouged heels or that look extremely worn. Nothing speaks more about your personal style than your shoes and the shape your shoes are in. If you must keep an old looking shoe take it to your nearest shoe repair shop for polish, resoling or a heel replacement.
6. Don't forget jewelry and accessories. Over the years it's easy to accumulate a lot of wacky and tacky accessories. When it comes to jewelry, toss anything that is outdated, rusted or anything you haven't worn in over a year. I find with Jewelry if you haven't worn a piece for a long time it's either because you don't have the right outfit to accompany the piece or when you wear it, it's not flattering or it doesn't feel like you. Well it's time to get rid of it. Also take a good look at your belts, bags, scarves, hats and other accessories and consider what is working for you and what isn't.
7. If you have time I would suggest taking stock of your underpinnings as well, you know, your unmentionables. Try on your bras. Do they still fit? Do your straps fall off? Bras stretch over time and it might be worth it once a year to get measured to ensure that you are wearing the right size to enhance your silhouette. I like
Nordstroms, they have great bra-fitting experts.
8. Once you've decided what pieces you'd like to take to a consignment store or donate, put them in shopping bags and stick them in the trunk of your car. Wait a month. If you find yourself desperately searching for something in one of those bags, don't feel guilty about putting it back in your closet.
9. Organize your closet. After you've gotten rid of all the crap in your closet, now it's time to organize. Some people invest a lot of money in reorganizing their closet by adding shelves and built in drawers etc. I think the most basic thing you can do to automatically upgrade your closet is to buy better hangers. Say no to wire hangers and invest in the
non-slip thin space saving hangers. They aren't as bulky as wooden hangers and therefore take less space and your clothes don't slide off.
I also find grouping clothes in categories together (all skirts together, all blouses together, jackets, pants etc.) makes for a pretty organized closet. From there you want to subdivide by color and then by style. You can go even further and organize by fabric, all cotton items together, silk etc. Finally, you should store your off-season clothes in a storage bag or move them to the back of your closet. Who needs to look at a white summer dress in the dead of winter? Make room for the items that are appropriate for the season you are currently in.
10. This is the fun part. You'll find after your closet sweep that you're missing some choice items. Or maybe you discovered a new way of putting an old outfit together but need that one thing to make it perfect. Make a list of key items that you need as you toss others and buy them as soon as you can.
The closet is sweep is the number one service I provide for my clients seeking a personal style makeover. People are always shocked first by how much unflattering clothes they have in their closet and then by how many new looks they can create with what they already have or they rediscover an old item can be styled in an entirely different way. The closet sweep is very liberating and helps you get rid of the clutter that hinders your style evolution. I really believe, as much as I love shopping, that less is more. By getting rid of the clutter you can think clearly about your styling options. You'll also be more focused and deliberate in your shopping choices because now you'll know what you need and what you have to work with.
Okay dahlings, I'm feeling generous. I'm offering for the first two ladies that contact me with a comment below or via my personal email, a free consultation from my personal style consulting menu of services. Here are your choices, two of the most frequently requested services:
Total Image Impact, for the girl who seeks to define, refine or perhaps discover her personal style. This includes a style evaluation and shopping plan that is unique to you to help you evolve your style.
The Closet Sweep ( as mentioned above), is the secret to great style and having the right pieces in your wardrobe that work with your body shape not against it.
Email me (
voleine@gmail.com) or post a comment below about which service you are interested in and why.
Waiting to hear from you....
