Do you know what the women I know seem to fret about most? Aside from significant others and there simply not being enough time in the day, it seems to be "what to wear." Nearly every woman I know, across all age groups and seasons of life seems to struggle with this problem. It seems they all fall into one, or more, of the many fashion traps that make their wardrobes unusable. They fall victim to unflattering trends. They buy clothes that don't fit or flatter, hoping they'll "fit into them someday." Or they simply don't know what works for their body type and lifestyle. We all want to look good, but sometimes we simply don't know how best to do that, and having a closet that simply doesn't work for you does not make this difficult problem any easier to solve. Getting dressed every morning should be fun, not an exercise in torture!
Since this is my first post back in awhile, I thought I would start things off with a bang by tackling one of the most common challenges women face, how to build a functional closet. This will be a four part series covering editing, organization, wardrobing (my favorite!), and updating and maintaining your wardrobe.
So Step 1 in this process is fairly simple, but is often the most difficult as it requires two major components:
Complete Honesty and Openness to Change.
If you've mentally and emotionally prepared yourself with these essential elements, you are ready to go. So with out further adieu, lets begin, shall we?
♦ First, remove from the pile anything you haven't worn in over a year. If you don't know, or don't remember when the last time you wore something was, that is usually a pretty good indicator. If you are on the fence about an item, toss it in the keep pile but put a post-it note on it. When you wear that item, take off the post-it. If at the end of three months you still haven't worn an item with a sticky on it, get rid of it. What is in good condition, put in a donate pile. What is in any state of disrepair, toss. If you paid a ton of money for an item and can't bear the thought of donating it, consider consigning it or selling it on ebay. But, I am a big believer in what goes around comes around; the more you give the more you get.
♦ Next, begin going through the remainder of your clothes, trying things on as necessary. Anything that doesn't truly fit or flatter your body RIGHT NOW should be donated or tossed based on condition. What does it mean for something to truly fit? Well, it should not bind, pinch, fold, or create any sort of crease or bump where it isn't supposed to be {muffin-top and excess pleating across the thighs come to mind). It should accentuate the parts of your body you are most comfortable with, and downplay any trouble spots. Likewise, don't keep items that are too large unless you are willing and able to get them tailored to fit you. Also of note, try to keep in mind your lifestyle. If you used to go out and party till' you dropped every night of the week five years ago, but are now a stay at home mom, or you used to work in a corporate office and wear suits daily, but now work in a more creative environment, your closet may still reflect your former lifestyle. Try to get rid of pieces which aren't going to work for where you are in your life today. But hey, there is no harm in keeping a few flirty dresses or sequined tops (as long as they fit!) to spice up date night. Likewise, keep a few of your favorite suits as long as they are a classic color (black, gray, navy, beige), a simple silhouette, and are flattering.
♦ Finally, take note of what is left in your "keep" pile. Pull out a pen and paper and do some evaluation. Ask yourself the following questions:
-What silhouettes do I gravitate to?
{Do you love skinny jeans or flares? Pencil skirts or A-line styles? Slouchy shifts or more tailored
dresses? V-neck or boat-neck tops? Button downs or drapey tops?}
-What styles are most flattering to my body type?
-What colors am I drawn to?
-What is missing in my wardrobe?
Now make a list of your favorite 5-10 pieces in each of the following categories: tops, knits & sweaters, dresses, skirts, pants, and shoes. If you don't have a minimum of 5 in each category, those are holes you need to fill. If you have a few more than 10, that's okay, you've just got more to work with!
Now that you've completed step one, step two is organization. Stay tuned for the next post which covers all you need to know about creating an organized, functional closet!
♥ Jen
P.S. If you are in the Seattle area, and need a good place to donate your good-condition used clothes, consider Jubilee Women's Center in Seattle which helps homeless women transition to independent living, or Northwest Center for the Blind, which benefits mentally and physically disabled individuals (they will also come right to your door and pick up your donation, which is super convenient).
