I'm not one who lets items fester in my closet. If I'm not going to wear it now or in the future, it's usually outta there pretty quickly - either given to a friend, consigned or donated to a charity.
These corduroy jackets are the exception to the rule. I have these and a few more, which are at least four years old. I don't usually wear corduroy - it's a little too rough-textured and heavy for me. Plus these jackets are pretty boxy and I lose any sense of body shape in them.
I've stopped wearing them as part of an outfit, which I used to do with jeans and a top.
But I'm debating about keeping them around to use as outerwear. Unless it's bitterly cold, I rarely wear a heavy coat since I generally hop right from the car to indoors, so I tend to opt for either a voluminous sweater or lightweight jacket and accessorize with hat, scarf and gloves. I keep a big coat and comfy shoes in the car just in case ;-)
So do I dump the boxy corduroy? I don't have a huge connection to it, except for the leopard (which has more of a shape than the others) and dark turquoise ones. But they are warm and practical and I find myself grabbing them a few times a season. I just know there are better choices out there.
Do I keep them around for next fall and winter or give them away so the temptation to wear something so meh on me is gone for good? But I also feel like I will kick myself if I need one and it's not there.
I've been at this a long time, friends, and every time I am in a closet, I learn a new insight or some piece of knowledge I already have is reinforced. Here are some of my observations and several truths about women, closets and shopping. You just might see yourself somewhere in here...
A woman's closet is a glimpse into her psyche. Cluttered closet, cluttered mind.
Receiving clothing as gifts is not a gift at all if you don't like them and won't wear them.
I don't know any woman who doesn't rely too much on black.
Buying the best quality you can afford beats out a bunch of cheap items any day.
A good tailor is your wardrobe's best friend. Also know how to sew a hem and do emergency repairs - I'm working on this myself.
The shades of watermelon, mint and teal blue look great on pretty much anyone.
Never underestimate wearing the right underwear - every outfit you own may require a different strategy!
Do you want people to compliment you or your outfit? There's a huge difference!
Fashion and style are contradictory terms.
Understanding what colors and contrast levels work for you is the first step in controlling your closet.
Dress appropriately for your climate. I am asked about turtlenecks all the time. Yes, they are okay if you live in Cleveland, ladies!
Most women want to look younger and hipper, but all say they don't want to look too young, trendy or silly (of course!).
So many women are challenged by shopping for jeans. If you can't find the right pair, set aside a couple of hours to shop only for denim. Odds are, you will find a great pair or two.
Every woman can wear red and yellow. The shade is all that matters.
Try on designer clothing (including jeans) and items that are out of your budget. Understanding how well-made clothes feel and fit will help you make better purchases in your price range.
I wasn't planning to do this, but after several requests and last year's popularity, I’ve decided to offer a Mother's Day Special available to Greater Clevelanders only.
This offer is not only good as a gift for your wife or mother, but are available to anyone who has wanted to work with me but has not yet had the opportunity. They are also great as employee appreciation, incentives or door prizes.
Everyone who purchases at least two hours of shopping or closet services receives a complimentary copy of the My Style workbook (a $35 value).
Because I have been hard at work on my book, I haven’t done anything like this in a year – I have no idea when it’s going to happen again.
This special is valid through Sunday May10, 2009 and all purchased services must be rendered before June 30, 2009.
We can accept cash, checks, all major credit cards & PayPal. You can have a gift certificate in your hands today.
(If you are unfamiliar with who I am or what I do, click here for my bio.)
Gift certificates are also available in any denomination.
Please see below for details and explanations.
COLOR ANALYSIS Knowing your best colors will make your eyes sparkle. Your skin will look more luminous. You will look healthier and more vibrant - and you can even look pounds thinner and years younger!
The process starts with a short presentation which demonstrates real people wearing the correct colors for their coloring as well as the incorrect ones. Then you will be asked to sit in front of a mirror and will be draped with a series of colors to determine whether your undertones are cool (blue-based) or warm (yellow-based). Next, we will determine the depth of your coloring and determine which of the twelve "seasons" best suits you and we will discuss how that will impact your wardrobe, accessory, and even makeup choices.
A few days later, you will receive a custom color palette which is filled with a variety of color suggestions - from the best basic wardrobe pieces to accent colors that will make your wardrobe more exciting. We also take your preferences into account, so you have colors that you will love wearing.
Knowing your colors is your secret weapon that will save you time and money when you shop and can help you create a more harmonious and cohesive wardrobe.
CLOSET CLEANOUT & ORGANIZATION / POWER STYLE
We have met many different kinds of closets along our journey - large and small, some filled with designer duds and others with discount store buys; closets that are fully-functional...or somewhat less.
The one common thread we've found is that every closet has a story to tell. And just like the diverse closets we encounter, there are a myriad of closet owners, each with a different style philosophy, unique set of personal experiences, shopping tendencies and organizational skills that have shaped their closets. Since no closet (and no owner) has a one-size-fits-all solution, we happily serve many different functions, depending on what our clients need.
From a style therapist who gets to the heart of what ails their closet, to a fashion exorcist who removes years of poor advice and clothing choices that haunt their wardrobe, to a drill sergeant (which one client said she needed!) to finally rid herself of years of overbuying and hoarding clothes she would never wear.
Our favorite role, though, is that of trusted friend and ally - we're your confidence booster and cheerleader. We are there to tell you what you're doing right and give you the knowledge and skills to build a wardrobe that truly serves your occupation, lifestyle, personality and goals - right now and for years to come.
Many women are not aware that they have two wardrobes - the clothing choices they see every day and the possibilities viewed by a fresh and experienced pair of eyes. Why buy more clothes when you have a whole new set of options to explore?
PERSONAL SHOPPING
When it comes to shopping, we usually meet women who are one of three types. There are those who hate to shop and find it difficult and even confusing at times. Others love to shop so much that they buy too much and it may affect both their closet space and bank account. Then there are those who enjoy to shop, but feel like they can use the help of a professional shopper to make better purchases and shop with greater efficiency of both time and money.
We understand that with so many stores to choose from and thousands of items in each, it can get pretty overwhelming when you are trying to figure out what clothing and accessories will work best for you - from your personal style, personality, goals and lifestyle - to your budget.
We are your trusted friend and guide when it comes to hitting the stores. Let us help you weed through everything that's out there and select only the colors, patterns, designers and price points that work for you.
Along with your new clothing and accessories, we want you to leave your shopping excursion with the skills to shop more confidently for yourself. We can teach you the "secrets of the pros" to help you look younger, slimmer, and more exciting each and every day. These tips and tricks are timeless and will bring you a higher success rate every time you shop!
Monday is Martin Luther King Day, which means it is D-Day for my parents' closet. My mom will be off from work and that is the day we decided to attack it. And I do mean attack.
Being a professional wardrobe cleaner-outer, who has people pay me good money for my services, one might think that my parents would be eager for me to donate my services to such a worthwhile cause. Nope. Instead, I have had to cajole, beg, humiliate and bribe them to get my hands on that mess.
This has been ongoing since this past summer, when I spent some time in there trying to help my mom pick out an outfit for a wedding - at the last minute, of course. It's shocking how two adults with a relatively clean house can have such a horrific closet. It's like two 12 year old boys share the space, complete with stinky sneakers.
My parents are the poster children for how not to manage a closet. Not that the word "manage" should come into play at all. I'm pretty sure that my closet monkeys were bred in there. It's literally a monkey mill. Well, not for long.
Greetings from almost 3am. I can't sleep. I have an early day of shopping tomorrow and I should have long been asleep. But one thing is keeping me awake:
Hangers.
I get to go into some of the nicest closets around, but if I see one more closet filled with Joan Crawford's wire hangers and/or twenty different colors and shapes of plastic hangers, I think I am going to scream. Or grab one and hit someone with it.
I'm not a neat freak, and I don't have OCD or anything, but it makes me absolutely crazy to see people disrespecting their clothes and contributing to general closet disarray when it's so easy to avoid.
From my experience, the first step toward having a messy closet is the hangers. If they're all different colors, shapes and sizes, it instantly makes your closet look disorganized. Even if you *are* a neatnik and everything is perfectly organized, the hangers can completely ruin the effect.
No matter how big or how small - or whether it's a shared space or all your own, going into your closet in the morning should be a pleasant experience. The rest of our lives are stressful enough!
I recommend to everyone that they purchase crystal hangers. Because they are a uniform size and clear, they pretty much disappear so all you see are your clothes. It's like your closet becomes your own little clothing boutique. It's easier to see what you have and put outfits together.
I'll write more about clothing organization soon, since it's on my mind.
Check out the classic Closet Monkeys article to see the crystal hangers I recommend.
I'm not one who lets items fester in my closet. If I'm not going to wear it now or in the future, it's usually outta there pretty quickly - either given to a friend, consigned or donated to a charity. 
