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| Gray Uniform-White leopard vest and scarf |
Hello Fashionistas & Stylinistas;
Happy New Year! and as with many things, the new year is time to make some changes. Fortunately, this is also the time of year we begin to prepare our closets for the Spring/Summer merchandise already appearing in the stores. It is also the time to take advantage of the sales available for Fall/Winter merchandise that we can supplement or replace items for Fall/Winter now or for 2016.
Back in October we discussed the three steps necessary to design a functional wardrobe for our roles in the play of life. Let's review for a minute the essential steps as the time of year is approaching for us to take another look at our wardrobe and "curate the closet".
The first step is to quantify the garments one would need for the special roles in one's lifestyle. Even though our stylinista may have already done this during the autumn review, she may need to re-evaluate her needs; the roles in her lifestyle may have changed. She may have retired at the end of the year or decided to return to work; she may have changed jobs, moved to a different climate, changed her situation in life through empty nest syndrome, divorce or death of a spouse. She may have lost or gained significant weight. Any or all of these situations will probably require a complete analysis of her current wardrobe and a breakdown by percentage of how many and what kinds of garments she will need for her new roles. (i.e., 25% clothing suitable for office work, 25% for home activities and chores,15% for volunteer work at animal shelter, 15% for social activities both day and evening, 20% for vacation attire and exercise, etc) Each woman defines the roles, the percentage of her life in those roles, and the amounts of garments necessary for the roles.
The second step in designing a functional wardrobe is eliminating all garments that do not belong. If it is no longer fit to be worn, no matter how much she may love it, she needs to get rid of it (or have a new one made). If it does not fit nor can be reasonably altered, it needs to be taken out of closet! I always have two piles for things that no longer fit; (our figures DO change). If it can be easily adjusted for little expense, put it aside to be altered. If it cannot, it goes in a bag for disposal. (If you "plan to lose weight", put it a box, store it away, but do not leave it in the closet. If you have not lost it by next season, consider getting rid of it). It is important she actually try one the garments to assure herself they still fit properly and fit into her wardrobe.
Now that the closet contains only the items that are immediately wearable, a stylinista can evaluate what she has and what she needs. By now she will know what fashion trends are continuing for Spring/Summer 2016 and what fashion styles are now beginning to appear in the stores and fashion magazines. She can mix, match, combine different combinations of styles that appeal to her aesthetic (I suggest pushing the envelope a bit with something not tried before; to try for a few fresh approaches to the aesthetic based on the new fashions). She will also know if she is tired of a "fad" fashion item and wants to dispose of the garment.
The size of a fashionistas wardrobe should be proportionate to the space she has in which to store the garments and her budget. There is no "right" amount except her ability to manage the wardrobe within the space she has available. The wardrobe should be in the general style that reflects her style choices (classic, romantic,etc.). It should be cohesive,(fit in with garments she already has or plans on purchasing) and in a color scheme that is harmonious with garments she already has, is appropriate for the roles in her life, and ideally, be interchangeable with basic items that have the ability to transform from one role to another. Bottom line; a cohesive wardrobe works together.
Once these steps are taken, our stylinista can begin planning her wardrobe for the upcoming season(s). In our next post we will define the remaining steps (at least in mine) to the planning process.
If you have not completed steps 1 and 2, I sincerely hope you will do so before going on to the next steps..
.........................Geneva..................Rockmyages@aol.com
The second step in designing a functional wardrobe is eliminating all garments that do not belong. If it is no longer fit to be worn, no matter how much she may love it, she needs to get rid of it (or have a new one made). If it does not fit nor can be reasonably altered, it needs to be taken out of closet! I always have two piles for things that no longer fit; (our figures DO change). If it can be easily adjusted for little expense, put it aside to be altered. If it cannot, it goes in a bag for disposal. (If you "plan to lose weight", put it a box, store it away, but do not leave it in the closet. If you have not lost it by next season, consider getting rid of it). It is important she actually try one the garments to assure herself they still fit properly and fit into her wardrobe.
Now that the closet contains only the items that are immediately wearable, a stylinista can evaluate what she has and what she needs. By now she will know what fashion trends are continuing for Spring/Summer 2016 and what fashion styles are now beginning to appear in the stores and fashion magazines. She can mix, match, combine different combinations of styles that appeal to her aesthetic (I suggest pushing the envelope a bit with something not tried before; to try for a few fresh approaches to the aesthetic based on the new fashions). She will also know if she is tired of a "fad" fashion item and wants to dispose of the garment.
The size of a fashionistas wardrobe should be proportionate to the space she has in which to store the garments and her budget. There is no "right" amount except her ability to manage the wardrobe within the space she has available. The wardrobe should be in the general style that reflects her style choices (classic, romantic,etc.). It should be cohesive,(fit in with garments she already has or plans on purchasing) and in a color scheme that is harmonious with garments she already has, is appropriate for the roles in her life, and ideally, be interchangeable with basic items that have the ability to transform from one role to another. Bottom line; a cohesive wardrobe works together.
Once these steps are taken, our stylinista can begin planning her wardrobe for the upcoming season(s). In our next post we will define the remaining steps (at least in mine) to the planning process.
If you have not completed steps 1 and 2, I sincerely hope you will do so before going on to the next steps..
.........................Geneva..................Rockmyages@aol.com
Great advice... I finally took the step and curated my closet. I tried almost everything on in my closet and donated things that I never really liked on me. I never wore them. The cost doesn't matter if you don't wear it.Now I have only things I like and it is so much easier to put together outfits. I work 3 days a week, so I like to know exactly what Im going to wear. LOVE YOUR BLOG...Ali
ReplyDeleteI curated my closet and donated all the things that I NEVER Really liked on myself. That was huge. Just because you paid decent money for it doesn't matter if you never wear it. It is easier to find the things I love. I
Dear Ali; I am glad you were happy with the result; you said it all, "if you never wear it, it doesn't matter what it cost", it is taking up valuable real estate in your closet now; better to take the loss and buy something that really works for you. Why don't you take a few picture of you in some of the outfits you love, post them to Facebook, and I will put them in a blog.
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