Spring Clean Your Closet!

Going along with my last posts theme, here are some tips I've compiled from numerous resources on ways to sort your wardrobe and get rid of the items you don't need!


First step is making sure you have the time to sort....give yourself an hour or more to do this.

Pull all of your clothes out of your closet/drawers and begin sorting into these categories!

• Items you like and fit well, but don't wear often. These will go straight back into the closet, maybe you haven't figured out how to incorporate them yet but you WILL!

• Items you dislike, but wear often.  This could be for a lack of better items.  Keep these for now, but these will be candidates for replacement.  You should designate a section in your closet for these "items to be replaced."

• Items that don't fit or are unflattering.  More often then not, these are items we WANTED to fit because we loved the design or style, but sometimes even the best of designs don't fit every body type.  Maybe you spent a lot of money on it and don't want to give it up.....so it just sits in your closet day after day....week after week...  These items could be better served given to a friend or if it's in good condition you could try consignment....even better you can donate to Goodwill or a Shelter. 

• Items you dislike and don't wear.  It's pretty straight forward here....if you don't like it and don't wear it......don't hold on to it.  Why over clutter your closet with clothes that are never worn.  If you haven't wore it in over a year there is no need to stare at it. 

Afraid of having an empty closet? Take baby steps..... bag up the items that are unflattering/don't fit and the dislikes/don't wear and put them away (in your garage or shed, under your bed, somewhere you won't see them)  If you haven't bothered to find them after a couple months you know you won't miss them and can dispose of them which ever way you like! 

Does YOUR wardrobe need an update?

How to tell when it's time to update your closet.


1.   Your clothes are worn out.  We all like to hold on to those special items that make us feel young, sexy, smart or comfy, but when you wear something a lot you will start seeing some wear and tear.  If it's a pair of your favorite "comfy's", promise to only wear them at home and I will understand, but any other item that begins to look ratty should be replaced.

 

2.  Your clothes don't fit.  We ALL go through different phases of life and sometimes our weight is effected by it.  I'm not sure what is worse, a women who worked her butt off in the gym but continues to wear her clothes that are 2 sizes too big or the new Mom who is shoving her new shapely body into her jeans from high school.  If your clothes fit right, no matter what your size, you WILL look better.  I promise a pair of jeans in a size 12 that fit look SO much better then a size 7 that don't.

3.  You have clothes from 10 yrs ago or more.   Ladies......very few items of clothing can be worn for 10 years without looking like it!  With the exception of your basics (Jeans, White Tee, pencil skirt, black dress, etc.) most items will be outdated.  Even if they are still in style....they are probably worn out.  Obviously, there are some exceptions to this rule but if you find yourself questioning any item's condition or style , it's probably time to part with it. 

4.  You can't find anything that makes you feel good.  One of the best things about clothes is their ability to hide our flaws and make us feel better about ourselves. If you don't have a single outfit in your closet that you love to wear.....you need an update!

5.  You are missing your basics.  The following items are the most timeless pieces that should be incorporated into your wardrobe. 

 

• Great fitting jeans (they MUST fit)
• White Tee / Black Tee
• White Button Down Shirt (Fitted) / Black Button Down Shirt (Fitted)
• Black Dress
• Pencil Skirt
• Comfy Sweatshirt or Hoodie
• Black Pumps
• Cardigan
• Pea coat (or Dressy coat)
• Sundress
• Flip flops
• Converse (or casual shoes)
• Flats
• Plain Long Sleeved Shirt (Black/White)
• Black Pants
• Blazer
• Black Tank Top/White Tank Top
• Black Boots (Flat or heeled)
• Brown Boots (Flat or heeled)

It's okay if you don't have all of these pieces.  (For example a stay at home Mom isn't going to have much use for slacks or a pencil skirt) Keep your lifestyle in mind and make sure you have items that you will actually wear. 

Tip: None of us have tons of money laying around to buy a whole new wardrobe, so check your closet before you go shopping and make a list of items that you need.  You don't have to buy everything on your list, just add to your closet whenever you can and remember when you are buying a basic it's okay to spend a little extra to get good quality.  We want these items to last as long as possible so it's best not to cheap out especially when it comes to these!

Patterned Jeans....Cute or Crazy?

There is no denying that 80's trends are back in style.  For my husband, it's all too soon.  The memories of his neon aqua snow suits still haunt his dreams. Despite his efforts to keep me from repeating fashion mistakes of the past,  I find myself jumping on the bandwagon of neon colors, over sized shirts, and tapered jeans (now called skinny jeans), which brings me to today's question......

Should we be jumping back into patterned jeans?

I think the answer depends on how you wear them.

• Are you short? Tall?
• Curvy? Athletic? Petite? Large and in charge?
• Are you trendy? Do you often branch out of your comfort zone?
• Do you have the right shoes to wear it with?
• Will you go with flats? Heels? Flip flops?
• Where are you going to be wearing them?
• How often will you wear them?

I believe all of these questions need to be answered before purchasing a pair of patterned jeans. Though many of the patterns are really cute, I don't think everyone looks good in every pattern.  However, I do believe there is a pattern the suits everyone, you just have to find it!

Keep the size of the pattern in mind.  In general a smaller repeating pattern is less obnoxious. That being said, I love the subtle patterns.  I recently bought a pair of leopard print skinny jeans! Call me "crazy," but they are actually pretty tame as far as patterns go.  The colors used are darker and though you can definitely tell they are leopard print, they don't scream for (too much) attention!

 

I believe styling plays a very important role when wearing a bold pattern! This model proves that, if done right, a large, bold print can look stunning.  Make sure you style your look from head to toe.  She looks great!

 

Remember that anytime you wear a pattern you are making a statement.  So while I definitely think this trend is worth a try, wear it when you want to be seen because you will draw attention!

 

 

Do yourself a favor and remember to ALWAYS try clothes on! 

Especially when you are attempting something new!

 

 

 

I like BIG BUNs and I cannot lie.......




 

Gone are the days of ballerinas being the only ones able to sport buns!  Whether they are worn sleek, messy, high or low buns have made a major comeback. With the help of Pinterest, celebrities, hairshows and magazines we are given an unlimited number of ways to show off our "buns."  (and no I'm not talking about our back sides)