I need a wardrobe consultant

[2red4u]

I have a closet of clothes. I just don't know how to pull the looks together. Ironically I can for my teens, but dressing a size 2 is different than dressing a size 16. Friends are of no help, either. Are there people that come in to your home and help you?

[awhfy]

Some stores (Nordstrom ) has shopping services. Don't know if that's what you're looking for or not

[katsmom1]

I am definitely not a stylist but I have a suggestion that may help you weed through your current closet of clothes. First, take everything out of your closet. Then, quickly separate your clothes into three piles:

 

Pile 1: clothes you love (clothes that fit you well and the colors look good, etc.)

Pile 2: clothes you like "ok" but aren't necessarily the first things you reach for.

Pile 3: clothes that you no longer really like or wear but have a hard time justifying getting rid because you either really liked them at one time but maybe they no longer fit as well or maybe the item never really worked for you but you spent so much on it that you have a hard time parting with it.

 

Next, get rid of pile #3. Sell or donate or whatever but do not put them back in your closet.

 

Then, focus your attention on pile #2. Ask yourself why you aren't reaching for the item more. If it is because of fit (or maybe it technically fits you but the fit doesn't look as good on you as other things in your closet), put it in pile three, meaning get rid of it. No amount of outfit coordination will change how something fits. After weeding out clothes that don't fit great, concentrate on what's left in pile #2. If the item fits greats, ask yourself why you aren't reaching for the item more often. Is it because, even though its a great item, you don't have much to wear it with or maybe its an unusual color? If so, hold on to the item for now until you see what else you have.

 

Then focus your attention on pile #1 (the clothes you love). Separate the pile into tops and bottoms. Then separate each of those two piles into solids and patterns. Now, start coordinating, starting with patterns first because they are harder to match. Try matching each patterned top with each solid bottom, and vis-versa to see what look best together.

 

After finding some good combinations with your patterned items, work on coordinating the rest of your clothes; solids to solids and pulling thing in items from pile 2 to see if you can find any good combinations.

With whatever is left, ask yourself if they items is "great" enough to justify buying something to match specifically with it. If not, get rid of it.

 

Once you systematically go through everything you currently have, the results may surprise you and/or at least you'll have a better idea of what items you really do need to purchase in order to have a more complete wardrobe.

[OVgirl]

I am definitely not a stylist but I have a suggestion that may help you weed through your current closet of clothes. First, take everything out of your closet. Then, quickly separate your clothes into three piles:

 

Pile 1: clothes you love (clothes that fit you well and the colors look good, etc.)

Pile 2: clothes you like "ok" but aren't necessarily the first things you reach for.

Pile 3: clothes that you no longer really like or wear but have a hard time justifying getting rid because you either really liked them at one time but maybe they no longer fit as well or maybe the item never really worked for you but you spent so much on it that you have a hard time parting with it.

 

Next, get rid of pile #3. Sell or donate or whatever but do not put them back in your closet.

 

Then, focus your attention on pile #2. Ask yourself why you aren't reaching for the item more. If it is because of fit (or maybe it technically fits you but the fit doesn't look as good on you as other things in your closet), put it in pile three, meaning get rid of it. No amount of outfit coordination will change how something fits. After weeding out clothes that don't fit great, concentrate on what's left in pile #2. If the item fits greats, ask yourself why you aren't reaching for the item more often. Is it because, even though its a great item, you don't have much to wear it with or maybe its an unusual color? If so, hold on to the item for now until you see what else you have.

 

Then focus your attention on pile #1 (the clothes you love). Separate the pile into tops and bottoms. Then separate each of those two piles into solids and patterns. Now, start coordinating, starting with patterns first because they are harder to match. Try matching each patterned top with each solid bottom, and vis-versa to see what look best together.

 

After finding some good combinations with your patterned items, work on coordinating the rest of your clothes; solids to solids and pulling thing in items from pile 2 to see if you can find any good combinations.

With whatever is left, ask yourself if they items is "great" enough to justify buying something to match specifically with it. If not, get rid of it.

 

Once you systematically go through everything you currently have, the results may surprise you and/or at least you'll have a better idea of what items you really do need to purchase in order to have a more complete wardrobe.

 

That 3rd pile is often the hardest to deal with. Some guilt in there as well, I imagine. But once it's done, it's very liberating.

[sail7seas]

That is how to thin out what is in your closet but isn't a clue as to how to pull outfits together.

 

Some people have a knack and an eye to putting a great cardigan with the right leggings and the scarf finishes the outfit but some people cannot visualize.

[jkudzu]

I have a closet of clothes. I just don't know how to pull the looks together. Ironically I can for my teens, but dressing a size 2 is different than dressing a size 16. Friends are of no help, either. Are there people that come in to your home and help you?

 

I'm the same way! I go blank when it comes to putting things together. There is a lady on here who is really good at it--Indiana71. She's on a thread called Caribbean Cruising Fashionista. I've been watching her posts to get ideas and I watch tv shows geared to it such as What Not To Wear, etc... I've also looked at Pinterest too for ideas. There are lots of posts on there about putting outfits together. Hope this helps! J

[lbjen]

You might consider a service like http://www.urbandarling.com/virtual-styling/, or look for a wardrobe stylist in your own area. If it helps you get better use of the clothes you have already bought then I feel like it is worth as much as a new outfit or two!

[Sailor_Sally]

I have to add that you have to find your style & then stick to it .

[pezhead]

I have to add that you have to find your style & then stick to it .

 

This! What do you feel comfortable in? What's your current lifestyle? I've spent almost half my life in retail most of it selling female clothes--and I still don't have it down for myself. My own style is constantly evolving.

 

What I can suggest is Number 1 find the right fit. That means both bras and pants. It's much easier to build from the basics that work. Then think about the image you're trying to portray.

 

Use polyvore; use pinterest; find one of us retail lifers at a department store.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk

[maywell]

I have to add that you have to find your style & then stick to it .

 

That's true - especially where you're going / cruising to. If its the Caribbean, think about what type of outfits you would like to wear. Same thing with Alaska / Canada / New England or Europe when it cold or hot. Try building your style with that frame of mind - That's what I had to do with my Caribbean wardrobe; I winded buying casual dresses for the trips to make it easy to 1) pack, 2) dress up without trying too hard and 3) easy to peel out of when the weather is extremely hot or I'm too exhausted. :)

[crzndeb]

I saw it posted here and I will always add it for those looking for help.

 

http://www.theviviennefiles.com

 

Janice has a wonderful way of putting colors and items together. Find what grabs you and what colors work on you. I'm sure there are items in your closet that you can work with. This can be a starting point and work from there. Get rid of items you won't ever wear and buy a few staples to enhance what you have already.

[Porthopper101]

I have a closet of clothes. I just don't know how to pull the looks together. Ironically I can for my teens, but dressing a size 2 is different than dressing a size 16. Friends are of no help, either. Are there people that come in to your home and help you?

 

I am going to be in New York next week for a shopping trip. Come, we can go shopping together :D.

 

M

[2red4u]

Thank you everyone. I have enlisted the help of a friend, well actually I told her I was baking and to come drink wine with me and keep me company. I'll bake the day before, lol. It's time let things go!

[crystalspin]

Katsmom1 --

 

I thought your post was pertinent and very good. I would add -- do this once and then do it again about a month later! My closet now contains 90% clothes that fit and that I love. (May have to do it a third time for the remaining 10% -- or lose 20 pounds!

 

While closet makeover is not the same as pulling an outfit together, it surely is a start.

 

I love Emily Cho's books. Unfortunately, they are becoming dated (I think they were published in late 80s!). But I still pull them out about once a year!

[katsmom1]

Katsmom1 --

 

I thought your post was pertinent and very good. I would add -- do this once and then do it again about a month later! My closet now contains 90% clothes that fit and that I love. (May have to do it a third time for the remaining 10% -- or lose 20 pounds!

 

While closet makeover is not the same as pulling an outfit together, it surely is a start.

 

I love Emily Cho's books. Unfortunately, they are becoming dated (I think they were published in late 80s!). But I still pull them out about once a year!

 

Crystalpin,

I have to admit that I do still have some of those "need to lose 20 pounds" clothes that I refuse to give up.

[Cruisinwithagoodbook]

Katsmom1 --

 

I thought your post was pertinent and very good. I would add -- do this once and then do it again about a month later! My closet now contains 90% clothes that fit and that I love. (May have to do it a third time for the remaining 10% -- or lose 20 pounds!

 

While closet makeover is not the same as pulling an outfit together, it surely is a start.

I agree with you.

 

 

I think the next step after culling out what you don't wear and getting down to what you love, is to put bottoms and tops and jewelry and accessories together to make outfits as best you can. You know already whether a top needs black pants or brown or tan, and you know whether you have jewelry to match or not.

 

Once you make outfits and matched up things as well as possible, then it's time for a shopping list. This top needs a pair of pants or skirt, this skirt has no top, this is top and pants, but no jewelry. Then you go shopping for things that match and make you feel good. Don't buy anything that's outside your comfort zone or you won't wear it. Once I picked out a big bold necklace because it was the color I needed but every time I tried to wear it I couldn't because it made me feel so conspicuous. I'm sure it would look lovely on someone else, but I ended up replacing it with something smaller and more "me" and I didn't discover it was "me" until I started comparing what I love with what I hate to wear.

 

I'm no style icon, but I generally like my clothes and feel comfortable and put-together, even if I'm not trendy.

 

Oh, and organizing your closet helps with style, too, imho. I hang my black skirts together and then all tops that go with black behind. Then the brown skirts and then all the tops that go with brown, and then the khaki/tan skirts with their tops. The odd stuff is hung last with skirt/top together. I don't do skirts in one place, tops in another, because it's so much easier to just grab a skirt and top at once when their hung together.

 

Also my jewelry or scarves are hung on or with the top they match. I put jewelry (necklace/bracelet/and earrings on a card) in a small ziplock bag and hang in on the hanger. That way when I pull the top out, there are the accessories, ready to go.

 

 

I did a complete wardrobe overhaul last year and ended up buying a bunch of jewelry (from Charming Charlie) to match everything, so now I have so many unique outfits it's easy to pick out one and get dressed without having to go to many different places to put an outfit together.

 

Oh, and I use an app on my phone to keep track of it all. It's called "Stylebook." It was a pain getting all my clothes and accessories into it, but now that it's done I can keep up with what I wear much easier.

 

HTH

[lbjen]

I also started using Stylebook recently, after culling a large part of my closet. It has been very useful!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[trixiegal]

I need to check out Stylebook. I just moved so I'm in the process of getting rid off so many clothes. It's very liberating!

[btc1951]

I am no good at this either but I'll tell you what has worked for me. I started searching the Internet and Pinterest for style bloggers until I found several whose styles I absolutely love and I started following them (signed up for their email updates or followed them on Pinterest). I'm finding that when they post an outfit I really like, I often have at least some of the pieces in my closet. Let's say I have similar pants, then I might go out and buy the top and scarf the blogger is wearing (they always post what they're wearing and where it can be purchased. One of my favorites, even though she is about a decade younger than me, is Jo Lynne Shane http://www.jolynneshane.com (I have no connection to her). She just has a real classy sense of style. That's not to say I love everything she wears (because of heavy upper arms I don't wear sleeveless and I don't wear short skirts, dresses or shorts), but I still get tons of ideas from her. I am also always cruising Pinterest to get new style ideas. I hope this helps.

[Anita Latte]

My creative process generally involves editing, adapting, applying...I need something to work with...something to get started. I find this site to be very helpful and inspirational:

 

https://chicisimo.com/

 

You can use the tools at the top to sort by clothing type and color and see outfits others have put together. Honestly, I find as much inspiration in what to avoid as what to copy.

 

This is an international site...there used to be a way to sort by location...and I loved that...but they took it away for some reason.

[DHnDWplus2]

I don't try to follow every trend...i just cant wear skinny jeans anymore....but i do pay attention to trends. Take the maxi skirt for example...i love them....but i needed to find a way to wear one with my expanding menopause tummy:eek: so i looked at mannequins and magazines, pinterest...what not.. .and discovered i can make it look really cute with a blouse that is banded at the bottom! VIOLA! I cannot wear it with a casual t-shirt like many do....

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forums mobile app

[TravelinGert]

I'm a 16, too, and I think I get you. If you're tiny, you can hide a lot really easily by picking certain styles, or just getting a size larger so that the excess space hides whatever. You get to be a 14, 16 or so and your options pare down just that teensy bit that makes it harder.

 

It doesn't help that a lot of clothiers choose to only display their clothing on either very tiny people, or very tall plus size people. I'm very short, so that blouse/dress/whatever is just not going to look anything like it does on that six foot model on me.

 

I've recently discovered some plus sized fashion blogs. A friend suggested googling for them and then just check them out until you find someone shaped somewhat like yourself. It took a bit of searching, but I finally found one. Just having some ideas to look at has helped me immensely.

[blueeyedb]

I find many of my favorite outfit ideas on Pinterest. I love having a complete outfit including accessories laid out for me. I find that I generally have most of the pieces in my closet, or I can adapt something to make it work.

 

I also just read an article that changed my fashion life! The article talked about the "3rd piece rule". Basically the rule says that your pants/skirt/shorts and top are pieces 1 & 2, but to really make an outfit look finished, you need a 3rd piece. That third piece can be a jacket, a sweater, a piece of statement jewelry, a hat; just some type of a third piece that stands out. I've noticed that if I have an outfit that looks okay, but not great, adding a 3rd piece makes all the difference!

[Porthopper101]

I read somewhere that every woman should know a shoes repairman and a tailor.

 

My shoe repairman does amazing things to me shoes. Almost five years ago I had an accident that shattered my heels, since then I have had five surgeries. Thank God; I still can wear heels and thank my shoes repairman for making my feet very happy.

 

I take most of my dresses and gowns to my tailor to have them altered. A little cut here, a little snip there can make a different.

 

For travel and running arrant I use shoulder or cross body bag, for all other times I use top handles bag. To me, top handles bag is more elegant & ladylike.

 

When I walk out the door, I stand straight, look straight and walk like a model.

 

Happy Shopping and Happy Cruising

 

Marie

[Fritzie]

Marie makes an excellent point--the way you carry yourself and your attitude both go far in creating a style.

 

I'm also working toward paring down my closet. We recently downsized to an apartment about half the size of our former house--with closets downsized, too. I've given bags of clothes to charity and am about to give more. I'm thinking I do better with the basics--neutral colors that I can accessorize with fun scarves, necklaces, earrings, shoes etc. I have several friends whose wardrobes are centered around one color (black, actually). Shopping, dressing, packing--all so much easier. Now to pick a color...