There are some very good consignment stores in Santa Barbara, including Renaissance and The Closet. It is so fun to find beautiful, fine clothing at a fraction of its original price. In addition, it is nice that this is a form of recycling.
Now there is another way of recycling great clothing, and I sure hope someone in Santa Barbara picks up on this idea! I read an article about Dora Copperthite's Give + Take Boutique in the Image Section of the LA Times on March 21. Imagine: "for a $20 monthly membership fee, women who've tired of their Prada handbag or H & M romper can have them valued for points that are then traded for other items. " Says Copperthite, "You're not only shopping in your own closet but the closet of hundreds of ladies."
I've been to friends' clothing swap parties, and they can be fun, but I like the idea of having access to some of the goodies from other Santa Barbara clothes horses. What do you think?
One of the services I offer my Wardrobe Wisdom clients is donating the clothing we've decided is not consignment worthy but is not ready for the trash bin either. I provide a list of the donated items and a receipt to my clients, and they work out the details of valuing the items for their taxes. This week I stumbled across a super useful document from the Salvation Army, showing the average prices they sell items for, from bathing suits to microwaves. I hope this is helpful information for you--if not for this year, then for 2011.
During my talk at UCSB yesterday, I was asked about color. One woman said she knew color was important to spice up her wardrobe, and she liked color, but she was unsure which shades were best for her. Cynthia Nellis, of About.com Fashion, writes about "10 Colors You Should Wear More Often." I like that she shows a variety of colors on models and celebrities, and describes what kind of skin tones look best in them and how to wear them. Blush is not for everyone! Adding some color to your wardrobe is an easy way to update your look. One tip I give my Santa Barbara Wardrobe Wisdom clients when they ask me about flattering colors is to think in terms of warm and cool tones. Warm refers to colors with a yellow undertone (all the "spice" colors this season, such as chili, saffron, cloves, and cinnamon), while cool refers to colors with a blue undertone (lilac, cobalt blue, and gray). Do you look and feel better in cool or warm tones? How about jewelry? Do you feel better in gold or silver? Try putting different colors next to your face (in good light) and determine which ones light up your face and which ones dull it. You may learn if you are more of a "cool" or "warm" person this way.
No, I am not offering to show up at your house, mop and Windex in hand. But I do have a sure way to get you motivated to spring clean everything from your closet to your garage. On April 7, Juli Shulem, Cindy Faith Swain, and I will be on a panel, sponsored by the local Association of Women in Communications. Enjoy a lively evening of organizational insights from 3 experts, as well as a question and answer session. Click to view the invitation. I hope to see you on the 7th!
 We had a crisis in my house yesterday. My eldest daughter, above, who is usually cheerful and fun-loving, is rather attached to her jeggings. She wears them every day, causing me to squeeze in washings while she sleeps. Somehow, I had fallen down on my duty, and both pairs of jeggings were in the laundry basked Saturday morning. Yikes! Did she happily scan her closet and put on something else? No. Did she sweetly ask her mother if her jeggings were clean? No. Instead, she pawed through the laundry basket, triumphantly emerging with soiled, smelly pants, ready to put them on. Ick! Even though she was just going to play at a friend's house, I told her she could not wear the jeggings. This led to some ranting about not liking anything else in her closet, questions regarding my housekeeping skills, complaints about her other pants, and general sourness. In the end, she put on some pajama bottoms and left the house in a huff. While my daughter's behavior was extreme, it pointed out a tendency a lot of us to get stuck in a rut. Instead of reaching for that old favorite pair of jeans, white T-shirt, black shoes, etc., branch out! Put on something you haven't worn in awhile, something colorful or special. Put on a dressy necklace or a shirt in a bright color. Chances are you will feel uplifted and refreshed, just like I told Jane!
One of my good friends from college is an insightful, brilliant writer. She has 14-year old twins, a boy and a girl, who are smart, funny, and creative. Today my friend sent me an essay her daughter, Julia, wrote for school. I am impressed by Julia's skillful writing (is it partly genetic?), and her level of maturity. She has more confidence about clothing than most of the grown women I know! Here is an excerpt from her essay: Fashion is something that can make everyone feel good about him or herself. Choice of clothing allows one to express his or her personality. People should try to choose clothes and styles that reflect what they like and what kind of people they are. It is unfortunate when people are self-conscious about what they wear. The decision people make when they get up in the morning is what will represent them for the entire day. I believe everyone should be as confident and happy as possible in the clothing choices they make. Styles are individual. Fashion is universal.
At least once during every Wardrobe Wisdom session, a client will bring out an item and say, "A friend gave me this" or "My mom gave me this." Most of the time this statement is followed by, "and I never liked it" or "and I've never worn it." So why do people keep accepting clothing from others, and, moreover, why do such things stay in their closets after they've determined they do not like the items? Good old guilt accounts for some of this behavior. People don't want to hurt friends' or family members' feelings by saying "no" to something being offered. Once they've accepted an item, they admit that they would feel guilty getting rid of it. Life is just too short to hold onto things that don't make us feel good or add beauty or joy to our lives. When someone asks if you would like, for example, her bright yellow and green vest, it is perfectly polite to say, "No, thank you." That's it! No long, complex explanations are required. If you simply cannot say "no" to someone but have no intention of wearing their "gift," leave it in your car and donate it to the first second-hand store you encounter. Ah, doesn't that feel better?
 When I came across the above photograph, I sighed in admiration. Talented hands had lovingly created these loaves of bread, using quality ingredients and time-honored techniques. Every now and then, it's important to just pause and admire beauty. We do not need to gorge ourselves on bread, clothing, or accessories, but we can look at them and gain understanding of their value and their effect on us. When I spend time at Renaud's Bakery or Saks Fifth Avenue, I may or may not buy anything (okay--I always buy something at Renaud's) but I feel happier, having seen something created by gifted people.
I have written before about the misconception of the word "petite." But here we go again: petite refers to a person who is 5'4" or shorter. Petite does not mean skinny or slim or small boned; it means short! A petite client expressed a recent revelation: petite bras! These are for women who are small in stature and wear a size A or B cup. They are cut and designed especially for petite women. This client was over the moon to find bras that finally fit her properly. I think she sent the lingerie salesperson a gift!
 I scored two cute cotton knit tops at Saks yesterday. They were on sale and were further discounted at the register. FUN! I love it when that happens. While I was chatting with the saleswoman, she said I "must try on this amazing jacket." I told her I was not really a jacket person, but I had some time to kill and she seemed very excited about the jacket. When I put it on, it seemed made for me. The seams were smooth and gave me a flattering silhouette, nipped in at the waist; the shoulders were softly padded, making me look strong yet feminine; and it had just one pretty button, fashioned into a large rose. Every seam was perfectly matched up, the fabric was buttery soft, and the color was a dark blue, white, and black subtle check. Knowing that the jacket was a Giorgio Armani, I was somewhat prepared for the price: $1,495. Yes!!! It was a $1,500 jacket! If I were to purchase it, I would be paying for the exceptional workmanship, the attention to detail in every stitch, and the jacket's timeless nature. Of course I would be paying to have Mr. Armani's name in my wardrobe as well. Since I was in no position to purchase such an expensive item, I smiled and handed it back to the salesperson. We both ooo'd and ahhh'd and sighed while she put it on the hanger. I left the store with my two bargain T-shirts, feeling not sad but a little wiser. Trying on the amazing Armani reminded me what clothing should feel and look like. Even though I cannot afford such luxury, I will use the jacket as a point of reference when I try on other things. All clothing should fit beautifully and make us look our best. When it does not, even after taking alterations into consideration, leave it in the store or get it out of your closet.
Today I returned some gym/walking shoes to Outfooters, at La Cumbre Mall. Last week I was very happy to purchase these shoes since my old ones were very worn out. The minute I put the new ones on, I felt a spring in my step. However, when I wore them on a long walk, they slipped up and down in the back, rubbed my inner ankles, and left me with a sore knee. That last description sounds random, but I've learned that when my knees hurt, my shoes do not fit well. I had clearly bought the wrong size. Having worked in small retail stores over the years, I understand their strict return policies. Unlike large chain stores, small businesses operate with limited capital and it is not feasible for them to have liberal return policies. So when I spoke to the Outfitters owner, Jay, I let him know that I was just calling to see if there was anything he could do about my shoe dilemma. Not only had I worn them outside, but I could not locate my receipt (this is very unlike me!). He graciously offered to order me the shoes in a smaller size and did not give me grief for wearing them. Today Jay called and said he had my shoes. When I went to pick them up, he was polite and understanding. He truly seemed to care about my comfort and the critical importance of a good fit. Jay's excellent customer service has solidified my loyalty to his store and when I need a new pair of tennis shoes (whose day is coming soon), I know where I will go.
I recently worked with 2 different clients who had quite a lot in common. Both women had closets full of clothing that neither fit nor flattered them. Both had lost weight and exhibited a new-found confidence. And both seemed conflicted: They had called me for help but wondered if they would lose their entire "old" selves if their old clothing was purged. They were also afraid they would be left with nothing to wear. During the time I worked with these women, I heard a lot about when they purchased the clothing, and what different things meant to them. Slowly, they became more willing to part with old, baggy T-shirts, sweat pants, and outdated clothing. In the end, one client had 8 huge leaf garbage bags full of clothing to donate! The other client had a smaller, but still impressive donation pile. Instead of ending up with an empty closet, they found they liked their wardrobes since everything remaining reflected who they were NOW. What struck me about the clients was how I saw their eyes light up when we came across clothing they had bought recently--clothing they really liked and that fit their current bodies. What a difference! They spoke with enthusiasm and were eager to model these clothes for me. Whenever we came across questionable pieces, I would ask them to compare their feelings about them with the way they felt about their newer, stylish, flattering clothing. Once they thought about it, they tossed the old piece into the give away pile. Look into your closet. What clothes make you feel happy? What clothes are you eager to wear? Every item in your closet should make you feel good. If it doesn't, bid it farewell!
|
