Purge

Oh, I love a good closet purge, my own and others'. So after a recent morning spent editing my wardrobe I had to ask myself the same questions I ask my clients, "Why was I continuing to store certain items in my closet for years that I neither liked nor wore? What was my attachment to these things?"

On the surface, I could see that these pieces were all good quality and were classics. So, I supposed I kept them since they maintained their shape and color, and they would never go out of style. Still. . . I never wore them! But how could I get rid of a perfectly fine black suit? I regularly list a black suit on my clients' must have lists; it's a wardrobe staple. But in whose wardrobe? I do not work in a conservative office that requires me to wear a suit. I do not feel comfortable or stylish in a suit. Instead, when I think of myself in a suit I feel constrained and uptight.

So how about those nice tailored blouses? My husband loves that look. And he does look smashing in a tailored shirt! I, on the other hand, feel like a matronly party-pooper when I wear such tops.

Once I had identified why I had kept the items and why I did not wear them, it was easy to pull them out of my closet and take them to Job Smart at the Unity Shoppe. I know someone else will get good use out of them.

Take the time to focus on items in your closet that merely take up space. If you neither like nor wear them, it's time to purge! You will feel great afterward.

Clever Jewelry Storage

I often get asked about accessory storage by my Santa Barbara Wardrobe Wisdom clients. What matters is that you can see your accessories and that they are protected from the damaging elements of air and moisture.

My friend, genius time and space organizer Sara Caputo (of Radiant Organizing) recently blogged about ways to store jewelry. She shows what a fellow professional organizer has done with her own jewelry. I think these are clever solutions to storage dilemmas. Click here to read Sara's post.

I like the storage trays at Lillian Vernon (pictured above).

Shopping in SLO

Last weekend I fled my chaotic, flooded house and visited my great friend Heather in San Luis Obispo. After eating at the magnificent and unusual Granada Bistro, we shopped. By far my favorite boutique was Trio. The owner makes her own pretty jewelry and designs wonderful clothing as well. Trio carries other lines of clothing and some truly beautiful wedding and baby gifts.

Here is what I look for in a small boutique:
Excellent, personal customer service--no pushy salespeople;
A relaxed, friendly environment;
Fair prices; and
Unique clothing and accessories

Trio possesses all of these qualities, and I hope to return before too long. It's important to support small businesses which are making a go of it during these challenging economic times.

Regrets

You know when you are traveling, and you see something you like but you think, "Oh, I will see other things. I don't want to haul that purchase around in case I find something I like better"? Then you keep dwelling on that item you did not buy, having found nothing that could even come close. You vow to not make that delayed purchasing mistake again when you travel. But you slip up!

This is precisely what happend to me in Paris. On our fourth day I came across what is quite possibly the most perfect store I have ever entered. It was small but not cramped, well-organized, sold beautiful clothing and accessoreis for fair prices, and the saleswomen were helpful and friendly. My family would say I spent hours in there while they ate ice cream and drooled over the cheese shop next door. However, I think I was quite speedy, leaving the store with a stellar pair of jeans and fabulous belt. Still, why did I not purchase a purse? Every bag was made of soft, pebbled leather (my favorite kind as it hides all sorts of scratches and stains). I figured I would see other terrific bags during our trip, but alas, I did not.

The moral of the story is (again): When you see something you LOVE at home or during your travels, and it is in your budget, buy it!

Desperately Seeking a Signal

When we go to Switzerland, we stay in my grandmother's village. It is tiny. Think of one of those old Ricola commercials, and you have a pretty good idea. There is no wi-fi, no internet cafe. My technology-addicted husband was getting a bit antsy trying to get online during our trip. At one point, he asked me if he thought anyone would notice if he walked around the village, holding his iPhone aloft, trying to get a signal.

Imagine his relief when he discovered that by sitting in one corner of the balcony, at certain times during the day, he could get a signal. What a relief! I must say I was pretty delighted to check my email as well!

Man Purse

Guys often have a hard time handling their stuff. Where to put the cell phone, car keys, wallet, change, random notebooks and other items? Fanny packs are an eyesore, backpacks may be too casual and too youthful, so what is a man to do? My cousin's husband in Germany solved this dilemma with style.

When we were out one evening, Gina and I realized we had no bread for the next morning. Neither of us was carrying a purse, and we did not want to haul around a grocery bag all evening. Fortunately, Rainer emerged, pulled a shopping bag out of his satchel, purchased some bread, and stuffed the rolls back into his bag. Well done! I have been told that Rainer has quite an extensive bag collection and have asked for photos which I will post on a future blog.

Quality vs. Bon Marche

My grandma had a lot of everything: jewelry, clothing, shoes, boxes of See's candy hidden in various places throughout her house. . . From her, I learned to like clothing and shopping, but I did not learn much about quality. That was something my mother taught me.

Every fall my mom (pictured above) would take me to Santa Ana's Fashion Square. We would have lunch at Bullock's (Boy do I miss that store!), and then we would shop. She was very patient, even when I was a surly teen, and would help me decide what 3 outfits I would get. An emphasis was placed on how the garments fit, how they were made, and how many things in my current wardrobe they would go with. Quality clothing, she pointed out, would last longer and would look better longer.

In terms of quality, my mom would show me the difference between a finished and unfinished seam, how the patterns lined up (or not), how well the buttons were attached, if the zipper worked smoothly, and if there were any loose threads ("sloppy workmanship"). When she would discover something was cheaply made she would call it, "Bon marche." I internalized these lessons and continue to look carefully at something before I consider purchasing it. But I wonder more and more how stores can sell clothing at high prices that is so obviously poorly made. I think the reason is this: Consumers do not know how to look for quality so they do not demand it.

Even high-end, designer labels manufacture shoddily made clothing and accessories. Just because you are purchasing a label does not mean you are purchasing quality. Apply the same lessons my mom taught me, and you will see that price does not always indicate quality.

One huge exception is the brand Hermes. I recently read an excellent article about the hand-made items Hermes produces, from start to finish. Learning that there are still trained, highly skilled craftspeople to care deeply about their work is encouraging. If you are interested in reading more about so-called luxury goods, a well-researched book that I have mentioned before is "Deluxe," by Dana Thomas.

Fashion Lady!

Making attractive, figure-flattering clothing for women over 40 should not be impossible. Still, I have a great many clients who are frustrated by what they find in stores. The clothing is either frumpy and matronly, or is garish and trying to be too young. I’ve often thought this was an American problem, but my aunt in central France had the same complaint about a lack of clothing for her age group. She still managed to look wonderful every day, wearing simple slacks, a nice sweater, and a pretty scarf (always the scarf!). Irene is pictured above with my daughters.

I am not sure Fashion Lady had the answers, but I do think dressing in solids and making the most of accessories is one option.