Ingenious!

I spoke at the morning Carpinteria Rotary Club meeting last month and saw something quite clever which I want to share. Right before I was leaving the meeting, a Rotary member rushed up to me, telling me I simply must see something in the men's restroom. Of course I was intrigued!

What I saw was the curtain pictured above, made from ties men had donated. What an ingenious use of discarded clothing.

Utter Madness

It seems like everything is happening on May 5, including the Music Academy of the West's annual May Madness sale. You will find a gigantic, teeming crowd of shoppers, eager to get their hands on some terrific clothing, accessories, furniture, books, collectibles and a lot more. The sale starts at 9 AM. Seasoned shoppers know to get there early. I've been once and scored a pair of super chic gray python T-strap pumps for $25!

Get Over It

I entered Purrmission Lingerie yesterday, intending to buy some panties (Hanky Panky lace thongs are on sale for $15 this month!) and some Forever New laundry detergent. I walked out with these two things as well as a bra.

Did I need a bra? Yes, but I am not my regular size right now, and I have been reluctant to invest in something that would only fit temporarily. However, once I began explaining my rationale for not making a bra purchase to Purrmission's owner, I realized I sounded like some of my shopping- adverse clients. So many women tell me they are on a diet; therefore, they do not want to buy anything until they lose weight. At the same time, they do not want to get rid of any of the clothing that is already loose on them because they may gain the weight back. In short, they are choosing to wear ill-fitting and thus unflattering clothing while they are dieting. Is this motivating in any way? No! What I tell them, and what I told myself the other day, is that wearing pieces that fit NOW will make me feel good and look good.

Of course you are Italian!"

For a couple of weeks now I have been watching a dashing older man walk, what I assumed to be his granddaughter, to school. Both my younger daughter and I noticed the vivid colors he dressed in: red pants, pink sweaters, purple shirts. . .

Today I started to walk past him and decided at the last second to say something. "Sir, I have been noticing how wonderfully you dress." His response: "I am Italian and don't speak English." Then I said, "Of course you are Italian" meaning that Italian men tend to be bolder about wearing colors than American men. I asked if he spoke French or Spanish, and he said no, but that did not stop me from patching together a sentence in those languages, mixed with English that went something like "I love your style! I like your clothing, the colors, the combinations," before my daughter nudged me to stop.

Imagine my disappointment at not having my camera at school today. I hope he will be there next week so I can snap a photo. I think you will be impressed by his sartorial flair as well!

Shopping Santa Barbara--6

This week I spent some time in Montecito, checking out a couple of places I had been meaning to investigate for awhile. My first stop was Matti & Me, a consignment shop selling high end, luxury brand clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and hats. I met the friendly owner, Matti Bourgault, who reminded me that, "A portion of the store's profit is donated to select humanitarian non-profits of the customer's choice." Nice.

The inventory was pretty darn fabulous--from Manolo Blahnik shoes to a Valentino blazer. The pricing was not so fabulous; it seemed a big steep for consignment.

I popped into the highly touted Malia Mills and was surprised to find not only bathing suits and coverups, but terrifically chic sandals and clothing as well. Let me get this out of the way first: The bathings suits are expensive, starting at $150. But they are also original, super stylish, and the fit is incomparable. Major kudos to this company's for embracing women of all shapes and sizes. The website and photos in the store feature normal looking, non-skeletal models. Thank you!

Image from Malia Mills website

Jewelry Update

Image from Calla Gold's website

I have written a great deal about spring cleaning and the value of editing and updating your closet on a regular basis. Part of this process includes updating your accessories, including jewelry. I was thinking about this when I wore an opal ring from my grandma this week. The stone and setting are quite pretty, but the ring is bent out of shape and the stone seems insecure. I know who to call for a jewelry refresher: Calla Gold.

This local jeweler is an expert at creatively revitalizing jewelry, resulting in pieces you will love and wear, not store.

Go through the same process when you look at your jewelry that you would when you go through your closet. Take everything out, and then carefully consider if you wear each item. If not, determine why. If you just don't like the piece of jewelry, donate or consign it. If you like it, but it is broken or you don't care for the design, give Calla a call!

De-cluttering Tips

Go here to read some fundamental and useful organizing tips. I try to remind my Wardrobe Wisdom clients of these guidelines when I work with them.

Number 3 is especially important. I cringe when I see the same bag of clothing, destined for the tailor, in my client's closet year after year.

Service, Anyone?

Photo from Getty Images--the Commons

Here is what the saleswoman told me when I was at Saks last week, trying to get a pricey pair of fairly new sunglasses fixed, "Oh, we don't do that here. Go to Occhiali, down the street."

The very kind man at Occhiali fixed the sunglasses and would not let me pay him.

Hmm. Where do I want to spend my money the next time I need sunglasses?

Straightforward

I came across this small business in downtown LA recently. I like how straightforward and specific it is. Why isn't there a shop designed precisely for me? Something like, cute, fashionable but not too trendy skirts, perfect white T-shirts, great-fitting jeans, and flattering dresses for woman 5'4". I don't think I am asking too much. What kind of clothing shop would be just right for you?

Making Room

'A well arranged cleaning closet.'' Photo taken by Troy around 1918- 20.

For many, this much space allocated for shoes is just crazy. But, as the blogger Arianna Belle states, it is important to think what kind of space you will need for your clothing and shoes when you are imagining your closet.

Years ago my very precise and handy dad redesigned my closet, a la California Closets, but for a fraction of the price. Before he installed one shelf, however, I took my time counting the number I had of each kind of garment and was very mindful of how I wanted to store my things. For example, I wanted a certain amount of space for my dresses and longer coats, a larger, double bar space for skirts, pants and tops, and a lot of shelves for folded T-shirts, sweaters, scarves, and purses. I get a little thrill of satisfaction when I look at my well-organized closet and find it helps me start my day on a positive note.

Wardrobe Wisdom has given me the opportunity to work in dozens of closets. Some are tiny and some are larger than my living room (really). Regardless of your closet's size, think of ways you can optimize it, putting items in places that make sense. Your wardrobe should be a happy place, not a den of despair!

Clothing Math

Getty Images

I am not proud to say that my 7th grade daughter looks to me last for help in math. Fortunately, she and my younger daughter seem to have an aptitude for a subject that gave me no shortage of headaches and tears.

There is one type of math I am quite good at though, clothing math. There are two types: one that calculates what an item will cost per wear, and the kind that you can use to rationalize a pricey purchase.

For the first one, think of something you wear often. For me, an orchid, merino wool cardigan comes to mind. I purchased it from Boden for $70, 2 years ago. I wear it at least twice a week in cool weather and once a week in warmer weather. Therefore, I have worn this sweater 140 times. When I divide the price of the sweater by the number of times I have worn it, the sweater comes out to .50 per wear. What a deal! Think about this when you are contemplating buying a one-wear-only or a special occasion garment. The fewer times you wear something, the higher price per wear it is.

Now we come to rationalizing purchases, something I did just last weekend. At one of my favorite stores, Indian Summers in Summerland, I bought a unique, interesting cotton knit skirt for $84. Yes, it was a splurge. However, at The Rack, the fabulous consignment store located at the Music Academy of the West, I purchased a Cynthia Steffe skirt for $19. Here is where the math rationalization comes in: Each skirt cost $51.50, a reasonable price for a skirt. Ah, that feels much better.

Colors and Dance

There are so many things I like about this video: the smooth, sensual dancing, the outfits (the man's shoes!), the colors, the dancers' healthy-looking, graceful bodies, the scenery. . . And for me, assessing which colors look the best on her and why was entertaining, too. I hope you enjoy it!