Let's Fashion Talk

The season is changing and you are thinking about what you will wear. There are things you would like to have but you need to watch your budget. It’s time to do the ultimate in economical shopping. It’s time to shop your closet!

Imagine you are going shopping, but the boutique is your closet. This means you are giving it an impersonal look. No guilt allowed for the jacket you spent too much on, only wore a couple of times, and now you realize you don’t even like it. Would you buy it now?

Since you are shopping rather than clearing and organizing your closet you don’t need to get rid of anything until the end of this process. Just arrange your closet with pants together, tops together, etc. to make the shopping easier. You can set aside the off season items that wouldn’t be worn for a while. It’s difficult to know what you will want by the time those seasons come along.

When you are shopping either online or in a local store you don’t fret over the things you don’t like. You concentrate on the items you would love to own. That’s what you need to do here! The plan is to pick out the best of what you already own and to find ways you can wear them in the current or upcoming season.

The number one rule when you shop at Your Closet Boutique is to pick only items that fit well, look great on you and that you love. If you have any negative feelings like you dislike the puffed sleeves or the way it drapes you wouldn’t buy it in a store so don’t include it.

Now this won’t be the typical shopping excursion where you browse about buying this and that without much of a plan. Not this time because you are going to use a better method!

First, select one of your favorite clothing items. It doesn’t matter if you start with a top, shoes, scarf or whatever. For example, you may have a blouse that fits you beautifully, the color compliments you, and the detailing makes it special. Now find a skirt or pants that will look great with it. Next look for the perfect shoes. Maybe you will want to add a jacket or a necklace. When you find the combination that really makes your heart sing take a photo of yourself wearing it. If you can’t take a photo write out exactly what you included in the outfit on a note card so you can remember this outfit in the future.

Now you have one perfect outfit. You are ready to shop for another. So pick another of your favorites and start creating a second wonderful outfit. Of course you can use items from one outfit for another but you don’t have to. This is not a contest to see how many ways you can use each item of clothing you own. Instead the goal is to create a few outfits that you will love to wear again and again.

You have probably looked in fashion magazines and catalogs so you have some idea of the kinds of looks you like. Think about the colors and styles that appealed to you. Sometimes you can create an updated look using only items you already own. Last spring I was attracted to the combination of blues, tans, and white I’d seen on the Ralph Lauren site. The photo to the right is an outfit I put together from my closet.

Now you will come to a point where you have created all the really great looking outfits that you can. It doesn’t matter if you created three outfits or ten. You are off to a great start.

Your next step is to look at what is left in your closet. Separate out the things that you like and that look good on you but just didn’t make it into an outfit. You probably want to keep these to see how they will work in with any new items you buy this season. I’d bought a deep pink top over a year ago and could never work it into an outfit. But I just discovered it looks great with my new dark olive jacket! You might have an item or two that you are eager to wear but couldn’t work them into an outfit using your closet. Perhaps you even know what you need to purchase to make them complete.

Now you have a great start on your shopping list because you are ready to shop with a purpose. Typically, you will find you want a few fill in items needed to complete some outfits. In addition you may have some things in mind that want to buy for the new season. Now you are ready to shop with focus. Continue with the method of creating one great outfit at a time.

Finally take a look at what is left after this process. Now you know what no longer want to keep. But you discovered this through a positive process. It’s so much better than the usual way of looking for things that are outdated don’t fit or that no longer wear. There is always a temptation to keep them just in case. But by shopping your closet you have discovered which items you simply don’t want anymore.