New Additions to my Closet

You might be surprised if you look at my closet. Maybe you were expecting it to be bursting at the seams with all different styles of clothing since I like clothing and fashion so much. You probably didn’t think it would be this skinny. Let me just say that this is my Spring and Summer wardrobe, though.

After reading this post about “shopping” in your closet, I became convicted about my own and began to weed out the things I never wore, that were uncomfortable, or old, or I just didn’t like. What a difference! Now, I only have clothing in my closet that I really like and actually wear! It makes a world of difference in putting together outfits when I know that everything in my closet looks good on me and is compatible with the other items in my closet.Compatibility is something that I have really tried to create in my closet after years of having so many mismatched and misfit items hanging around. This doesn’t mean I have a monochromatic looking wardrobe, A lot of the items in it are up-to-date, bright, vibrant colors, but they still go with most everything else. For example:

My most recent purchase was this blue dress from Chadwick’s. I really love it! This Summer, I can match it with colorful, high-heeled sandals, or flats, a necklace, my white jacket or a cropped cardigan, and have a fabulous outfit for anywhere in a just a few minutes. This Fall, I can pull on a cardigan, a linen-blend scarf, tights and boots and make the transition from Summer into Fall. Dressing it up or down is easy by switching between a structured purse and a slouchy hobo, or high-heeled wedges and flat sandals.Compatibility also saves money. If you find a great bargain but you have to buy a new jacket to go with it, and then new shoes, and accessories, then it doesn’t really turn out to be a bargain after all, does it?On top of what you see in my closet, I also have a couple dozen different t-shirts, either for wearing alone or layering, a couple pairs of capris and shorts, a few jeans, 3-4 different purses for Spring and Fall, and 5-6 pairs of shoes. All of these can match with pretty much everything else.

Your closet doesn’t have to be of mammoth proportions to function! Make sure you have the essentials of a functioning wardrobe, go from there to add bright-colored knit-tops and tees, a handful of dressy blouses, accessories, and whatever else appeals to your lifestyle, environment and tastes, presupposing that it is stylish and modest.

Take a a quarter or half hour and go through your closet! After you get it cleaned out you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what a pleasure it is to get dressed, and how easy it is to identify what you now need.

Anna

Sale!

Old Navy is having a large Spring sale and it looks like they have a lot of good stuff.

Anna

Indelible Lizards

For all my tattooed friends out there.

Tattoos: Indelibly Passé.

Be careful what you put on your body, it might just stay there for the next 60 years.

Anna

Moths in my Purse

America is on an economic downturn.

When people are saving money to spend on groceries and electricity bills it is doubtful that clothing will be at the top of their spending list. Probably, it is at the bottom. But, at the same time, clothing is still an important and not irrelevant part of our lives. We still have to work, travel, interact with people, and the warm weather season is coming. What to do?

Here are some ideas:

Work with what you have. Does the $100 price tag on new sandals make you look again at your old ones? If they are in good shape and a good color, clean them up and keep them. I admit, this year I bought new sandals, but only because my old ones were falling to pieces, the price tag was $20, they are a compatible style with the rest of my wardrobe, and they are leather so they will last for quite a few years.

The same goes for clothing. Just because you had it last season doesn’t mean you have to throw it out because now it’s a new season. You may be tired of the same skirt, dress, or top, but just adding a lightweight scarf can really freshen up your outfit. One of my friends was wearing a similar scarf the other day and it really made her outfit cute and fresh. Clip on a pair of new, vibrant earrings, or a new, bright colored necklace and now it’s fun to wear that boring black top again.

Draw a clear line between what you want and what you really, really need. Sure, a few more cute tops, or pretty skirts wouldn’t hurt, but if you make sure you have all the essentials of a functioning wardrobe, it makes it so much easier to pull together an outfit and define what you need when shopping.

Scour sales on the internet and in stores. Nordstrom may sell $350 dollar dresses, but if you go to Nordstrom Rack you can get it there for $30. You probably won’t find a Coach purse at the thrift store, but you can probably find a very similar style with a little looking for $10. Shop around at a couple of different Goodwill stores and you might be surprised at your fabulous finds.

I used to quietly laugh up my sleeve at Ebay. I had conceived in my head that most of the stuff on Ebay was junk, but, when browsing the internet a few days ago in search of a very large purse that I’m going to need for a few upcoming trips this Summer, I realized I don’t have the funds to spend $80-$100 dollars on a purse! After a lot of surfing on Ebay, I found a purse for a fraction of that price that will work just as well.

Anthropologie is one of my favorite brands to “window shop”, but they are also in the $$$ price range! Who has that money to spend? Searching for Anthropologie on Ebay turned up massive amounts of pages, though, and what looked like some really good steals. Yes, it takes time to look on Ebay, you have to persevere and be careful in what you buy, but it is worth the effort.

Some good ongoing internet sales:

Chadwick’s Clearance Page.
Old Navy’s Bargain Page.

Keep your closet cleaned up and organized. Maybe you have clothing items hiding in your closet that you didn’t realize were there! Eliminate those things that you don’t ever wear, or are worn out, and let your closet breathe. Are 10 different purses necessary or just a few? 5 different black t-shirts, or one? Think about everything in your closet and make sure that it coordinates with most everything else, and that you actually wear it often enough to justify your purchase.

Well, I hope these ideas are helpful to you! Tell me some of the ways you economize your wardrobe in the comments section.

Anna

Shopping Day

Monday morning all 4 girls in my family piled into our car and drove 40 minutes to go flip flop shopping at Old Navy

“Why?”, you ask, “would you drive that far just to get a pair of flip flops?” Well, actually, we were meeting up with some old friends at Old Navy to browse flip flops and clothing, and then we headed over to lunch at Mimi’s Cafe.

Some of the girls we met up with; my sisters are on both ends, I’m in the middle, and my friends, Ellen and Leah are on either side.

Our Mothers.

ALL of the girls. This is after we wandered over to Nordstrom Rack and shopped there for a while, too.

It was a fun day, browsing through lots and lots of different racks, laughing at some of the goofy styles and trying on some different items. I hope we can do it again soon.

Anna

Defining Line

The difference between what I want and what I need:

What I want:
$79.00
$20.00

To name a couple of items.

What I need:

Flip-flops! You’ll be hearing more on this from me later.
Short-sleeved jacket
Swimsuit (uggh)
Shorts
Neutral colored skirts. No more PINK!
A couple of dressy tops
A tote bag for this Summer

Now how much of this can I find at the thrift store, or for a really good price?

Anything to add to that list? What do YOU need?

Anna

Daily Dos

Is it worth it to well groom your appearance on a daily basis? Or is it easier to wear a pair of sweats and a t-shirt all day long? I find that my mood improves when I have showered, brushed my teeth, moisturized my face, put on a pair of non-grungy jeans and a casual tee, and pulled back my hair into a pretty pony-tail. I feel better about my appearance. I find it easier to interact with other people, and if I need to suddenly go somewhere I’m not worried about looking like a slob.

On a daily basis, here’s what to do to keep your appearance well groomed:

Dress in jeans or a casual skirt with a laid-back top as opposed to sweats and a wrinkled tee.

Wash your face! Put on sunblock or moisturizer with SPF in it.

Even if you don’t do a full scale beauty regime every day (I don’t either), at least put on cover up and mascara (after curling your lashes). It’s amazing how far a little makeup can take your look!

Keep your brows plucked and combed. Be vigilant about this; nothing ruins your look more than eyebrows that ramble all over the place.

Brush and floss your teeth in the morning and evening. A no brainer, huh? Oftentimes, I forget to brush my teeth if my morning is busy or I’ve had a late evening, so I need this tip, too!

Keep your nails on your hands and feet clipped, filed and cleaned, and if you are wearing a polish maintain it or just take it off. I find that short square nails that are trimmed and have a clear coat of polish on them have more appeal than long, manicured claws. Also moisturize your hand and feet often.

Shave regularly. Wearing a skirt or shorts looks so much better if you have smooth skin.

Stand tall! Especially, if you are short like me.

Does anybody having anything to add to this list?

Anna

6 p.m.

If you have been searching and searching for the lovely, comfy, cute sandals for this Spring and Summer hop over to 6 p.m. shoes. Their prices are TERRIFIC.

Anna

Fabulous

I ran across another fashion blog this morning that I consider link worthy.

You Look Fab, unlike most other fashion blogs, has lots of good tips and practical advice. I’ve been having a lot of fun delving into her archives.

Take some time to read her posts!

Anna