Style Buzz: How to Organize A Closet + Packing for a Move + Styling a Pencil Skirt

Three Ideas to Inspire Your Style This Week

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"I can’t imagine what I’m going to do with all this brain space now that it’s not preoccupied with all the clutter!"

I recently helped a client clear out her closet and even though she wasn't completely overwhelmed by how much she had in there, she still felt it was cluttered and that there was a lot that could go. Writer Gretchen Rubin puts it succinctly that outer order contributes to inner calm, and it's so true. Once everything was cleared, my client was astonished at not only the physical space but the mental and emotional space all those pieces had been taking up.

xxx rachel

---

HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR WARDROBE

When I'm doing a wardrobe edit and helping clients clear our the pieces that don't work for them for whatever reason, I make sure I leave the space tidy and organized, intuitive to navigate, and visually calm and pleasing to look at. While I have my way of organizing my own wardrobe, what works for me might not necessarily work for all my clients. I have to take into account their actual closet space - big, small, multipurpose, etc - but also what works for their brain, how they prefer to see things and what's easiest when they're getting dressed.

How it's organized can actually have a profound effect on your style. One client wanted to stop wearing sweatshirts as a go-to top layer. What she hadn't realized is that they were front and center in her wardrobe, so they were the first thing she saw and the easiest thing to grab. Just by moving them to the far end and putting her blazers in their place, she realized she could interrupt that habit and change her style.

One requirement in my own dressing room is being able to see all of my clothes: I know that if I can't see them, I won't wear them. To achieve that, my dressing room has a rail with all my hanging items and open shelves or wire baskets that hold everything I keep folded, like jeans, sweaters, and teeshirts. Even my jewelry is in clear cases or on freestanding holders on top of a dresser so it's all on display. (For more insight into my wardrobe, scroll down to the last section in this previous newsletter.)

There are four primary ways to organize a closet, so which one resonates with you?

BY COLOR, BY OUTFIT, BY GARMENT or BY FUNCTION

They're similar in that they're creating a system within the wardrobe to more easily find what you're looking for, but each operates slightly differently.

BY COLOR: The idea here is that you group all your clothes by their color (or if they're patterned, by their dominant color), and have it flow from one color to the next like a rainbow. This is particularly helpful if you're more guided by mood and prefer to dress in a specific color based on that mood. It also makes it easy to find a specific garment you're looking for because you know what color it is.

BY OUTFIT: This takes a bit more work up front, but putting together complete outfits and hanging them up as a whole unit reduces the number of decisions you need to make when dressing: Which top, which bottoms? Which shoes? What accessories? Instead, you grab a hanger with the whole ensemble on it that fits your vibe for the day or occasion.

BY GARMENT: This is more along the lines of what I do. All like pieces are together, so if I'm looking for a blouse or a skirt, I only have to look in one location for that type. I further categorize by color and style within each section, separating out sleeveless blouses of one color from the long sleeve versions, or having shorter dresses separate from maxi dresses and jumpsuits.

BY FUNCTION: This is a variation on the BY GARMENT method and categorizes clothes by their purpose. All your work clothes are together, all your casual clothes are together, workout, seasonal, etc. Whether you're dressing for work or brunch with the family, you know exactly which section to look in.

As I mentioned, I like keeping all my clothes out where I can see them, which means I wear most of them almost all year round. There's a lot of crossover between function, too, because I deliberately choose versatile pieces that can go from a work event to a social one, dressy to casual, but I do separate out event-specific pieces. This means that my wardrobe is a combination of BY GARMENT and BY COLOR, with a little BY FUNCTION thrown in there.

There is absolutely no right way or wrong way to do this! What's important this that it works for you and your space. It's also crucial that you pay attention to whether it is actually working for you. If it's not, take a few minutes to identify the problem and see if thinking about your system a little differently might reduce or even eliminate the issue. The whole goal is to make getting dressed as effortless as possible, and any improvement is a win! 

---

PACKING FOR A MOVE

I'm noticing more and more For Sale signs around town and am often tempted to pop in and ask if they've cleared out their wardrobe in preparation for the move!

If you're moving, a wardrobe edit is crucial - hopefully before the house is staged so buyers can see how big the closet is but definitely before you pack. Don't waste money on boxes and shipping, or time packing and unpacking things you don't want in your new home. I've got all the tools to make this huge task so much easier!

Contact me to get started!

---

3 WAYS TO WEAR IT: Teal Pencil Skirt

I love this skirt - it comes well past my knees and tapers in just a bit but not too much, plus the soft teal color goes with everything. I feel really refined and ladylike in it, and a little like an extra from Grease.

It's not a Pink Ladies' jacket, but the black moto jacket and patent loafers contrast nicely with the delicacy of the skirt and the cream and black floral print blouse.

Teal and burgundy are so pretty together, and the floral print of the chiffon blouse stands out against the soft linen of the skirt. Neutral tan strappy sandals complete the look.

I've cuffed the sleeves to the elbows and done the top buttons on a white buttonup. Two strands of pearls around the collar, a brown belt, and teal heels add a feminine slant.