Style Buzz: I Forgot I Had That + Styling a Black Linen Vest

Three Ideas to Inspire Your Style This Week

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"I forgot I even had that!"

When a client says this about something in their closet that they've not seen in a while, it's like rediscovering an old friend! They're often excited to include it in the mix again, seeing it with new eyes and possibility. (Or letting it go without regret.)

xxx rachel

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HOW TO REMEMBER TO WEAR ALL YOUR CLOTHES

When a client finds pieces in the back of a closet that have obviously been there for quite a long time, they're kind of embarrassed. But I've said this myself about my own wardrobe, so I get where they're coming from. What I've noticed, though, is that it's not just a matter of having a stuffed-full closet and a hoarding tendency. It frequently comes down to just being busy and forgetting that your wardrobe is a tool to help you feel your best, so it's worth prioritizing every once in a while. There's a couple of things you can do to ensure you're actually wearing all the pieces in your wardrobe and getting the most out of them.

• Doing Regular Closet Edits: And by "regularly", I don't mean every week or month. Even once or twice a year is sufficient. I've written more extensively about this in a previous newsletter if you're doing a big clearout, but once you've done that, keeping up with it is pretty efficient and quick. Set a calendar reminder or pair it with a trigger -- like the solstice or your birthday -- and take 15 - 20 minutes to just go through all your clothes. Is there anything that should be moved along? Put into storage? Repurposed? Whatever needs to come out should be removed, keeping only the things you love.

• Being Able to See Everything: Organizing a closet is not as straightforward as it sounds. There are a few factors to take into consideration - space, preferences, lighting, etc (read more about them here). But the overarching principle is that If you can't see it, you'll forget about it, so you need to be able to see it to remember to wear it. And if it's a perfect, versatile piece that when you bought it, you intended to live in, what sort of outfits are you missing out on by not wearing it? When you're doing your closet edit, take a few extra minutes to rearrange your clothes in a way that not only makes sense to you and your space, but allows you to see what you have more easily.

• Breaking The "Top of The Pile" Habit: We all do this: You undress to go to bed and just plop your clothes on a chair/floor/treadmill. In the morning, you don't have the time or energy to put into figuring out a new outfit, so you grab whatever you wore the day before. And then suddenly it's 6 weeks later and you've been wearing the same skort and blouse all summer, ignoring 90% of what's in your wardrobe because of ease and convenience. The key to breaking this habit is to already know what pieces go with each other (think of it as Garanimals for adults!) and instead of reaching for the same-old same-old, pull out a different piece and something that works with it. Yes, there's an upfront investment of time and energy, but the payoff in the long run is massive.

• Digital Inventory: One of the ways I help clients with knowing what pieces in their wardrobe go together is to put together a digital wardrobe with lookbooks of their pieces. Want a peek at what this looks like? Here's mine. The clothes are all my own, the looks are ones I wear, and it's such a powerful tool in helping people get the most out of their closet.

One of my tools I recommend people use is a Style Diary. This outfit tracker helps you figure out which pieces you wear and how you wear them, finding patterns in your style and insight into trying new things.

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3 WAYS TO WEAR IT: Black Linen Vest

Between a couple of very hot days and then waking up yesterday to wet roads (WTH Oregon?!) plus the early arrival of sweaters at the shops, everyone seems to be suddenly aware that summer isn't eternal. I'm not at all ready for fall, but these are a good reminder to wear those summer clothes that I've been saving for the hot, sunny days. I know there are pieces in my wardrobe that I need to wear while it's still warm, like this black linen vest.

A black tank and black slides take the focus off the black vest, putting it instead on the white shorts and watchband, while still keeping it casual.

Yes it's all black with a black tank, skirt, shoes and watchband, but there's variety in the textures and layers, making the whole a cohesive, varied look.

A white tank, short, and tennies make the black vest the center of attention, supported by the stainless steel watchband.