New Year Style Resolution: Closet Friendly

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Picture from Straight-Up-Glam.blogspot

Okay, so the Holiday Season is over, family members and friends went back home and new resolutions are fresh out of the oven. Some of you are about to start working again and others may be already trying to get back on track. Now the facts are that 2012 just kicked off and lots of touchdowns are planned to be scored all year long. Take advantage of the enthusiasm and start this journey with a closet that will prepare you for all there is to come!

Take the time this week to do little by little every night, decide on one afternoon, or just set a time next Saturday to do some changes that will transform the daily dressing routine into an experience as exciting as Carrie Bradshaw’s gorgeous closet in Manhattan, New York. Knowing that Big is not part of our lives and that an amazing apartment in the Big Apple may not be the case for some of us, it still possible to have a beautiful closet that we’ll love.

Keep in mind when doing this transformation for the sake of your 2012 style that you don’t need to throw everything away and start from scratch. This is about little changes that will improve the experience a 100%. Just like Stacy and Clinton from What not to Wear say, keep the things that work and toss the ones that don’t.

This month’s edition of InStyle Magazine reminds us all in the Editor’s Note by Ariel Foxman that, “You can’t simply chuck everything in your wardrobe, as tempting as that may be sometimes. The bottom line: You’ve got to work with what you’ve got, which is definitely a challenge.” And as you keep reading this article we will give you some tips to make this challenge a reality.

First, take out all the things that need to be repaired: any pants that need to be hemmed, the blouse with the missing button, or that skirt that still has a stain. Put them all in a shopping bag on the side of your bed and schedule a good 10 or 15 minutes one night of the week to fix all these or to take them to the cleaners or seamstress of your choice. Put away in another bag all the items that make you feel self-conscious, ridiculous and not pretty at all. You don’t need your own clothes to do that to you. Give them to someone else that will enjoy them or that might need them. You can always give clothes in good conditions to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or your local Church. Put also aside all the items you have not used in a year and that you honestly know you won’t use this year as well.

Your closet is the ultimate fantasy come to life: your personal store where you can afford it all. Think about it this way, when you go to a store you want to take everything you like home. When you are at home your stuff has already being handpicked by you (in its vast majority) and from all your favorite stores around the world. So at your personal store you like (or should like) everything that it carries, which is a big plus. Now, if you are those kind of people that buy things because they are on sale, high quality, or you simply keep all gifts from aunts and grandmas because of sentimental value although you hate them, there is another New Year’s resolution for you: stay with what you like and looks good! If you happen to have many items of great value that you don’t want to give away so easily there are other solutions too. You can sell your stuff online to someone interested in lightly used items, do a garage sell or sell it to a thrift store. Make someone else happy out of your misery.

A big difference between the stores and your closet is the way they display the merchandise, the furniture and the decorations. Think of chairs, mirrors, and colors for the wall and re-decorate. Remember this is the place where magic takes place, so do things to make it happen. Organize your shoes, bags and accessories so they are accessible and visible. If there are key pieces in your wardrobe that inspire you or make you smile display them. Include books, furniture, frames, posters or a sculpture if you like. If you have a very small closet then think of creative ways to make it work.  Arrange your clothing in a way that is appealing to you with boxes, racks, and shelves. There are millions of options for tight spaces in stores like Ikea or The Container Store that will make your life easier and more enjoyable. 

 Another great tip is to organize clothing items by categories and/or occasions. For example, put all your pants together in the same area and separate them in groups (Nighttime, daytime, or work clothes and going out clothes). This will help you make outfits faster. If you are going to the movies at night and you want to look put together, but not over the top you can take a pair of jeans from the daytime pile, combine them with a sparkly top from the nighttime stack and use a blazer from the jacket area to tame it down.

If you noticed, I haven’t even talked about buying clothes for the New Year style and this is where my last recommendation comes in. Revise your closet and check which classic items you have, miss or need to replace. This is crucial to the “I have nothing to wear” crisis. If you have the basics they will take you through the whole year. As you may already know I’m talking about a little black dress, a white t-shirt and button down shirt, a pencil skirt, a great pair of jeans and a blazer. To add a little sassiness to your wardrobe and your basics you can also buy something with bold colors like skinny jeans in electric blue, red or emerald and a great pair of heels with a fierce animal print or interesting pattern.

And remember, fashion is fun and style is owned. Make yours count and let the experience take on!

Happy 2012!