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WARDROBE MANAGEMENT

SUMMER WARDROBE STYLING

by Gabrielle on May 12, 2009

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Rebalance your wardrobe for summer

Have you ever looked into your wardrobe in despair and uttered those much repeated words “ I’ve got nothing to wear”? The chances are that your wardrobe is bursting at the seam with clothes, so how could you possibly have nothing to wear? What you probably mean is that you have nothing suitable that you want to wear.

When it comes to having a great wardrobe, it is all about getting the balance right for you. If you do not wear clothes that are suitable for the occasion, then you will probably look uncomfortable and not feel completely confident. Many women have wardrobes full of beautiful clothes that are just not suited to their life style and so never get worn.

If you think carefully about your lifestyle and the different activities that make up your life, you spend the majority of your time doing just a few activities perhaps working, looking after children or if you are very lucky socialising. Outfits for these activities should form the basis of your wardrobe. Summer is a great time to have a good clear out and rebalance your wardrobe.

Why not get a personal stylist like Gabrielle to help you out?

If your wardrobe is full of elaborate party dresses that you haven’t had the opportunity to wear in over a year, perhaps it is time they moved out to make space for your every day clothes. If the thought of getting rid of your gorgeous party dresses breaks your heart, why not swap them or sell them. At least you can rest easy in the knowledge that someone else is loving them just as much as you did and perhaps even wearing them once in a while. With your new balanced wardrobe, you can also step out in style every single day and avoid that morning panic of having nothing to wear.

This article was written by guest editor Ceri Heathcote, Ceri provides online fashion marketing services through her company Heathcote Communications Limited and has just launched a website Posh-swaps.com for selling and swapping second hand and vintage clothes.

What’s in Your Wardrobe? A Fashionista’s Guide to Having a Wearable Wardrobe.

by Gabrielle on November 16, 2008

Nothing to Wear? Does your heart sink when you open your wardrobe? Where is that hot pink Ungaro dress? In order to get the most out of your wardrobe the first step is to know what is in it. Amongst the unworn and the unloved will be great clothes if only you could find them.

 

Declutter

In the UK we wear only 20% of what we buy. This is a staggering waste of money and means that we can’t find the great LBD when we need it. Wardrobes need tough love, throw out anything you have never worn or that does not fit or suit you.  If you can’t face this alone use a Personal Stylist to help you.

 

Sort by Category.

Long dresses, short dresses, skirts, trousers etc. Then sort by colour. This makes life easy rather than scrabbling through random items we can then find the pencil skirt in one minute. Get rid of anything that is not in your colour palette. Your clothes should all co-ordinate with each other  so finding tops to go with skirts becomes simplicity itself.

 

Discard the unfashionable.

Trends change. The quickest way to update your wardrobe is to buy new shoes. Dated shoes and clothes will date you so bin them. If you keep things hoping that they come back into fashion they may then not be age appropriate.

 

Why are you keeping clothes you don’t like?

When I do Wardrobe Management so many women have clothes that they do not even like in their wardrobes. The usual reason for keeping them is because they were expensive or a statement designer piece. Sell them, and make a vow to only buy clothes that you love. Clothes that make your heart sing!

 

 

Does it Fit You?

“This is for when I lose weight.” or ” I might get pregnant again.” Have a wardrobe of clothes that you can wear now. If you lose a lot of weight studies show that one of the ways to keep it off is to get rid of your old wardrobe. This is a massive financial and motivational incentive. 

 

What is your lifestyle?

 

Many women have lots of work clothes but few casual clothes and vice versa. Think about the percentage of clothes you have and it will show you where you are lack items. Perhaps you have only trouser suits for work. One of my clients had only pin striped suits. There are many other styles to choose that would create a more varied wardrobe.

 

Does the style suit me?

Have a Style Consult. If you keep buying clothes that you never wear probably they do not suit your colouring or body shape. The advice you receive will save you money in the long term as you can wear all of your wardrobe.

 

Gabrielle Teare is a Personal Stylist and Fashion Writer in London and New York. She believes women should enjoy fashion, feel confident, and love their clothes.  For more fashion advice on what shapes and styles to choose, visit http://www.gabrielleteare.com.