style makeover - help me clean my closet

[zeebs]

So, I've had it. This morning, I put on my ONLY long-sleeve thermal t-shirt, and it was STILL too small and STILL faded and STILL pink. And I was like... wait a minute... why do I keep wearing this??? And the answer is, well, I'm not really sure. It's not like I haven't HAD $50 to spend on a new three-pack of them. I mean, I've blown $50 on frivolous stuff recently. It's not like I haven't been to the mall... I have. I just didn't BUY anything. Like new thermal t-shirts. It's not like I didn't have time... I did.

I just. Plain. Didn't. Get. Around. To. It....for a while. Like, two years, awhile.

Yeah.

So I'm kind of having a fashion crisis about it! What ELSE do I own that needs to go away? Have I slipped so far down the "I'm a starving artist, I can wear whatever I want to" rabbit hole that I can't even find shirts that fit me in my own closet? That everything I own is discolored and misshapen from washing it a gazillion times?

Oh, lord. So that means, it's time for a style makeover!!! Post any helpful links about practical fashion, cleaning closets, wardrobe makeovers, etc etc etc. I am listening and looking forward to getting some help here.

Additional info - I am broke, and can't afford to spend a lot of cash. So no links to California Closets or whatever - that won't be happening.

[karen]

I hear you. It's tough to spend time and money on yourself like that- I shop for clothes maybe twice a year. I like clothes, but it's such a chore sometimes. Do you have cable? "What Not to Wear" is a really great show for that. They really push the practical fashion tips, and I've learned tons from it.

Really- if you haven't been shopping or really thought about clothes for a while- Goodwill or the Salvation Army is a good place to check things out- multiple sizes, cuts, colors, fabrics etc..more variety than you'd find in a mall, and it's cheap. Spend an afternoon with a girlfriend or your husband just playing with the clothes. I just went yesterday and found some very cool stuff. I got a lambswool Banana Republic sweater for $2, and it looked brand new. $50 could give you a real makeover. Don't compromise on fit- that's the key to looking good. No stretching buttons, everything the proper length etc. Don't fall into the trap of buying something just because it's cheap. I kind of like TJ Maxx, Marshals, Sears and JC Penny's too- the last 2 have really good sales. Macy's does too FWIW. I love Macy's- a lot- maybe too much. Burlington Coat Factory is hit or miss, but they do have some good stuff sometimes.

[egerandi]

I recently went through something similar, and found clothes I've been wearing for years, out of... not really sure... comfort? routine? thrift? I guess all that together. I started watching Tim Gunn's guide to style and learned a lot. He even has a desk calendar with tips, you can buy it in bookstores. I don't have the kind of money they spend on things, but it makes sense in general: stick with the good quality basics, and then go splurge a bit. Fit is essential, and age / occasion-appropriate is what you have to keep in mind. Try new things, try it on: it may look like nothing on the hanger, but you never know Another important one is good fitting underwear.

It was hard coming out of my 20's and not having too much money or sense of style for that matter, and trying to imitate the people I see the most. It was a long journey, and yes, it takes effort if you have limited time and funds. But as Karen said 'Don't fall into the trap of buying something just because it's cheap.'. I ended up donating a lot of items because they seemed like a good deal at that time, but didn't wear them at all, so the cost adds up.

Another idea I heard: when you acquire a new item, get rid of an old one (as long as you have finished building your basic wardrobe). That will help keeping your things organized. The basic idea is: it's better to have a few quality items that you can mix and match and layer than lots of odd ones. Go shopping with a fairly set goal, like 'I need a pair of red shoes' and try to wear whatever you're going to wear them with. Be flexible, but don't stray, nope you didn't need another pair of jeans, only those red shoes

The stores mentioned are all good choices, just make sure you can dedicate some time to dig Depending on your age and where you live, there are also 'hip' second-hand stores like Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads, and they keep their stock fairly fashionable. You can even sell your stuff there!

I finally reorganized my closet, it was long coming. When I moved in with my bf, the size of storage shrunk to about 6th (and I'm being generous), to one tiny closet that we share. And the boy has at least the same amount of clothes I do! I'm also a packrat, and keep everything that I think could be useful sometime. I spent a weekend researching online stores, making sure I get the most for my money, and the site I used the most was organize.com. Bed Bath and Beyond has good stuff too, and they usually mail you coupons you can use in the store. Small things like hooking hangers together (most clear plastic ones come with a thing that you can hook another one into or you can buy hooks like http://www.hsn.com/joy-mangano-huggable ... 68_xp.aspx ), adding some wire shelving (the kind that you build together, not the one you screw on the wall) to use all vertical space, using shoe and sweater storage (hanging shelves), shelf dividers and boxes for odds and ends makes a huge difference. Get hangers for your belts and scarves, saves you a lot of drawer space. Rotate your clothing storage depending on the seasons, and use your suitcases to store some of them. Also, add dividers for your drawers - I found socks and underwear I completely forgot about in the back! So yeah, start with organize.com to at least get ideas, and go from there.

You may end up spending a bit more than expected at the beginning, but that comes with every starting anew. I was going nuts and wasted too much time in the mornings, so if time = money, I'm coming out ahead
Also, a la 'Clean House', you could really consider a yard sale (or ebay.com, or craigslist.org) and put that cash towards your new closet. If you have craigslist in your area, that's also a good place to find cheap furniture that you could use in your closet; people give stuff away they don't wanna move with.

Hope you haven't fallen asleep reading all this yet, and let me know if you have any specific questions. Draw pics of what you want your closet to look like, count all your stuff to make sure your buying enough but not more than you need, research and then take the plunge. But most of all, have fun!

Good luck

[JenW]

I have definitely been there. I usually do a combination of all of those shows as well as getting advice from someone younger than me with a similar body type and a sense of style I admire. Boy was she (my style mentor) thrilled when I finally started wearing boot-cut jeans...the best cut for my bodytype...years ago. I really try to focus on fit and how to best dress my body type. I rarely buy colors that do not look good on me. Once you reach a certain point of having some good basics, it is easy to evaluate new pieces that you are considering for purchase. If it does not make me feel like a million bucks, chances are I have something just as good in my closet. It has been a good policy and saved me from a ton of mistake purchases.

I defintiley took the plunge and replaced my parka (it is still in the closet for camping and snowblowing) this winter with a nice, well-fitting black wool coat. It is amazing how much more 'put together' I feel when wearing that coat even if I am just wearing jeans and one of my so so t-shirts (I have a few that need replacing, but am looking for something better than what I have. Luckily, I can get by for awhile with what I have). It is the perfect example of the power of a quality piece in your wardrobe.

Start by purging the 'horrid looking' clothes (yes, I had a bunch of them, too), and keep the ones that are so so until you have the funds/time to replace them. Then work from a palette you know looks good on you (I know you know what are good colors for you! ) I really think we mostly fall into a 'What goes with brown palette', or a 'What goes with black palette'. Buy bottom pieces in either brown or black (edited to add: or navy or gray!) for starters. Also, invest in a well fitting pair of darkish wash jeans unless the lower half of your body is something to accentuate (the lighter washes tend to distract the eye). Think about creating long lines unless you are tall. Find pieces that accentuate your assets and camoflage the areas to which you are sensitive. Build gradually by replacing the so so things with better things.

Edited to add: I forgot about the "What goes with Navy' gals, and the 'What goes with Gray' gals. I apologize!

Oh, and the 'Huggable Hangers' are awesome. I bought a knock off of them at Bed Bath & Beyond. Like 50 hangers for about $35 with a coupon. Those clips do look cool!

[zeebs]

Thank you all so much!! I knew you would know where to start. I hadn't heard of huggable hangers before - they look pretty neat!

I've made a preliminary list of stuff I'm going to spend money on (maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday soon):
suiting - I am considering brown though I may end up with black
jeans (2 pairs hemmed for flats, 1 pair hemmed for heels - and this time, I will spend whatever it takes to get the RIGHT pair! I have waaaay to many pairs of tragic jeans, okay, perhaps not tragic in an absolute sense, but definitely tragic in the could-have-done-better sort of way.)
thermal t-shirts (obviously, since my thermal t-shirt started all of this)
short sleeve plain t-shirts (impossible to find when your torso is as long as mine is)
tank tops with built-in bras (don't worry, they're for wearing to bed... I'm too old to wear them out, and really, unless you're an A-cup and you're 19, just about everybody is too old to wear these outside the house)
blazers (maybe 2?) - I totally want to save up for nice ones from J. Crew
dress pants (mine are sooooo old and worn) - probably wool, for cold winters - thinking Ann Taylor for these?

I will be hitting up the after-Christmas sales at the mall, I think... and then whatever I don't find at a reasonable price I will go thrift storing in January after everybody cleans out their closets for their New Years resolutions....

Oh and you know what is the worst part of all??? My shoes... they all need to go. The comfy ones are all worn out and the uncomfy ones are still uncomfy and will probably go away.

And Jen, yeah, brown is my color. Chocolate brown. I'm trying to get into navy but I think I'm still traumatized by all the navy my mom (and everybody else) wore in the 1980s.

Off to find some style tips and try on my clothes....

[JenW]

I now have a hard time with navy, too. It is about all I wore in the 80's and 90's (anything really from my tapered jeans phase).

[~*mikie*~]

You gals are amazing! Have you been following me? LOL! For *weeks* now, I've been weeding out & dropping things off on my way to work. The best thing charities do is when they make it *convenient* for people who enjoy cleaning out & donating! I now pass 2 shed-like structures for that purpose right on my way in the morning! SIMPLE to fill a few grocery sacks a few times a week! *Several* coats, sets of sheets, bunches of purses as well as clothes & shoes & odds & ends. FEELS good knowing *someone* will luck into something! Yeeeeehaw!!! AND it's out of MY way! Win/win!

Huggable hangers are great! Have many sets,lol, & have been using them for years now. Thumbs-up!

I march to my own drummer & do not fall for fads. Did that many years ago, so been there, done that. My own criteria? Very well made & different? Comfy? If it fits those 3 things, I buy multiples. I know who I am & what I like. Buy quality, above all. On Sale!!! If it isn't comfortable, keep moving because it'll go to waste. If you look neat & omfortable, you will *always* look chic.

mikie

[ladycattat]

OMG! I think that I love this thread more than any other one so far!!!! Totally crackinging up with JenW and her bootcut jeans, I am soooo there. You would NOT BELIEVE the difference that small change makes. Also totally agree on the Bed, Bath, and Beyond Huggable Hangers; especially if you have a coupon...they are the bomb!!!!
If you don't have cable and are not able to get *What Not to Wear*, they actually have a book with the same name, with Stacey and Clinton giving the same advice to different body types. I found it at my library.
The advice about thrift stores is also excellent. What nice about them, is if you want to try something trendy, you can, without breaking the bank.
As far as shoes go....you said you want comfy.....I don't know how dressy you need to be, but ifyou can wear sneakers, I wear lo-cut Converse Chuck Taylors. They are classic, yet totally on trend, and they are soooooo comfortable. I found them on clearance at my Marshalls for $19.99 last year, and I got lime green, coral, turquoise, and of course, basic black. They go with everything, and my feet never hurt, and if they get dirty, I just pop them in the washer.
Coldwater Creek.com has some beautiful clothes. They are expensive, but they have an outlet. They also have tall sizes.
Also if you want to get rid of stuff and don't want the hassle of a garage sale try freecycle.org. It's like Craigslist, but everything is free, and if they is something you want, you can also request it.

I'll probably come back to this subject cuz this is so totally my *thing*. I wish I lived near you, Zeebs, I'd come over and get you fixed up, right away! LOL
Laurie

[JenW]

You crack *me* up, Laurie! This was my latest score. I am wearing navy wash *flare* jeans by Lee that I bought on clearance at Kohl's for $12. They were still on the regular rack and had been missed to be put onto the clearance rack. I bought 2 pairs. They look so much better than my lighter wash jeans that used to be my favorite and I paid $40 for them. Who would have thought the 'tapered pants Queen' would ever get out of her rut?!!!! (Now mind you, some ladies look good in them, but they were never right for me. I am a 'chesty woman of size' these days -to be improved upon very soon- and have always been on the very curvy side even when close to my ideal weight.)

[ladycattat]

Great buy, Jen!!!
I keep trying to get my Muz out of the tapered leg jean thing, but she just doesn't get it.
And BTW, NOBODY, Heidi Klug included, looks good in tapered jeans! LOL!
laurie