A New Reality... (Time to Clean?)

Over the last couple of weeks I have had so many interesting conversations with friends about what we are currently experiencing. Perspectives on this situation vary enormously. So much depends on a variety of factors.

What is your current working situation? Is your job at risk? Do you have children? What ages are they? Do you have school aged children who are e-learning? Do your kids need supervision during the day? What level of supervision? Do you live in an area where you can easily get groceries and other basics? Are your supermarkets missing the items you need/want? Do you find yourself cooking a crazy amount of meals? Are you trying to care for a child (multiple children), hold down a job, clean a house, make meals and do laundry all at the same time? Do you have an aging parent? Do you have a family member with a pre-existing condition?

There are vast ranges in the amount of stress we are experiencing. We are worried about the health of our loved ones (not to mention ourselves), the state of the world, the state of our job, all the way down to what’s for dinner! Just thinking of all of this is exhausting!

Then you start thinking about your physical health. So many of us are maximizing at home workouts combined with getting outdoors when we can. I am committed to finding time in my day to get in a workout. In some cases, I feel like a workout is not enough and I need more. Yoga is the morning to calm my nerves, a run in the evening to get out all my anxiety. All that anxiety then weighs on my mental health.

I know you are all feeling varying degrees of this. I’m here to tell you that you’re not alone. We’re all just trying to take one day at a time and remember to breathe. For some of us there is more down time that others. I don’t find much during my week but I have been able to clean out a few piles and organize a couple rooms. I call this progress!

One thing I have been trying to do is find activities that distract me. I’ve taken to watching old episodes of “I Love Lucy”. I’m trying to read more. I color with my kids. Anything that I think might relax or distract me… I’m in!

I’ve been asked if I would consider hosting a virtual closet clean out. This sounds amazing. If you find you have an hour or two or would like to dedicate an hour or two to cleaning out your closet and would like to have some help, reach out to me. It’s spring after all! Spring cleaning should be in our bones this time of year. Let’s clean out your closet together and feel a little lighter when it’s done! If you prefer to take on this task yourself, here are a few suggestions.

• Take everything out of your closet. You need to start fresh.

• If you are on the fence about an item, try it on. You need to see how it fits on your body. Especially for an item that you have owned for awhile but haven’t worn lately. Your body changes so items will fit differently over time.

• Use a full length mirror. If you don’t own one, seriously consider the purchase. It’s so worth it! You need to see how you look from head to toe in any outfit.

• Don’t keep an item because you think it will look good when you lose weight. It has to look good now or it’s time to let it go.

• Be strategic about how you put items back in your closet. Think about how you get dressed in the morning and organize your closet to make getting dressed as simple as possible.

This is very trying time but I find comfort in the idea that we are not alone. We are in this together. Exercise helps. Talking to friends and family helps. Keeping active helps. Find what helps you the most and hold on to that. This is an amazing opportunity to be strong together.

Dress the body you have...

A new year is a great time to clean out your closet and organize your wardrobe. This can be a daunting task. A great place to start is by trying things on. We often hold on to clothing that we have sentimental attachments to, or that we anticipate will fit us in the future. Maybe we are waiting until we lose a few pounds. Or perhaps we are just waiting for the right occasion. In the end we will benefit most from creating a wardrobe that fits the body we have today for the lifestyle we live in the present.

Over the course of our life our bodies will change. After pregnancy, your body will change. Perhaps you’ve had a surgery that might also alter your body. Maybe your weight has fluctuated over the years. Maybe gravity is taking over. There can be a number of different factors that impact how our bodies change over time. As a result, even if you hung onto clothes for 5 years, chances are they don’t fit you the same way today as they did 5 years ago. That’s not to say that we can’t hold onto investment pieces. We just have to be aware of how our bodies change and what that means for our wardrobe.

When organizing your wardrobe, be critical of your clothing. If something doesn’t fit you, don’t hold on to it. You want to create a wardrobe full of clothes that you can wear now. You can do this. But you need to be honest with yourself about what looks good on your body and fits properly.

When it comes to retail, we have more choices than ever to find clothing that will fit our bodies. Most retailers will carry petite, tall, curvy, short, slim, straight, flare, high-rise, low-rise and many other styles. With so many choices, you can quickly be overwhelmed. By starting with your own wardrobe, you can begin to identify how things fit and how that fit can be improved upon. For example, perhaps you try on a pair of low-rise skinny jeans that no longer support or flatter your post baby body. You can quickly identify that you want something with a higher rise and maybe a loose fit. Instead of skinny, slim might be a better choice.

Perhaps you own a pair of jeans that fits great all around but needs to be taken in at the waist. This type of fix can be handled by a seamstress. If your clothing item just needs a small adjustment to fit that’s where it’s worth taking to a seamstress to have it tailored to fit you. There’s a good chance that even an item you purchase off the rack might not fit you perfectly. Every body is different and you might require a little tailoring to have an item look tailored to you!

To make the most out of your closet cleanout, consider inviting a friend to help. Getting someone else opinion on how things fit is invaluable. As much as we look in a mirror it’s still only a two dimensional view. Another person can see the fit all around and offer a third party perspective. If you must be on your own, considering taking pictures of yourself in a full length mirror. (Be sure to always use a full length mirror to see your entire outfit.) Looking at a picture will let you be a little more critical of how you look.

As you build a wardrobe that reflects your current needs, start thinking about what items will compliment what you already have to create a full wardrobe that provides options for all your upcoming engagements.

Below are a few items that you might find to be welcome additions to your current wardrobe staples.

J. Crew Sophie Open Front Sweater Blazer

A blazer is a great layering piece and can work as a jacket in warmer temperatures. It instantly elevates an outfit and provides structure to your style.

J. Crew Quilted Downtown Field Jacket

New England weather requires us to wear a jacket most of the year. Chances are if you live here you own multiple jackets. These require a closet cleanout every once in awhile as well. They get worn and won’t fit like they use to after awhile. Look for a neutral color and classic style when shopping for an everyday jacket so it can get you through more than one season and still look on in style.

J. Crew Pointelle Crewneck Sweater

A simple crewneck sweater is universally flattering but watch out for the details. Where do the sleeves fall? Is it too short, too long? Color matters. Find the one that best compliments your complexion.

Anthropologie: Puff Sleeved Sweatshirt (RD Style)

The puff sleeves give this sweatshirt a little added detail that makes it less gym staple and more weekend chic. Look for these types of details in your clothing choices to add personal style to your wardrobe.

Anthropologie: Cassia Buttondown (Cloth & Stone)

A simple classic buttondown is a versatile piece to have your closet. With the right accessories you can make this basic piece work for any number of situations.

Set Your Style Goals for 2020

What do you want your style to say about you this year? How do you want your style to make you feel? What changes do you want to make to your wardrobe to better flatter your body and your personality? Have you ever thought about your wardrobe in this way?

I would say that most of us don’t think about our wardrobe in a strategic way. But we should. How do you decide on what to buy and how to fill your closet? We should be choosing items that fit not only our bodies but also our lifestyles. We should be choosing items that compliment what we love about your current wardrobe. We should be donating items that sit in our closets unworn month after month.

When you start to think about your wardrobe in this way it can be both overwhelming and empowering. In order to feel more empowered than overwhelmed, try to think of it in steps. First steps are to clean out your closet and donate items you no longer use. Only keep what you love and what fits. Now look at what is left and make a list of what you need to fill out that wardrobe. Start with the very basics. What do you need for your everyday life? This answer will be different for everyone. Think about where you go, the places that you frequent, and what you need to wear to those places.

Perhaps you got hung up on the part where I mentioned “fit”. Perhaps you sped right by it but shouldn’t have. Let’s stop here for a moment. How do you define the right fit for your body? We need to be brutal when trying things on. Take a good look in the mirror. Are the seams hitting all the right places? Is the hem where it should be? What about the length? The right fit for your body should flatter your shape. And because everyone is shaped differently the clothes you try on will not fit you the same way they do the model… any model.

This is where it makes sense to focus your efforts first. You might be thinking… what comes next? Once you’ve got a handle on the basics, you can start thinking about colors, textures, patterns. What silhouettes and necklines flatter you most? What clothing gives you confidence and why? When you start to break down your wardrobe this way, it can actually make shopping and deciding what you wear in the morning, much easier.

So here is to a bright and bold new year! Make all your style goals now and let’s get started.

It’s hard to find styles that are universally flattering. In lieu of such, see some examples of simple silhouettes from J. Crew below to give you an idea of where to start.

Long sleeve everyday cashmere crewneck

Long Sleeve Ruffle Front Top

Long Sheath Dress

Ruffle Trim V-neck popover

High rise Cameron pant

Long Sleeve Dress in 365 Crepe