Fresh Start for Your Wardrobe!

Starting a new year is like starting with a fresh slate. There are so many possibilities for new beginnings, with yourself, your wardrobe, your house, your garden, your hobbies, … This year I would like to focus on my wardrobe and share some guidelines that you may find useful too.

Have you ever bought an item on a whim, get home and realize that it doesn't work well with what you already have and now it languishes in the closet? Creating a core wardrobe (also called a capsule wardrobe) gives you the foundation of having basic outfits ready for most occasions. These are then accessorized to add some spice. Once your core is established, you can then buy the fun pieces that will work in easily.

So how does one start a core wardrobe? First pick a basic color scheme that flatters your coloring. It doesn't always have to be black. In my corporate days, mine was navy, charcoal gray, and red. This opens up the palette to a lot of colors that can be used as accents. You can find a lot of great resources on personal color schemes. The one that is my go-to (because it's the most inclusive of color choices) was written by Leatrice Eiseman, 2006, "More Alive With Color," Capital Books.

Once you have settled on a color scheme, then look at your lifestyle for the basic types of clothes you wear.

For example, core pieces for a business professional would be:

2 jackets/blazers
2-3 slacks or skirts
2-3 shirts or blouses (always have a basic white blouse!)
1-2 fine knit cardigans
2-3 fine knit tops
2-3 basic dresses if you are a dress person

This list would also work no matter where you are in your life by changing up the texture of the materials. For example, if you are in a more casual environment, maybe jeans rather than slacks, nubbier knits and tweeds. But still create that core in your color scheme so everything works together!

I hope you have a lot of fun creating the start to the year YOU want! As always, drop me a line or give a call if you have any comments, questions, or just want to share your progress. I look forward to hearing from you.