I know it’s hard to think about wearing cozy sweaters, wool skirts, tights and boots when the temperature is reaching 90 everyday, but I am “willing” Fall on. Remember back to school shopping every year? You went shopping and in one weekend you had an entirely new wardrobe! And then there was the dreaded time period between the first day of school and when you finally got to wear all that cool stuff and show off your purchases to all of your friends. Even though I’ve been out of school for years, I still go through that dreaded time period. Every August the new fall clothes come rolling into the department stores and boutiques and I act like a little kid again (except I unfortunately am the one buying everything instead of my parents….damn). I must show some sort of restraint because I have a mortgage to pay, so I make a Fall Wish List every year to help prioritize what I need and what is most important. Here’s some steps that have worked for me to ensure I don’t go bankrupt while looking fashionable.
1. Take out all of your Fall clothing from your closet (and any pieces that will transition from summer) and hang them on a clothing rack or lay them on your bed.
2. Put all of your Summer clothing to the side (don’t forget to have any Summer items dry-cleaned that need it before you stash them out of sight).
3. Try on each piece of your Fall wardrobe. Yes, this is a daunting task but well worth it and will pay off later.
4. Get rid of anything that does not fit you or that you don’t remember wearing last year (even if the tags are still on them).
5. Make a pile to take to the tailor and them set aside.
6. Take out your shoes (and vacuum the bottom of your closet) and try every pair on that is for Fall or Winter.
7. Put your Summer shoes back in your closet (in the back or off to the side).
8. Create as many outfits as you can with your clothing (write them down or take digital pictures if you need help remembering what looks good together).
9. Make a shopping list of items you are missing from your wardrobe (I always add a couple of fun, “trendy” items to my list that will keep my wardrobe up to date.)
10. Put everything back in your closet arranged by type of piece (i.e. pants, skirts, shirts, dresses) or whatever makes sense to you.
GO SHOPPING! You are ready to hit the stores and know exactly what you need and what you want. Be prepared to spend a little extra if you find “that perfect item” that was not on your list but you HAVE to have it!
Tina’s Tip: Every time you wear a piece of clothing, turn the hanger around. In no time you will see exactly what you have been wearing daily and you can then assess if you need to mix up your wardrobe (literally).
