Spring Cleaning (a bit late)

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I like to plan and organize my wardrobe to make the most of what I’ve got and determine what I’m going to need. This year I’m getting to my Spring Cleaning a bit late- but better late than never! The easiest way is to do it in steps so you don’t get bogged down. Here’s my checklist of what I do and I hope it inspires you to get your wardrobe organized. Or you can always contact me and I’ll come do it for you!  

First I create an inspiration board. It’s made up of photos, magazine articles, key words, color swatches- anything that I’ve collected that is going to inspire my new season’s style. Think of it like a visual reminder of your taste and style.

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Then I like to make a Style List- literally a list of what my style is going to be. I’ve been doing this for years and it’s a great reference for shopping. It’s also very fun to look back and see who your style has evolved (or not).

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Once I know what my “looks” are going to be for the season, I can assess what I’ve got in my closet. I toss anything that is worn beyond repair. Anything out of season that’s in good shape, I pack it away. I jot down the items that are missing from my closet from my “Style List”. That’s my shopping list.

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Next step- shopping!! The nice thing about doing this assessment every season is that now my closet is full of staples and wearable items and shopping is a way to add a few new on-trend items every few months. When I shop, I always keep in mind my “Style List” and I check the store’s return policy. Rarely do I find a pair of pants that are the correct length so it’s great that I can hem my own, but for more extensive tailoring like a jacket or dress I have a great tailor. That extra nip/tuck makes all the difference.

Maintenance is the key. I run through this at least twice a year.

Give it a try and let me know how your spring wardrobe planning goes. Comment below or post on my Facebook page to let me know how it’s going. And if you get stuck you can always schedule an appointment with me so I can walk you through the process in person. Book online or email me at thesmalltownstylist@gmail.com today.

Virtually Styled Part 1

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It used to be if you wanted to buy clothes you had to take a trip to the mall but with the internet there are many great fashion websites and apps out there to help you with your wardrobe. I did a little research in an effort to help you choose which of these is right for you, and I shared what I’d learned with Sistina Giordano on Bridge Street today.

Le Tote was described by one blogger as the Netflix of fashion. It’s a monthly subscription and they send you 3 articles of clothing and 2 accessories styled for you based on your Style Profile and My Closet selections. Wear. Return. Repeat all month. Membership includes unlimited clothing and accessories at a rate of $59/month. Free priority shipping both ways. To receive your next tote, return your WHOLE TOTE by placing the items in the return poly-bag with your return shipping label already attached. Any items kept are marked as purchased to you. I put items in my “Closet” and when the items arrived I found so many pieces I loved and could mix and match with  my own closet. Customer service is great and I love the idea that you have unlimited number of items and you don’t have to keep anything if you don’t want to. Great way to try on trends too. Highly recommend, especially for busy women who don’t have time to shop but want to mix up their wardrobe. Also comes in MATERNITY!!! All pieces featured in today’s segment were from LeTote. LeTote is available online and as an app.

Stylebook is a virtual closet for your real wardrobe: keep track of what you own, save outfit ideas, plan what to wear on the calendar, create packing lists, and get statistics on your clothes. The new Outfit Shuffle feature will mix up clothing categories into new combinations, which is especially great because it’s easy to get in fashion-rut. They give users tips on how to get their real closets just as organized as their virtual closets. It’s cool that you can shop and search sales, and then easily import your purchases into your “closet”. With the Stats feature you can see a list of the items you never wear - then donate them. And really I’ve wanted a virtual closet since I saw Cher’s closet in Clueless!! On the show today I mentioned there is a men's version too but it's actually not availble yet- but it's the works so stay tuned becasue it's coming soon! Stylebook is an app available for iPhone and iPad and Cost: $3.99

Snap+Style delivers personally styled outfits and advice directly to the user’s mobile device or desktop. Take a picture or ask a question. Give a budget or refer to your virtual closet. Submit a styling request directly through the app or desk top and it is sent to a real personal stylist. The stylist knows what your style is, what your body type is, what you want to enhance or hide because you input that into your profile. Once the stylist is finished putting together the outfit, you get a push notification showing your customized shoppable outfit with tips on how to wear it. If you need tweeks or don’t like what the stylist has put together, you and the stylist can continue the conversation until the outfit is just right. I like that this app is free to use. You can snap a picture of let’s say a pair of shoes you own and they will come back with an entire outfit around the shoes. Turnaround time to be style depends on where you are in the queue/line but for $1.99 in app purchase you can jump the line. You can also shop the look from the app, and you can create a virtual closet too of clothes you already have.

I’ll be back in a few weeks with an inside look into more of these stylist services available online and on the app store. Is there one you are curious about and would like me to look into for you? I’d love to hear from you so comment below or email me at thesmalltownstylist@gmail.com.