Do you have two wardrobes: conservative business & workout wear? I see this all the time with my clients. Most are busy, professional women with families and responsibilities at work and at home. Many times they actually like clothes and are interested in fashion, but the day to day is so hectic that getting dressed becomes a chore and not fun anymore.
Read MoreThanks for coming back for my final week of the Style I.R.L. Guide! We have been defining your personal brand, and using that knowledge to take steps to improve your life. Follow these easy steps to purge your wardrobe of things that do not align with your personal brand.
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I’m so glad you keep coming back for my Style I.R.L. Guide! You are going to be so happy you did! In January we are defining your personal brand. By now you know how your life will improved when you know more about your personal style. First step was to create your inspiration board. Using your board, we used what we learned to define your style. Now let’s implement that.
One of the services I provide my clients is creating a Virtual Personal Look Book. I’m telling you, it changes their lives. A client told me she can’t get dressed without it anymore! A Virtual Personal Look Book is a curated catalog of photos of your outfits- from top to bottom- that you can access from your phone and use as a reference when you get dressed every day. Imagine the time and stress you will save each day! No more standing in front of your closet wondering what you will wear? And as part of my Style. I.R.L. Guide, I’m going to give you the steps to create your own. Right here. Right now. Let’s go.
“Step 1”
Step 1: Put an outfit together. Make sure you choose every element of the outfit from earrings to shoes. Try it on too. See how it fits, is it proportional and does it all work together. Also keep in mind your Personal Style- now that you know what it is you can use it to build a look you love.
“Step 2”
Step 2: Lay it out on the floor in a visually appealing way. Make it Instagram-worthy, with everything in the outfit included.
“Step 3”
Step 3: Take a photo of it from above. Create a folder in your Photos called “Look Book” and file the photo in there.
DONE! If you take the time to do this, soon you will have a fabulous catalog of outfits to choose from. No more stress about what to wear to work or that luncheon. Just take out your phone, scroll through your Look Book , and choose an outfit.
This week I challenge you to plan your outfits for the week ahead of time. Take 15 minutes to look ahead to your week. Choose two days and pre-plan your outfits for those days. Then follow the steps above make these two outfits the first in your Look Book. Then see how you feel on those days when you use the Look Book to get dressed. Share with me on Facebook- I want to know how you benefited from this challenge.
Still not sure this is worth the time? Check out my latest Facebook video where I explain more about the benefits of creating Virtual Personal Look Book. If you aren’t already, be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter and become a part of my style community. I share my tips, events and more from my Style I.R.L. Guide.
Welcome to the start of the Style I.R.L. Guide! We are going to accomplish so much together. January’s focus is creating your personal brand. In this week’s Facebook video, I told you the 3 main reasons why knowing your personal style will make your life better. WATCH HERE When I work with new clients, the first thing I do is give them a little homework. That includes creating an inspiration board. Usually I have them do this on Pinterest so they can share it with me. But when I do it for myself I really love to create an actual board, something I can hang up in my office or closet for daily inspiration. Choose what works best and whichever version you will use the most. The point is for you to learn what looks you love, what colors and styles you admire and put it all together in one place. You will save money and time, and build confidence, by doing a little prep work. Make it fun.
1. Clip pictures out of magazines, catalogs and flyers of outfits and color swatches that you like. Collect images from the internet and Instagram of people who have a style you admire. 2. Grab a big sheet of paper or cardboard, or use a cork board, and organize it all. Create a collage of your clippings. Organize it however you want- by color or style- whatever is visually appealing to you. 3. Then hang it where you can see it every day. Doing this helps you focus on what you like and the looks you want to incorporate into your personal style.
Next week we will use our inspiration board to dive deeper into our personal style so try to get something put together this week. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it can actually be a lot of fun.
I want to hear how it’s going! Have questions or want to share what you think of this challenge? Engage with me on Facebook. Check me out on Pinterest to see my inspiration boards. And be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter to be a part of my style community- that’s where you will get all the information on the Style I.R.L. Guide including links to the latest challenge, videos and more.
Ever wonder what I do with the clothing and things I go home with after your Closet Cleanse service? I donate them, of course. Just because they aren’t working for you doesn’t mean they won’t bring joy to someone else.
My favorite place to donate is to the women’s boutique at Syracuse VA Medical Center. Mary LaRussa is the veteran program manager/maternity care coordinator at the VA Hospital which provides services to the thousands of famale veterans in the 13-county service area. But she also created and curates the boutique at the VA which provides clothing to our female veterans who are in need.
Mary’s Boots 2 Suits program was featured in Syracuse Women’s Magazine. Right now they are in need of gently used (or new!) accessories like handbags, jewelry, scarves, computer bags, etc. You can find out more about the program by contacting Mary at mary.larussa@va.gov.
Book your Closet Cleanse appointment today and the clothing & accessories we designate as donations will go to the Boots 2 Suits program or The Rescue Mission (to benefit Vera House Inc.).
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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.
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