Wardrobe Planning 101: Spring

Twice a year, usually spring & fall, I like to plan and organize my wardrobe to make the most of what I’ve got and what I’m going to get. Here’s how it goes:

• 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.
• 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.
• Once I know what my “looks” are going to be for the season, I can assess what I’ve got in my closet. How are my wardrobe “staples” holding up at this point, is there damage that will I need to replace or repair, or do they need to be replaced with an updated version? Anything that can transition into spring, such as blouses, lightweight pants, cotton sweaters, etc., need to be assessed for damage too. I toss anything that is worn beyond repair. That can be difficult if I am emotionally attached to something, but I can’t look good if I am wearing a sweater with a big pull on the arm, no matter how well it fits. Anything out of season that’s in good shape, I pack it away. When I pull it out for the next season it will seem new again. But I take it out of the rotation now because I only want items in my view that are good choices for now. I jot down the items that are missing from my closet from my “Style List”. That’s my shopping list. I carry that with me so you can reference it.
• 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 try my best to stick to it. I try to be sure if I’m going to buy something I REALLY love it. If I’m not sure, there are two options. I will walk away, and if I keep thinking about it days later, I go back to get it. Or I check the store’s return policy. Many places let you return an item if the tags are on and it hasn’t been worn. Often I will purchase an item, bring it home and try it on with things I already have in my closet. If I don’t like it I bring it back. Learn to hem a pair of pants but still find a good tailor! Rarely do I purchase a pair of jeans that are the correct length so it’s great that I can hem my own pants. But for more extensive tailoring like a jacket or dress I have a great one who knows my body. That extra nip/tuck makes all the difference.

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

Let me know how your spring wardrobe planning goes! Comment below or send me an email with what works for you!

Grammy Awards- Feeling Nostalgic

The Grammy Awards is my favorite award show for two reasons. First, anything goes here fashion-wise. I expect surprises- good and bad! Second, it makes me feel very nostalgic for my time in NYC and that I had the fortune to learn from and be close to an amazing artist and creative inspiration, Jennifer Elster.   This was the first time in my fashion "career" when something I collaborated on and created with my own hands was seen by not only myself but by the world. In 1999 the band Garbage was nominated for a Grammy and I had the pleasure (and luck really) of making the dress that the lead singer, Shirley Manson, wore to the show. Jennifer had been inspired by a piece designed by Martin Margiela. The process of putting it together from scratch and fitting it to Shirley was unbelievable for me, a young girl who up until then had only been sewing for herself.  Here she is on the red carpet.

That season I worked with Jennifer to bring her creative vision and designs to life and to create not only that dress, but build an entire wardrobe that Shirley wore for the Garbage World Tour that year, including a performance on Saturday Night Live. I still remember how it felt to see her singing on the SNL stage wearing a hot pink dress I had fitted on her with my own two hands. At the time, it felt cool to work with a celebrity, but in hindsight I should have been focusing more on the creative process and asserting my unique gifts. Jennifer believed in my talent much more than I did at the time. It's an important lesson I wouldn't learn for many years after that.The time I spent with Jennifer was an amazing and emotional time for me-although I didn't realized at the time how it would effect and change me. Like many 20-somethings I didn't know what I was doing or who I was really. She influenced me in many ways and taught me so much- she still is to this day. Today she is, among many things, a screenwriter and filmmaker, and I follow her successes and am still influenced by her talent and uniqueness. So when I think back on that time- even though it was hard work, uneasy at times, scary, exciting and new- I feel blessed to have had that time in my life , inspired to be creative in the present and determined to have continued success for the future!

Beauty Basics Every Day

I consider myself to be a low to medium maintenance type woman.

Having said that, you will rarely see me outside my house without makeup, and it’s not because I am vain. It’s because I just feel better when I do. And I don’t mean all glammed up, because I rarely look like that. I mean, a little bit to look refreshed and pulled together. The trick to every day makeup is to look like your best natural self. Everyone’s bag of tricks is different depending on age, skin type and preference, but here is my must have list for every day beauty basics.

After washing my face with water and a washcloth, I apply a daily moisturizer with an SPF. I like CeraVe a.m. with SPF 30. If there is one thing you do every day, this is it! Using an SPF every day, even in winter, protects your skin from harmful sun that not only can cause cancer but also wrinkles. Next I apply my under eye cream- Bobbi Brown is my favorite. Once the moisturizers have had a few minutes to absorb into the skin, I dab on my light under eye concealer, and I love Bobbi Brown tinted eye brighter. The formula is light so it doesn’t fill up in your creases. Next is a little creamy blush on the apples of my cheeks- Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge is my go to. Blend it in well so it looks natural. Mascara is next and this is a biggie. On work out days and in the summer when I know I am going to be sweaty, I always apply Bobbi Brown No Smudge mascara in black. Last but not least, dab on a little lip gloss. Bobbi Brown lip gloss in Buff is great for all skin tones and very natural if you just use a tiny bit. That little routine should take less than ten minutes and goes a long way to making you feel confident and pretty when you are crunched for time but want to feel your best.

Everything happens for a reason!

I’ve been dreaming, plotting & planning this website for a long time- every time someone asks me to go shopping with them, every season when I create my inspiration board and every time I pour over a new issue of Vogue & Harpers. What held me back was what holds everyone back from doing something new- fear of the unknown and failure. But I was inspired by this quote by the late, great Oscar De La Renta. I am committed to helping you navigate big city style in a small town. I do it every day and you can to. Let’s do it together.

XOXO The Small Town Stylist