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The
Clothing Chronicles ================================================
In This Issue: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're
having trouble seeing any of the images in this newsletter, http://www.theclothingchronicles.com/archives/154-10142004.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brrr! Fall has suddenly arrived here in the Mid-Atlantic region, with temperatures falling from the balmy 70's to early morning temps in the low 40's (°F). It's been a rude awakening for some, particularly those who have yet to put together a fall wardrobe. If you've been dragging your feet in getting your clothing organized this season, perhaps today's article -- inspired by a ten-year-old I know who's braving these chilly mornings in shorts because his mother hasn't yet gotten around to shopping for his cool weather wardrobe -- will be the impetus you need to get your clothes in order. Enjoy!
Diana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How Kids Can Make You A Better Wardrobe Manager
Sound familiar? Well, it's one thing to "grin and bear" a chilly morning because you never got around to replacing your old winter coat. It's something else again to expect your grade school child to do the same. So what can you do differently? Plan. Execute. Repeat. It's a lesson I've learned well over the years, particularly since I've had kids. Because children outgrow their clothes quickly, you have to stay on top of their wardrobes to ensure they always have something to wear. This, in turn, has helped me to better manage my own wardrobe, enabling me plan wisely, edit ruthlessly, and spend judiciously. It's an action plan that you can employ yourself, even if you don't have kids or if your kids are grown and gone. Remember: dressing well isn't just about coordinating your clothes appropriately; it's about having a good selection to choose from, regardless of what the day might hold. Here's what my children have taught me about sound wardrobe management: 1. Know Your Inventory In order to know what you have to work with, you first need to know what you have. Set aside some time at least twice a year (before each season change) to look over your inventory of clothes. Get rid of what doesn't work, keep what does, and figure out what else you need. 2. Make A List Once you know what you need, write it down. You may not be able to buy everything at once, but you'll be able to prioritize your purchases so you can spread the expense over several months. You'll also be able to take better advantage of sales because you know what you need. 3. Buy To Mix-and-Match Don't buy outfits. Buy separates that you can mix-and-match with each other for maximum versatility. You can wear clothes dozens of different ways when you build your wardrobe this way, and if you have independent pre-schoolers like I do, they can pick out whatever they want to wear and still look pulled together. Yee haw! 4. Edit Ruthlessly When a garment is worn, torn, or no longer fits, pull it out of your closet and either fix it or get rid of it. The only things that should be in your everyday wardrobe are pieces that you can wear right now. Or as my bossy four-year-old once demanded when I told her she couldn't wear something because it was now too small, "If I can't wear it, then why is it still in my closet?" Good point, Peyton. 5. Invest In Basics, Go Cheap On Trends Spend more on the items you wear every day (coats, shoes, bags), less on the trendy stuff. Your everyday items should be durable enough to endure the wear and tear you put them through while the trendy stuff should be inexpensive enough to part with easily once the look is over. Or, in the case of my kids, once they've been torn or stained irreparably. Maintaining a wardrobe is a lot like maintaining a car: a little preventative maintenance goes a long way. If you keep your wardrobe current, picking up things on sale and in anticipation of upcoming events, you'll never find yourself facing a cold morning without a coat or a hot day without short sleeves. If, on the other hand, you put off doing anything until you're facing a crisis, you'll find yourself paying premium prices and being utterly inconvenienced time and again. So don't operate in crisis mode. Plan, execute, and repeat. It's the easiest, most economical way to look great every day, whatever the day may bring.
************** Until next time,
Diana Pemberton-Sikes
http://www.FashionForRealWomen.com ------------------------ Published by:
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