The weak dollar and slowing economy doesn’t mean no shopping, it just means smart shopping. Our top tips:
1. Shop with a Mission: Don’t wander around aimlessly to stores; have a goal in mind when you leave the house such as new jeans, black tie, or beachwear.
2. Shop in Your Hometown: You won’t be bringing back much from Europe this summer so spend those hard earned dollars here on a great vacation wardrobe!
3. Shop High/Shop Low: I’ve been shopping alternately at Bergdorf Goodman and Target! BG satisfies my taste for luxury and investment pieces while Target fills the need for get-it-now trends.
4. Shop for Accessories: Transform your current wardrobe with an of-the-moment accessory or take this opportunity to invest in a classic.
5. Shop in Boutiques: Small stores are having more sales and markdowns than usual so don’t count out old favorites. You will also avoid shipping costs by purchasing items in-store as opposed to online.
6. Shop Sample Sales: When you are craving designer goods, head to a sample sale to get the look for less. A recent cocktail party outfit dilemma was solved by picking up a gorgeous Catherine Malandrino dress from the sample sale and pairing it with a $9.90 belt from H&M!
- Lucia Tait
Whether your closet is a converted bedroom or former hallway, you should take stock yearly. Update your wardrobe with our mantra Sort, Edit and Organize and you’ll find that choosing an outfit will become a breeze!
Sort. Look at each item in your closet individually and put them in to the following categories: keep, give away and repair. The majority of your closet will go to keep. We don’t support the rule that if you haven’t worn something in a year, get rid of it, but we do agree that if there are things you rarely wear, it might be time. This of course doesn’t apply to black tie attire, vintage pieces and special occasion outfits. A perfect example of what to let go: if you have 7 black sweaters, lose the one or two that you wear the least or with the lowest quality.
Gather all your items for repair (missing buttons, faulty zippers, ripped seams) and alterations and drop them off together. Repair also pertains to shoes - all shoes should have at least half soles as city streets can wear your shoes out fast. We suggest Arty’s on 8th avenue for expert work and red soles for your Louboutins! Also, take your jewelry for any repairs and to be cleaned.
Edit. Now that you have sorted through your wardrobe you can see what you have a lot of and what you are missing. Review the items you added to your give gway pile for a final edit. Take a look at these items, try them on and think about why you don’t wear them. Could the items be altered and updated to make them more wearable? If so, a shortened hem or tailored waist can make all the difference. If you decide to go with give away, pieces in good condition should be given to friends/family or a local organization such as the Salvation Army or City Opera Thrift Shop. If you would like to see some return (perhaps towards a YSL Muse fund!!!), bring designer pieces to consignment stores such as INA in New York.
Now that you have finalized your current wardrobe, you can begin to fill in the missing pieces. It may be as simple as looking at all your shoes together and noticing that you need great looking boots that you can also wear in the rain, or realizing that you never wear a French cuff shirt because you don’t have cufflinks you like. Finally, you can begin to think about the staples your wardrobe should have for your lifestyle – and this is where a Coup de Coeur shopping tour should come in!
Organize. These few tips will help you find things faster and put an outfit together easier with all sections of your wardrobe – hanging, folded and accessories. If you don’t have them already, get all matching hangers in a neutral color such as white. We prefer plastic hangers with hooks for dresses or camisoles, which are also very affordable. Plastic hangers take up much less space than fancy options such as wood (which can also snag delicate chiffons and knits) or satin. Another great option is a thin flocked hanger, which has a non-slip surface. Use heavyweight hangers for outerwear and gowns and clip slack hangers for pants and skirts. Hanging your jeans, as oppossed to folding them in draweres or shelves, is also a great idea as you can see your entire inventory and access them with ease (see above image!). Exchange all your hangers (especially the wire ones from the dry cleaner!) and re-stock your closet in an orderly fashion – tops, sweater and jackets (all by sleeve length and color), pants and skirts (by color and material), dresses (by sleeve length, dress length and color) and outerwear (by color). The same goes folded items like t-shirts, sweater and the like. For women’s jewelry and watches and men’s personal accessories and jewelry, we suggest shallow, lined drawers. Shelves are best for handbags, which should be arranged by style (totes, clutches, shoulder bags, etc.) and color. The most delicate bags can be stuffed to retain thier shape. Some choose to keep shoes in platic boxes with Polaroid photographs identifying the contents, but as this can limit your ability to compare, we suggest lining them up on shelves by style and color (see above image!).
We hope you found these tips helpful and if you have some of your own, post them below!
