Tips for Cleaning Out Your Closet

Today I want to share with you all one of the most common questions I get from my friends and family now that I’m dishing out fashion advice: Maddy, can you help me clean out my closet?

Trust me, ladies, if I didn’t have a full-time job, the answer would be yes! I love to organize things and I [clearly] love to give my opinion on style dilemmas. Perhaps Style Me Thrifty can bring this service to life in the future, but for now, think of this blog post as your virtual closet cleaning assistant!

I’m preparing for a move this Saturday, so all these tips have recently been tested by yours truly. I know it can be a daunting task, especially if your closet is as jam-packed as mine (see photo, geez!), but I have faith that we can get through this together.

Tips for Cleaning Out Your Closet

1) To get started, let’s begin with an easy tip: the first thing to do is focus on quality. Are any of your shirts piling? Have armpit stains? Faded? If so, it’s time to upgrade. Don’t hang on to poor quality items that are past their prime.

2) Next tip is all about quantity. Say you’re moving in with your boyfriend (ahem) and closet space is going to be a little tight. Do you really need 10 spring skirts? I admit, this was a hard lesson for me — especially if they’re all cute! — but if you only wear a skirt once or twice a year, it’s time to narrow down the field and pick a few favorites.

3) On a related note, don’t keep something if you have nothing to wear with it! A hard-to-match skirt is a totally useless. Either chuck it or move it to a “maybe” section of your closet — if you can’t find a matching top within one month, consider purging it.

4) Are you getting nostalgic for a certain article of clothing and having a hard time purging it even if it’s totally outdated? Take a moment to remember that fun place you wore it — and then move on. A killer new outfit is already in your closet so don’t hang on to outdated stuff just for sentimental reasons.

5) Cleaning out your closet can be a little like a break up — it’s easy to remember the good times you had and forget the bad. I have a pair of ruffled wedges (swoon) that are SO cute that I’m blinded by their beauty and consistently forget how incredibly painful they are on my feet! So here’s a tip: try on your shoes while cleaning. Do your feet hurt after standing for 5-10 min? If the answer is a screaming yes, then it’s time for them to stop taking up space in your closet.

6) I’m a big proponent of trying clothing on while going through a cleaning. You may see something on a hanger that looks great, but without trying it on with a fresh perspective, it can be easy to forget how terrible it fits. Maybe a shirt is too short or digs into your armpits. Or a pair of “goal” pants are still a size too small. Trying it on will help you remember why you never wore it in the first place.

7) Keep a notepad handy as you go through your wardrobe. Make a wish list of new pieces of clothing or accessories that might breathe new life back into an outfit. A skinny belt, long necklace, or nude pumps might be just want you need to tie a couple outfits together.

8) When all else fails and you’re stumped on a certain piece of clothing, ask yourself: have I worn this in the past year? If the answer is NO, that’s a red flag that you won’t be wearing it in the next year either. Purge, purge, purge!

When you’re all done, take your old items to your local Goodwill or organize a clothing swap with friends. One person’s trash (err, clothing) is another person’s treasure!

Watches and Bracelets: Friends or Foes?

Reader Question: I wear a watch everyday. Am I allowed to wear bracelets with my watch… is it okay if it’s the opposite arm… or do I have to take the watch off? Bracelets on both arms okay, or only one? Rings okay with bracelets? Basically, I don’t know any of the bracelet rules. Help!!

Style Me Thrifty: I love my readers and their detailed style questions. My favorite part of reading your emails is realizing that I, too, have wondered about these very same issues! It’s nice knowing we’re all in this crazy, hard-to-navigate style world together.

So let’s dive in on the watch vs. bracelet debate. My advice here comes down to two simple questions.

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The first question: what look are you trying to achieve today?

If you’re heading into the office and not looking to make any bold fashion statements, I recommend a watch with one simple bracelet either on your watch arm or the opposite arm. Yes, either arm is fine! If you wear it with your watch arm, it needs to complement the watch and be small enough in size as to not overpower the watch.

If you’re a right-hander like me and use a mouse all day long, my secret tip is to wear my bracelets and watch together on my left wrist only, like in the photo below. Sometimes fashion is about practicality!

If you’re going for more of a fashion statement, maybe on the weekend or out to dinner with girlfriends, try pairing your everyday watch with an arm full of bracelets. The watch almost becomes an additional bangle, blending in with her new friends, and the resulting look is hip, unique, and slightly bohemian. Don’t go overboard though. You’re not a teenager again with an arm full of jelly bracelets.

That brings me to my second question: what other jewelry are you wearing?

One of the greatest fashion quotes out there is from Coco Chanel: “Take one thing off before you leave the house.” I love this fashion rule and think it is very relevant for this question.

A necklace, earrings, ring, watch, and bracelets is a lot of jewelry for any given day. Pick one leading lady and give her the spotlight. If the focus is on a new colorful cocktail ring, tone down the bracelets and just go with a sleek bangle, watch, and stud earrings. Everything else you wear should play the supporting actress role.

I love how Jennifer Aniston masters this tip in the below photo. She gives the spotlight to her men’s watch and cool necklace — and keeps her earrings and rings understated.

Final tip? Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find your own personal look. There are no hard and fast rules here! Have fun mixing and matching your watches and bracelets.

The Case of the Missing Trench Coat Belt

Reader Question:  Recently I picked up my spring/fall lightweight khaki trench coat from the dry cleaners and much to my horror, they had lost the matching belt! Do you have any suggestions for a “replacement belt”? I don’t want to try to find a perfect match because, inevitably, it will not be a perfect match. The trench is Banana Republic circa 3 seasons ago so there is no hope for getting a replacement belt from them! Help!

Style Me Thrifty:  This means war! Just kidding. Instead of getting mad at your lame dry cleaner, let’s get even by using this fashion obstacle as an excuse to freshen up your go-to trench coat look. Sure, the khaki belt that came with the coat blends in nicely, but how about jazzing things up a bit with some color and texture?

The goal is to find a belt that is long enough and also flexible — a typical stiff leather belt is too structured for a trench. A few suggestions:

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Men’s Tie
My first idea is FREE to try (boo yah!).  I want you to go into your husband’s closet and grab the skinniest tie he owns. A man’s tie is the perfect length for a trench coat belt and I love the pop of color it adds!

Colorful Sash Belt
Since khaki is such a great neutral color, I perused Etsy and found two cute fabric sash belts, which hang nicely in the belt loops and are easy to tie. Etsy seller ccdoodle has two especially cute ones for $28 each:

Top: Simple Obi-Wrapped Belt-Sash in Silk Fabric. Bottom: Simple Obi-Wrapped Belt in Textured Cotton Vintage Fabric. Both $28.

Wide Belt
For a more neutral look, how about a cute woven belt with an oversized buckle for super cheap from Forever 21?

Top: Braided Leatherette & Rope Belt for $7.80 at Forever 21. Bottom: Woven Elastic Belt for $8.80 at Forever 21.

Slouchy Woven Belt
And finally, I like how the shape of this woven belt mimics the trench coat belt. Plus, it’ll work nicely when you don’t want to buckle/tie the belt.

Women’s Beaded Macreme Belt in olive green for $17.94 from Old Navy.

Case closed!

Dare to Re-wear

Reader Question: In today’s social media age, where photos spring up online almost as soon as they are taken, what is your advice on re-wearing a dress to a wedding that your friends have probably already seen on your Facebook page?

Answer: This blog is not called Style Me Thrifty for nothing! Here is what I recommend you do:

Step 1: Wear the dress to the first wedding.

Step 2: Pose for a million photographs because, heck, you look good.

Step 3: Post the photos on Facebook for the world to see, which includes those ex-boyfriends that you haven’t spoken to in approximately 7 years.

Step 4: Re-wear that same exact dress to the second wedding, snap some more photos, and share them on Facebook. Now sit back and smile in triumph. You have just proven that you are a confident, THRIFTY fashionista. Style Me Thrifty is so proud!

All joking aside, I think this reader’s question is really interesting. We have hit a point with social media that it’s beginning to influence the way we dress. Crazy — but it’s a reality!

With 500 million active users, Facebook has become a part of everyone’s daily life. For example, how many times have you posed for a photograph with friends and immediately demanded, “Make sure you post that to Facebook!” It’s almost as though a photo doesn’t exist until it’s on Facebook. But that doesn’t mean Facebook gets the upper hand!

I believe in living — and dressing — for the moment. The second we start worrying what our virtual friends will think of our clothing, or the fact that we’re re-wearing a $15 dress from Old Navy (true story, see photos), then we lose sight of what’s important. Be in the moment, at your friend’s wedding, and feel pretty in that dress.

Now, let’s say the guests at the wedding saw you in the same dress last weekend. Why not change up your hair and accessories? It’s amazing how a loose chignon and a chunky necklace can change the overall tone of an outfit.

Final verdict: Re-wear the dress and spend the next day counting the dollar bills that are still in your wallet from not having to purchase a new dress.

PS – Shameless plug but appropriately timed: have you “liked” Style Me Thrifty on Facebook yet?!

The Perfect Pair of Flats

Reader Question: I am in pursuit of the perfect pair of flats. Something good for walking (i.e. comfortable and durable), versatile, work/weekend appropriate, and under $100. Does that shoe even exist?  Maybe I am just asking too much?!

Answer: First and foremost, I give big ups to the person who invented ballet flats. Freakin genius. I always feel a little mischievous when I wear them — I look polished and put together… yet my feet don’t hurt!

Heels can be great, but there are occasions when flats are a better choice: lunch with your parents, Sunday afternoons, traveling, commuting to work, actual work… you get the idea.

That said, I can sympathize with this reader. I’ve tried on a LOT of cheapo flats in my day. With a little determination though, Style Me Thrifty has found you a few perfect pairs of flats for spring and summer. Drum roll, please…

Nine West Women’s Strand Ballet Flat – $79 from Endless.com
You seriously could stop reading this blog post right now and go immediately to Endless.com, buy these Nine West flats, and be done with the great shoe search of 2011. I think these flats are that awesome! Flexible material, cute embellishment and available in 6 colors for $79 each.

Dune Surf Ruffled Toe Cap Flat Shoe – $34.95 (reg. $80) from Asos
These adorable flats manage to be both feminine and a little edgy. The soft gold color is perfect for the spring and summer. It matches everything, almost like a neutral color but with a bit more personality.

Rocketdog “Marilus” Polka Dot Flats – $45.99 from Shop Ruche
You may think that polka dots are a little risky, but trust me, these would look awesome with dark jeans, white shorts, or a preppy sundress. See — more versatile than you would of thought!

Kimchi Blue Laser Cut Peep-Toe Skimmer – $34 from Urban Outfitters
Why not show off that pretty pedi with an open toe pair of flats?

Kenneth Cole Reaction Slip Around Ballet Flat – $68.95 on Endless.com
My all-time favorite pair of flats are by Kenneth Cole Reaction (they’re soft as butter) so I wanted to be sure I suggested something by this comfy brand. These silver flats are light and breezy, perfect for summertime (more colors available).

Cargo Nailhead Flat – $19.99 (reg. $24.99) from Payless
Every gal needs a pair of black flats, but let’s add a litle pizzaz, eh? The silver studs on this pair mean you can take them from day to night.