But I Want a Trend!

Have you ever watched a fashion show from New York or Europe and thought, "have those guys lost their minds?  No normal person would be caught dead in that outfit!  What lunatic would wear those shoes?"  Well, in reality most of the things you see on a runway are not meant to be the complete outfit you would wear on the street.  Really, are you going to wear those purple tights - with psychedelic 6 inch heels - a rainbow bright horizontal stripe top with armholes down to your waist  - and orange floral mini skirt - all at once?  It takes a special person to accomplish this (usually someone 5'10" with an improbably tiny figure and employed in the field of modeling).  In fact, buyers for a store will pick and choose different 'pieces' of a collection for their particular market.

Each season the 'trends' change.  The 'new color' changes.  The 'it pattern' changes.  You are not bound by any of these things to make yourself look great and stylish.  The first part of the year touted kelly-green as the 'fresh' color for spring.  The dainty, thin, spare bangles are out and big, multiple bangles are in.  Don't let yourself fall into the 'got-to-have-it-to-look-current' trap and run straight to the mall with your stretched-thin wallet.  Chances are very high that you already possess at least ONE of the current 'trend' items. So let's use them. 

We have all heard the phrase "we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time."  Sadly, this is not just a lot of blah, blah.  There are a few reasons:

1. We wash, dry and put those items back into the closet in the handiest spot possible.  When it is time to get dressed, we grab the handiest clothes we see - which happens to be the ones we wore last week (or day before yesterday).
2. We classify some of our clothing as 'dressy' or 'casual' and can't seem to weave them into our normal wear.
3. We see the items we wear all the time and already have an idea of what they will 'go' with (since we wear them all the time!) and other items would require too much thought.
4. Because we haven't worn things in a while, we truly forget that we have them.

Let's fix the situation right now. 

SHOP YOUR CLOSET.  Yeah, yeah, you've heard that before too.  However, you haven't done it, have you?  Have You?  Um hum.  It really doesn't take forever to shop your closet.  You do need to set aside a few hours, but not a whole day.

• You actually need to Take Things From The Closet.  Don't simply shove hangers aside while you peer into the crevices of your wardrobe.  That will not work.  You will not benefit completely from the shopping experience.
• Okay - you don't hear this from anyone else, but I do NOT say 'get rid of anything you haven't worn in a year'.  That is crazy!  Why would you do that?  Did we not discuss that you are only wearing 20% of your wardrobe?  You have 80% to work with - so work with it!  
• Pull out each item and look at it good and hard.  You bought it for a reason.  Did you purchase it thinking "ooohh, I can get a cute red jacket with black buttons and this will look so Great with it!" And, since you didn't actually purchase a cute red jacket with black buttons, you have never worn it at all?  (This scenario is Very Real and Extremely Common).  Forget your first idea.  Look at the item with a new perspective of, "Wow, what a fabulous piece.  I KNOW I have something that works with this."  And, you do.  Really.  Do not box yourself into a single idea for any piece of clothing. 
• That amazing silk shirt you got over a year ago to wear to your cousin's wedding can definitely be worn Any day - don't save your 'best' things for only super-special occasions.  Why spend a load of cash on any garment you end up wearing only once (we are not talking about your wedding dress, prom dress, etc).  Isn't is just plain smarter to actually wear the clothes you purchase?  Someone will notice, too.  "Gracious, your shirt is so pretty - I haven't seen you wear that before!"  Wear your good stuff.
• When you have pulled out all of your clothing, you can see that you truly do have something to work with. With clothes outside the closet, you can better mix and match with an open mind.  Your eye is not distracted by the clothing surrounding it.  

When you have perused all your goodies, you will clearly see that you DO have a current trend (promise)!  No need to buy more right now - use your 80% that has been patiently waiting for you to come visit them again.  Expand your wardrobe - look in your closet!

That is what The Closet Fairy is here for - to help you find your better self.  Contact me with any ideas or comments.

God bless you richly.  I know that He has blessed me!