Matters of Style: Making Your Wardrobe Work (Part One)

Making Your Wardrobe Work

Part One: Finding Inspiration

I’m starting a little series about making your wardrobe work. Too often do I find myself staring in my closet thinking I have nothing to wear, when in all actuality I’m simply not thinking creatively or clearly. Taking a few steps back to re-evaluate what it is that I love, what it is that I actually have to work with and what I need to make the most out of the items hanging in my closet is an important process in grounding my sense of personal style. I hope sharing my process will be helpful to you, too.

Finding Inspiration

Do you ever feel like the way you want to dress and the way you actually dress are two conflicting ideas? Meet the inspiration board. I’m constantly tearing out magazine and catalog pictures of items and styles I simply like or aspire to own. Doing so keeps my style on track, for lack of a better phrase.

The funny thing about the images I’ve collected is that they’re not all recent—many of my favorite looks are far from being “of the moment” or trendy. Remember that it’s okay to like what you like even if it’s from an InStyle article circa 2008.

So once I’ve collected images from print and online sources I put some of my favorite images together as one cohesive unit. Doing so helps me to see overarching connections and to get a sense of my taste in dressing.

Here’s what I came up with:

I don’t know exactly what I’d call the finished product. City Glam, maybe?

Some of my favorites:

Love this drape-y skirt with a simple top. Understated, but chic.

 How fabulous is this Burberry jacket? Looks amazing with the slim-fitting pants and stilettos.

 I cannot wait for fall ponchos. This look is amazing.

Bright prints and colors make my heart flutter.

Pretty straight-forward process, but here’s the breakdown:

1. Scour the internet and flip through old magazines and tear out things you really like or love. Set aside any bias for what’s “in” or trendy and go based upon what you’re truly drawn to. I find that some seasons I’m simply not digging the current styles (i.e. this season’s boho resurgence and all of the crazy 80’s/early 90’s looks—so not me!) Am I “of the moment”? Not at all. Am I terribly unstylish? Not in the least. 
2. Once you’re done, look through your stash and find your favorites. Put them together in a binder with clear sleeves or on a bulletin board as I did. There’s no right or wrong way, though I find posting the images on a bulletin board forces me to look at it every day and, thus, keeps me focused. 
3. Look for themes that emerge. Ample bright colors or lots of neutrals? Mostly edgy or uber-feminine and romantic? See if you can think of three words to describe your board. 
4. Get ready to put your board to work.

Next up: Taking inventory of what you already own…