how to dress the skeletons in your closet

As a wardrobe consultant, I am invited into one of the most private areas of a person’s existence–their closet. I’ve seen so many and could probably write a book about how each one defines the individual. To be quite fair, mine is not the nirvana of a photo-op-ready magazine spread, although it is extremely capable of clothing me for just about any occasion. The initial part of helping someone assess their wardrobe needs usually starts with what they already own. Much like an archeological exhibition, I evaluate where the shortcomings lie in the closet. I have affectionately declared these as the skeletons.

The “Icing On the Cake” Closet

This closet is full of amazing and very unique items. There are prints, embellishments, trimmings and interesting shapes but the owner of such a closet has a hard time making the most of their pieces. Why? Because they have more than enough icing but not enough cake. I can quickly suggest to them that we need to find some core items to unite or ground all of their “special” pieces.

The “Princess of Prints” Closet

This closet is dizzy with prints. It’s fun but it will leave you feeling as though you repeat looks even when you aren’t. This is because print tops are limited to solid bottoms (for most women). This individual also is attracted to print skirts but has very little to finish those items with because of the array of print tops. My solution is to find the ideal neckline in a top–it could be a blouse, a t-shirt, or knit sweater–and add two or three colors in that style. I have certain brands I guide my clients to that cover this staple very well.

The “Collection” Closet

I have come across closets filled with shopping party pieces. There can be some salvation here but overall I find these “collection” pieces very limiting. They were designed to only go with pieces from the collection and are hard to work laterally with other non-collection separates. For some, this type of clothing is very satisfying because someone has vetted the overall look. I don’t mind sharing that the model for these collections is based on staying within the boundaries of their color stories. Beware of these skeletons or at least rotate them out after they have run their course. Either buy the complete outfit OR know at least three other items you can wear with the purchase.

These are just a few of the types of closets I can identify that will benefit from closet staples. Core pieces can be summed up in a variety of ways. By season, there are different staple pieces that will offer you a lot of bang for your buck. In the spring ~ a striped shirt and white denim are key. For the fall ~ the perfect pair of dark denim and a leather jacket will get a lot of wear.

We are all familiar with the “top 10” lists that include what every style-conscious woman should have in her closet–a white collared shirt, a trench coat, ballet flats, cashmere sweater. But with a little more insight and personalization, your list of core items may change year to year. For example, last year a core item I added to my own closet was an animal print coat. It has been defined as a staple because I have deemed animal print a great neutral for my wardrobe and I can put it on over most anything. For someone else it would be a camel hair coat, but camel is too close to my hair color so I opt for black and winter white.

I have not yet added a quintessential leather moto jacket to my wardrobe, and it’s because I know exactly what I want and my economy won’t quite allow for it yet. But when I do purchase it, I’ll have it forever with no need to repeat again. Until that magic day, I did find a car coat style leather jacket to act as my placeholder.

Staples are where you can invest deeply and sometimes it should take time to acquire, but your list should be a reflection of you. Bright white shirts don’t work on everyone. I advise some of my clients to do a natural white due to their coloring. The sense of relief they feel when I offer this suggestion is worth the price of admission. Style rules and lists are only guidelines. Your own understanding (and in some cases with the help of your stylist) of your style will help you determine what your closet staples should look like and then you can start eliminating your skeletons.

• About the author
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Alicia McCaslin

Stylist | The Tulle Box

http://www.thetullebox.net/

aliciamccaslin@me.com

Alicia was born and raised in Alexandria, and married a local boy. She is happily married and the mother of two amazing children and one adorable and terribly smart border terrier named Dixie. Alicia has always known she was a creative. She collected editions of Vogue from junior high on and has always loved clothing and design. She studied interior design at VCU and parlayed that degree into commercial interior design, the web design, and ultimately found herself managing a local boutique and serving as a stylist to many Alexandrian women. She now has a successful full-time styling business, The Tulle Box, and makes it her business to make her clients feel great about themselves and the way they look.

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