My wardrobe was in some serious need of help. I've been in a rut, wearing my favorite 3 outfits over and over again. And the rest of the time? I just felt dumpy. When "comfortable" is the best word to describe what I try to wear... it's time to step things up a bit.
Enter Nicole of The Wardrobe Code. She swooped in, spent a few hours organizing my closet and teaching me how to piece my outfits together, and voila... I have a "new" wardrobe. Who knew?
I have to admit... I was a bit nervous to have someone poking around in my closet. I mean, c'mon... it's strange enough to have someone see my less-than-spotless home, but my closet... jeepers! But she was totally professional, and had her sights set only on my clothes and shoes.
I'll be the first to admit... I am NOT the most fashionable person you will find. I don't know brand names, I don't know fabrics, and I just learned what a "cuban heel" is (even though I already own a pair of shoes with one). I can point to people, magazines or my pinterest board and tell you what I am drawn to... but until recently, I couldn't tell you why. And good luck trying to piece together one of those outfits, myself!
So Nicole opened my eyes quite a bit. With the simple way she organized my closet (dresses, bottoms, tops and outer pieces), I am now able to grab an item from each section and GO. And once my closet was organized properly, I was able to see themes emerging... what I have too much of (casual knit tops) and what am sorely lacking (nice pants). I was also able to see how drab my wardobe currently is... most of my items are neutral (beige, black, grey), and what colors I DO have are a bit muted/muddy. I already knew this last thing would be an issue of mine... while I'm drawn to bright pops of color, I've never felt the confidence to actually carry it off, myself. And when I shop for new items, I usually shop for colors that I can get a lot of use out of and coordiante with a lot of different things (hence, the boring neutrals). But no more... bring on the BRIGHT!
Nicole also helped me get out of my "matchy-matchy" rut. (You know... grey pants with a grey and white striped top, cute black & grey shoes and a grey cardigan. Bleh.) She put a few combos together that I never would have attempted, myself... but they WORKED! And to make sure that I was able to see it firsthand, we had a fashion show. I tried on a few of the outfits she had quickly pulled together, and was astounded by the different ways I could wear my old clothes. And with the addition of a belt and appropriate shoes, I felt pretty fabulous. In my OWN clothes. (Who knew?)
I also (sheepishly) admitted that I should start wearing different shoes. I actually have a lot of cute shoes (albeit... most of them are BLACK). But I forget that they're there. And... I'm just plain lazy. When I'm heading to the office, I usually end up wearing my "comfortable" shoes... which look a bit orthopedic. (eep!) So, it's time to reclaim my femininity! Out come the heels. And I'm looking into a different way to store/display my shoes to I can SEE what I have to work with.
I've been SO EXCITED to get dressed for work these past few days. I'd put aside a couple of the outfits Nicole had put together for me...
(forgive the bad pictures... taken with my iphone in the mirror in the office bathroom!)
Monday: stretch jeans, black tank, feminine see-through black top (that I'd completely forgotten that I had owned), and... TAN shoes with pink flowers and a cuban heel. I NEVER would have thought to pair those shoes with that outfit. But it WORKS!
Tuesday: grey pants, black tank, lavender top with sequin accents, grey sweater and HIGH HEELS! Those felt a bit strange, especially around the office. I have to admit... I brought a pair of my casual "orthopedic"-looking shoes as backup, just in case I wasn't able to last all day in heels. But I didn't need them. I ROCKED the heels, and felt so feminine in them. What an amazing difference a simple pair of shoes can make! I do, however, think I'll save the super-high heels for special occasions and stick to the lower ones on a daily basis. But still... ME... in heels! Who knew?
Wednesday: Today I am rocking a country-esque outfit. Pleated denim skirt, brown tank, cream blouse, tan cardigan and tan boots. Add some dangly earrings for a feminine touch and a black braided belt to give me a waistline (and add a horizontal line for a little more dimension). I never thought I could wear a belt like this, because of my short torso. But it actually helps the outfit so much. And the belt being black makes it a bit less "matchy-matchy" than if I were to add a brown belt instead.
I can't wait to see what I end up wearing tomorow!!!
I've also signed up for Nicole's "Goodwill Hunting"... a trip to one of the fabulous O.C. Goodwill stores, where she teaches you how to search for the trendy stuff... without losing your mind in the process. It's a great way to supplement your fall wardrobe without spending a lot of cash. This event is taking place on Saturday, October 1 at 11:00 am... and is FREE! Click here to sign up and JOIN ME!
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