Closet Therapy

Fashion Feed
Diane von
Furstenberg
dress, $425,
dvf.com
Closet Therapy
To peel back someone’s layers, tell them to keep their clothes on—
and take a peek inside their closet. Hung up (or lying in piles on the
floor) are our emotions, goals, dreams, and fears. Our clothing
choices can tell a story, says psychologist Jennifer Baumgartner,
Psy.D., author of You Are What You Wear. “Oftentimes, shopping
addictions or wardrobe ruts, for example, are symptoms of deeper
internal issues,” she says. But no matter how messy (literally) or
complicated your relationship with your closet, like any flame,
fling, or friendship, it can always be improved. Here’s how to work
through five common wardrobe hang-ups.
By Kristen Dold
STYLE
FILE
1 / You rotate between black, white, and beige.
And sometimes gray.
The diagnosis: This may reflect a fear of taking risks or that
you’re hoping to fade into the background or blend in with
the crowd. “It’s easier to make a fashion error while wearing
bold colors, so lots of women stick to neutrals for fear of
being criticized or bringing unwanted attention to their
body,” says psychologist Vivian Diller, Ph.D.
The Rx: If you favor black, start with softer charcoal or navy,
colors that are actually more flattering. Then add a small splash
of brightness via a tee or shoes. Still wary? “Colors that have
red and blue in them, like fuchsia and coral, tend to look good
on all skin tones,” says stylist Clinton Kelly, cohost of
TLC’s What Not to Wear and ABC’s The Chew.
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Flats, from left: Banana Republic, $98, bananarepublic.com;
J.Crew, $138, jcrew.com; Boutique 9, $69, ninewest.com
Own 10
look-alike
black dresses?
For fresh
inspiration,
create a
fashion file
from mags or
on Pinterest.
Then bring
pictures to
a clothing
sales associate
just as you’d
bring a photo
of a celeb’s cut
to your
hairstylist,
says
Baumgartner.
2 / You have dozens of cocktail
dresses…and two work tops.
The diagnosis: You shop for your
fantasy life, as opposed to the one you
live Monday through Friday. “Very
rarely do women look at their lives in
categories of fashion—Date-Night
Jenny, Work Jenny, Play Jenny—and
shop accordingly,” says Baumgartner.
“But it’s important to acknowledge how
much time you spend in each mode.”
The Rx: “For every item, ask yourself,
Do I have two things I could wear with
this, and does it go with two aspects of
my life?” says Kelly. Good investments
are pieces that can be worn in lots of
settings, like a wrap dress (perfect at the
office or a party, says Amy E. Goodman,
author of Wear This, Toss That! ).
Are You
Take the WH fashion challenge!
Donating clothes to charity is good for the soul—and
the ego (no more wish-I-were-still-that-size reminders!).
Give away 10 ill-fitting items, and for those jeans
you just can’t part with, use our workout on page 63.
Heck, start a donation movement on Facebook!
Tag the post @Women’s Health.
3 / Your closet is filled with sale
items that still have the tags on.
MITCH MANDEL, S T YLING: ANNIE CHERVIN EDWARDS; S TACK ED SWE ATERS BY AUTUMN C A SHMERE, BANANA REPUBLIC, AND WHITE + WARREN; NECK L ACES,
CLOCK WISE FROM TOP LEF T: CHAN LUU (2); BAUBLE BAR; HOUSE OF HARLOW 1960; BCBGENER ATION; BAUBLE BAR . LYNDON HAYES (ILLUSTR ATIONS)
The diagnosis: You may be trying to fill a void
in your personal life with the instant high
that comes from spending cash, or you simply
aren’t reaching satiety when you shop.
“Overloading on sale items you don’t love is
like having five fat-free cookies instead of
one of the real thing,” says Baumgartner.
The Rx: When the shopping urge hits, meet
a friend for coffee or take a gym class—the
need for a new blouse may pass. Leave your
credit cards at home and put anything you
want on hold; you’ll go back only for items
you love. Finally: The value of a purchase
depends more on how much you’ll wear it
than the price; 20 bucks is a bigger waste
than $200 if that skirt never gets body time.
4 / You can’t bear
to ditch your high
school varsity
jacket, your ex’s
sweatshirt, and
those skinny jeans
that are three
sizes too small.
The diagnosis: You may
be clinging to reminders
of who you once were,
where you’ve been, or
what you used to look
like, says Diller, author
of Face It: What Real
Women Feel as Their
Looks Change. Hoarding
mementos from failed
relationships or
five pairs of pants you
may never fit into again
can make you feel
crummy and keep you
from embarking on new
endeavors, she says.
The Rx: Remember
that your clothes aren’t
symbols of your
experiences (the person
you’ve become is, silly),
then allow yourself a
medium-size linen box
for special items, says
Goodman. Reevaluate
your duds once or twice
a year. Things that don’t
fit perfectly go into one
of three piles, says Kelly:
too tight, way too big,
and sort of loose. The
first two go to charity or
consignment shops, and
the third to a tailor.
CHEAP
THRILLS
No need to go
broke sprucing
up your wardrobe.
Find expensivelooking stuff
for less in a few
key places.
Consignment
Shops
Now online and easier
than ever. Score last
season’s must-haves for
a fraction of the cost at
ShopeDropoff.com,
ThreadFlip.com, and
ReFashioner.com.
Designer
Newsletters
Sign up with big names
like Tibi and Steven Alan,
and you’ll often get
first pick at their online
sample sales.
5 / You can’t see the clothes you have
because your closet is so cluttered.
Hang Loose
Drape necklaces
over pushpins on
a corkboard, or
over self-adhesive
hooks on the
back of your
closet door.
The diagnosis: Some people like to surround
themselves with things that comfort
them (lots of clothes and memories), but
this can actually have the opposite effect.
Disorganization is not comforting, says Diller.
The Rx: Separate clothes by type (keep
sweaters together, pants together, and so on).
If you’re feeling ambitious, organize by color
within those categories. Think vertically to
make the most of your space: “Stacking shelves
or boxes are great for shoes and sweaters, and
hanging jewelry looks beautiful on the wall,”
says Goodman. Try to get anything that’s
out of season out of sight (like under the bed).
October 2012
Mass-Market
Imports
Stores that got their
start abroad, like Zara
(Spain) and Joe Fresh
(Canada), sell timely,
runway-inspired looks
at super-affordable
prices.
Designer
Capsule Collections
In November, find sleek
dresses, skirts, and more
from Narciso Rodriguez,
starting at $30, at Kohl’s.
Maison Martin Margiela’s
line for H&M hits stores
on November 15.
/ W O M E N S H E A LT H M A G . C O M
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