Shop Your Closet
No. 86
Welcome to Style / Substance, a newsletter about personal style, confidence, and the psychology of style/fashion. We’re all about making your life easier and ensuring you present your best self.
If you enjoy this week’s post, please tap the ❤️ above — I appreciate you!
A few mornings this week started with a chill in the air. I love it. Don’t you?
This is the transitional season, we all know. The day starts cool, and by 1 p.m., your morning clothing choices don’t exactly respond well to the heat of the afternoon—I don’t love that swing in degrees.
I’ve been talking with a lot of clients since it’s closet edit/swap time—and friends—about how “over” we are of the heat. I’m with you. In places where the leaves change, we’ve been ready for it for three weeks now.
While awaiting the oranges, reds, and yellows to appear outside, I’ve made the best of this time inside by seasonally swapping clients’ closets and my own in preparation for the first true autumn day. Best to be ready.
Now is the perfect opportunity to assess your closet: take note of items that haven’t seen the light of day in months (or still have the tags on them), identify what needs to be stored or moved to the back, and decide what pieces are ready to be let go. Whether you’re completely flipping your wardrobe or just making some adjustments, being proactive now will ensure you’re ready for the true arrival of autumn.
Here are a few considerations to make as you start to approach your style as the season shifts, no matter where you are:
Renewal naturally helps us reassess
The changing seasons present a practical opportunity for reflection and planning. It’s forced change that we’re accustomed to. While the shift from a humid 98°F summer to a frigid -4°F winter may be more pronounced in some regions than others, the underlying principle applies universally.
This cyclical change encourages us to assess the past six months—what we've accomplished, the challenges we've faced, and how we've grown. Style is a tool that can be used to analyze. It prompts us to look ahead, allowing us to strategize for the next few months and set clear goals for the upcoming half-year, everyday attire included.
Are you going back to old habits?
Often, we reach for the “mainstays” in our closets: clothing and accessories that we know “work” effectively and effortlessly. So you may be repeatedly reaching for that same shirt or pair of jeans because they’re fairly new, you like the fit, or it’s the first thing you see when you get dressed. We’re constantly looking for convenience.
The most common feedback I hear this time of year from clients, whether we started working together only this past spring or we’ve been together for six years, is that they outgrew items in their closets. And I don’t mean that the clothes don’t physically fit. I mean that their aesthetics and preferences have changed. I often say you’ve “graduated” from an item in these situations. It happens all the time. We start to incorporate change in any area of life and inevitably shed what we grow out of.
The ease of dressing can help you think differently or, frequently, habitually dress in a way that no longer serves you. There’s a fine line. A self-check is where to start. Followed by…
Take a break from old faithfuls
I hear it all the time. A client gets a summer dress or a blazer and they wear it so much because they love it. Three months later, they’re tired of it. They’ve “overworn” it. We are constantly craving novelty. These pieces are different from the items that don’t fit, have holes or stains, or are dated. Instead of allowing yourself to be “over” them, just move the item to a drawer, another closet, or the back of a closet and put it to rest for a little while.
There is nothing wrong with this kind of garment. You just need space from one another. Just as we occasionally need space from friends or partners to maintain a healthy dynamic, periodically putting the jacket away can help you return to it with a renewed appreciation.
Pay attention to the colors around you
As humans, our relationship with the visual world of colors and trends is deeply rooted in psychology and cultural (in-group/out-group) significance. For those of us who can see, colors evoke emotions and influence our perceptions, shaping how we express ourselves and connect through fashion and design. Trends, often driven by retailers/brands and also societal shifts, reflect our desire for belonging and individuality, allowing us to navigate our identities within a constantly evolving landscape. Sometimes, we can avoid this, other times, we get pulled in without realizing it until after all is said and done.
I spoke at an event recently where I showed a slide with the color trends for this fall. Everyone pulled their phones out to take a photo. This happens at every speaking engagement I do where I reference color theory like this.
You know me, and I don’t lean heavily into trends for my clients. It’s all about being modern and relevant. There’s a difference. The fine line, however, is that we all will see color trends for the season—aka, a lot of clothing being marketed and sold in popular colors—and that will subconsciously turn on our antennas. It’s akin to when we buy a new car and suddenly see the same car everywhere. Use the color trends as a tool to walk into your closet with a new perspective for existing color appreciation with what you own. Build from there. Keep in mind, you don’t need every color in your closet.
Look at your calendar
Life is full. Calendars are full. It’s right to want to feel great when you get dressed, whether it’s for your daughter’s field hockey game, your grandson’s choir concert, a date night, a concert with friends, a charity event, your upcoming work conference, board meeting or business trip, a weekend getaway or the holidays.
Planning will only help you. Determine what’s coming up and spend a little time thinking about what you already own and can be worn, what you might need to purchase, and what you want to wear for events.
At my TEDx talk, I spoke about a client who ran out of time picking out what to wear for her daughter’s graduation… understandably. It happens. But it only complicated things during and after the fact. Do your best and try to anticipate (not aiming for perfect, here). That little extra time, knowing you have what to wear and it fits, or ordering something new and trying it on/altering it, will make all the difference.
Shop your closet
Earlier this week, I was with a client who swaps her closet for the seasons. Her sweaters were tucked away and stored with cedar for critter protection, and we opened up the box to reveal a rainbow of knitwear. And she said, “It’s like I just went shopping!” We forget about stuff that’s not right in front of us.
Again, whether you store your fall/winter pieces or they’re already in your closet, I encourage you to move things around and reorganize or even just reorder in adjacency. By color, sleeve length, or seasonality—whatever works for you, there’s no perfect way—just make sure they’re by item type to make your life easier.
To keep items exciting (see above), when you look at them with a renewed sense of appreciation, whether you haven’t seen them in six months or they’re literally in a new location, start to experiment with ways to maximize a piece beyond the one or two ways you wear it. If it’s a solid, try a fully monochromatic or tonal look. If that’s not for you, and print is more your vibe, then look at a print and search for the least obvious color in it and accessorize in that hue to make it pop.
Maybe something needs to be altered. This is the time to do it, so when you get it back within 1-2 weeks, it’s something you can conveniently reach for when you have 5 minutes to get dressed. Stop putting it off.
Be mindful of the fall shopping costs
A client earlier this season asked if she should consider that boots, sweaters, and coats would require a larger budget. The answer is yes.
If you’re shopping for these kinds of pieces and you want to purchase new, no matter where your budget lies, fall items tend to cost more than spring/summer pieces. No one likes surprises, so I am putting this out there as you begin to shop all the new shiny objects that are landing in your inboxes or on your Instagram feeds.
You know I’m all about intentionality. All of this will make your wardrobe better for you, and you’ll feel better when you step out into that crisp fall air soon enough.
📲 Know someone who would enjoy this newsletter? Style is for all. Spread the love and share with them.
Finding Time For Your Facials
This past Saturday, I got a facial at 6pm. It's not exactly the first thing I would do on a weekend night, but I had to shift my schedule from my standing monthly Friday afternoon appointment. And I have to say, it was a great reason to stay in, or rather “go out by myself” and do something for me.
You know how much I love The Only Facial. I don’t go for relaxation; I go to keep my face hydrated, clean, and healthy. It’s the same process every time, the same price ($125), and no tips, and you’re in and out efficiently.
The Only Facial currently operates five locations in the Saint Louis area: Clayton, University City, Des Peres, Sunset Hills, and St. Charles.
*This is a partnership post.
Latest Recs
The simple tools to keep your sneakers looking like new.
