I’ve written several blog entries suggesting the minimum number of items you need in different categories in order to have an efficient wardrobe that covers all the bases. Of course, these suggestions are just a starting point. You may find that your wardrobe functions better with more items in one of these categories. Look at the details in the individual blog entries and adapt the suggestions to your specific situation.

• 1-4 pairs of jeans. The number will differ depending on your lifestyle and your preferences. If you love jeans and wear them daily, you’ll need four pairs. If you seldom wear jeans, limit yourself to one fabulous pair.
• 2 dresses. One for day and one for night.
• 3 coats. This won’t hold true for warm weather locations, but it’s a must if you live in a country that has four seasons.
• 3 handbags. This requirement cuts across all lifestyles and age groups.
• 4 “everyday” bras and 10 “everyday” undies. This excludes sports bras and special occasion underwear.
• 6 pairs of shoes. This excludes slippers, workout sneakers, wellington boots and gardening clogs.

You will also need tops, camisoles, jackets, knitwear, more bottoms and accessories to put together stylish ensembles on a daily basis. It is difficult to specify quantities for these additional items because they depend on lifestyle, dress codes, body types, personal preferences, your local climate and travel requirements. If you are building a wardrobe of the bare essentials, however, the list above is a good place to start.

Storing necklaces in a jewelry box is not the best solution unless…

1. there are compartments big enough to hold each necklace separately and
2. the full contents of the box is visible at all times.

I’ve found jewelry box storage for necklaces to cause endless tangling and chaos. I forget what I have and refrain from wearing anything that requires straightening out. Ideally, necklaces would be hung tangle-free in an area where you can see them as you get dressed.

I have an inexpensive, convenient solution for my everyday fashion necklaces. I’ve hung a tie-rack horizontally on the wall of my walk-in wardrobe and each hook holds a few necklaces. A hook rack will also work and so will hanging necklaces on nails on the inside of your closet door. No untangling, effortless access, constant visibility and easy accessorizing. What a pleasure.

I much prefer the aesthetic of pretty jewelry boxes, but the messy inaccessibility of my necklaces drove me batty.  Seeing as I don’t wear earrings or bracelets, my jewelry box is home to my rings and nothing else.

Hosting a clothes swap event for a bunch of girlfriends is a great way of passing on your unwanted items of clothing, accessories and footwear to their next happy owner. It’s the perfect party to plan right after a closet sweep and straight after Christmas when our pockets are empty and the weather is miserable (for most of us anyway).

Invite a group of ladies around, asking each of them to bring at least ten tasteful and stylish items to swap. Throw in refreshments and giggle your way to a free wardrobe fix. At best you’ll end up with treasures; at worst you’ll give your clothes a second life. Either way, you will have fun with friends and edit your closet at the same time.

I believe in a small, fully-functional and efficient wardrobe. Those of you who have seen my closet will back me up when I say that I share a small walk-in wardrobe with my husband and I keep all my seasons, footwear and accessories together in one place. I keep my coats in a closet downstairs and my underwear, socks and workout wear in a chest of drawers that I share with hubby.

That’s it. Everything that I need to put together an outfit is in sight and on hand and this is key. I get to shop in my own closet everyday which keeps me calm and makes my toes tingle. It takes a bit of energy keeping your closet organized but once you’re in the routine, it’s easy as pie and worth the effort. I swear that I save time and money by knowing exactly what I have and being able to retrieve it instantly.

Creating a happy, practical and comfortable personal dressing environment is achievable, even if your closet is relatively small. It’s a question of savvy editing and clever storage. Take the time to clean out your closet over the next few weeks and make 4 piles (a pile to donate, to alter, to store and to keep). Once you’ve done that, get organized and introduce a closet system that works for you.

I edit my closet 4 times a year and use a “one-in, one-out” principle which keeps it tight and manageable. The skill lies in updating a wardrobe with the right items to keep your look current, timeless and fab, and in the correct amounts to keep your wardrobe balanced.

These skills can be learned and applied. It also helps to have the right storage and these IKEA wardrobe systems are affordable and may serve as some inspiration.

The first few weeks of a New Year are the perfect time to remember the parts of your wardrobe that often fall by the wayside. Set aside time to think about the items below and add them to your shopping list if they need replacing or updating. The list pertains both to ladies and gents so have a squizz at your significant other’s wardrobe after you’ve gone through yours.

• Slippers or house shoes are an essential part of your wardrobe if you don’t like to wear shoes at home. Walking around in socks is fine, but if your feet hurt after a day of stomping around on hard wooden floors, then a super pair of slippers is the solution.
• Loungewear that looks and feels great is a must because lounging with style is important, and I can’t stress this point enough.
• Workout wear that’s flattering, comfortable and practical makes exercising a joy. Make sure that you work out in pukka workout wear because old sweats and T’s won’t do.
• Socks need to work with your wardrobe and be free of holes. Make sure that you have the right assortment of colours and thicknesses to suit your needs.
• Underwear is often neglected and it’s where your style quotient starts. Check that bras, undies, camisoles and boxer shorts are in good condition and in the right size and silhouette.
• Make-up drawers get overloaded with lipsticks, mascaras, eyeliners and shadows that are either dated or expired. Get rid of the junk and keep your make-up drawer clean and minimalist.

Closet editing was a popular New Year’s resolution so we’ll recap how to proceed with this process effectively in a few blog entries.

White items of clothing are a basic in everybody’s wardrobe. Unfortunately they don’t stay optically white for as long as we’d  like. While Tilex, bleach and oxy-clean can certainly stretch their useful life, it’s imperative that you check the state of your whites each season. Below is a loose guideline of how long you can expect white items to last before you demote them to the camping, home-crafts or gardening pile:

• White denim items – up to 5 years because quality denim wears well.
• White slacks, skirts, dresses and jackets – up to 3 years if you dry-clean them accordingly. These items loose their optical luster quicker than white denim.
• Men’s undergarment-T’s and ladies’ camisoles – up to 2 years. Under-arm discoloration, pillage and grey tinges start appearing after about a year, but you can stretch their longevity because they’re undergarments.
• Socks, bras and undies – up to 2 years.
• White collared shirts – 1 to 2 years depending on how often you wear them. Collared shirts need to stay pristine.
• Outerwear T’s – up to 18 months. They loose their appeal as soon as they go grey and yellow.

This isn’t an exact science. White items that are laundered and worn less frequently stay looking magically white for longer. Remember to replace your whites when they start to look dodgy – white whites look best.

The start of a new season and the end of an old one calls for a little extra organization. It’s a good idea to get niggly wardrobe tasks out of the way so that you can shop in your closet for Spring and Summer. Below is a checklist that I’ve found useful:

• Take coats and knitwear to the cleaners so that they are ready to wear next season.
• Pack away ski and snow gear.
• Unpack warmer weather clothes if you store them to conserve closet space in Winter.
• Take shoes and boots to be re-soled and cleaned if necessary.
• Take clothing that needs to be altered to a tailor.
• Make sure that you are wearing the correct bra. The size of our bust changes due to weight loss/gain, age and breast feeding, and it’s imperative to keep up with these changes. 60% of all women are in the wrong bra size so make sure that you aren’t one of them.
• Check white clothes for yellow armpit stains and irremovable spots. If tilex won’t remove them, pass them along.
• Scrutinize your Spring and Summer clothing. The aim is to have a fluid wardrobe that’s brimming with flattering, wearable possibilities. If this is not the case, do some closet clean up.
• Get a pedicure. Sandals will be coming out for Spring and those feet need to look the part.

Have fun adding this season’s luster to existing favourites. You’ll be sure to strike up a bargain in the two months of Summer shopping that are left.

With Spring only a month away, it’s time to prune those closets again before you add the sparkle of the new season. Re-evaluate each piece and be ruthless. Don’t forget about your sock, underwear, work-out and accessory drawers. You should love everything in your closet.

What can you do with the clothing and accessories that you don’t love?

• Take them to a consignment store. This is an option if your items are in pristine condition. You won’t get much for most items, but it’ll buy you and a friend a cup of tea.
• Sell them on E-bay. You need to be Internet-savvy and prepared to ship your goods to their new owner, but if your items are branded you might recoup a reasonable fraction of the original price.
• Have a clothing swap party with your friends. If that sounds like too much effort, give your friends a gift that you know they’ll love more than you did.
• Donate them to a charity or non-profit. Options include The Salvation Army, Good Will and Dress for Success. You’ll be able to claim a tax deduction and feel doubly good knowing that someone else who literally had nothing to wear will have a new outfit.

Get cracking with your closet-clean out. The sooner you pass those items along, the sooner you’ll get to replace them with goodies that update your look and make you feel fab.

We at Youlookfab would like to wish you a very happy and stylish 2007!

Instead of making a list of highly unattainable New Year’s resolutions, try popping down a few really easy ones that you can get done quickly. Here are a few ideas:

• Sorting out your sock drawer
• Tidying up your jewelry box
• Washing the laces of your sneakers
• Brushing the lint off your black coat
• Sewing on a button
• Polishing a few sad pairs of shoes

A lot can be accomplished in 10 minutes and the satisfaction is guaranteed.

It’s important for the largest part of your wardrobe and seasonal fashion budget to reflect the dominant seasons where you live.

Examples from the three corners of the USA: 

• Hot Florida – Spring/Summer collections will dominate
• Cool Seattle – Autumn/Winter collections will dominate
• Extreme New York – you’ll spread your budget equally over both collections since it can get as hot as it can cold.

This year I made the mistake of going overboard on the great sleeveless styles that were so popular in the summer collections. Living in cool Seattle, I ended up wearing them once or twice before they were banished to the back of my wardrobe. And if you live in a predominantly warm climate – an assortment of coats is futile despite how much you love to wear them.

Of course, if you are a frequent traveler this will also affect your budget allocation. Do a quick assessment of your wardrobe – does it reflect your climatic demands? Are you allocating your budget effectively?