Shop Your Closet (or “SYC”) is a recurring theme on the YLF forum. It’s when you put yourself on a temporary shopping ban and restrict yourself to your own closet, thereby resisting the temptation to buy anything new. Some of our forum members are on SYC for months at a time and their reflections during this period are varied and interesting. 

Forum member ironkurtin recently shared some thoughts that inspired me to write this post. As much as she loves to shop, ironkurtin thought the advantages of SYC definitely went beyond the financial impact:

“So, shopping my closet – and it’s only been a week!!! – has taught me these three important things.

1. You can’t identify wardrobe holes – functional ones – unless you are forced to use what you have. This sounds counterintuitive but if you are looking for the next cute thing, as opposed to the next useful thing, you can get lost in the whirl.
2. You don’t know what you own until you are forced to use it. I can’t tell you how many times I looked at something and was like ‘Oh, I forgot I owned this!’
3. You don’t know what you don’t wear until you are forced to use it. Or realize you really don’t want to use it!

I am not loving shopping my closet, but I think it will be good for me. It may even force me to – gasp – buy fewer better things! And to get rid of stuff, because frankly, anything I forgot I owned will be better off out of my closet” .

SYC inspires discipline, analysis and creativity. This is why I sometimes suggest a temporary shopping ban to some of my own clients. This is usually at the end of a large seasonal shop. I urge them to road test their existing seasonal looks for a while, perhaps for a month or longer, in order to accurately identify favourite outfit formulas, least favourite items and wardrobe holes. That way they will hone their style persona, effectively build on their existing wardrobe capsules, duplicate the right items, and pass on the stuff that no longer works for the current leg of their style journey.

The financial impact of SYC is greater than just the money you’re not spending. You are forced to wear more items in your existing closet, reducing their cost per wear. Who knows. You might even bust out a wardrobe orphan or two. You’ll probably also wear items in new combinations to keep your style feeling fresh. How’s that for getting the biggest bang for your fashion buck.  

SYC does not work for everyone and we’ve had forum members express those frustrations too. Instead they prefer the more consistent discipline of “Shop Your Budget” (SYB) because it’s less restrictive, allowing them to nab bargains and hard to find sizes as they come up. A steady, controlled stream of new inventory into their wardrobe also keeps things fun, whether it was all about the hunt, or the thrill of bringing home a new piece that pulled at your heart strings. 

Have you ever put yourself on a temporary shopping ban, thereby forcing yourself to shop your closet for a period of time. If so, how did it go? Were you frustrated or elated? What did you learn during the process? Would you recommend SYC to others, and go through the process again? Or is SYB a better way to keep the spending in check and the style juices flowing.

You are on Team Low Heels if you prefer to wear heel heights that are lower than three inches. You are on Team High Heels if you prefer to wear three inch heels or heels higher than three inches. All heel types count for this poll, be it stilettos, wedges, platforms or stacked heels. 

I bat for Team Flats, but if I’m going to wear a heel with an “everyday” outfit, it’s a shoe with a one and half or two inch heel. Anything over two inches and I start to slow down, with the exception of my Frye boots. Although they are just over two inches, I seem to be okay walking around at a fast pace in those all day. 

I have three pairs of high heeled party shoes with heels just over three inches. They only come out to play when I can sit for most of the event. I can’t walk briskly, and if I do walk at all the balls of my feet start to ache big time. Platforms are not my style so I don’t wear those either. I bat for Team Low Heels all the way. 

As with ALL our Team X and Team Y posts, there is no right and wrong answer. You are merely stating your preference as it relates back to your style persona. Over to you. Are you Team Low Heels or Team High Heels? Tell us why and no batting for both teams.

I might be becoming more romantic because lace and I are developing a great fondness for one another. For a few years now I’ve had a black lace skirt on my shopping list, but have yet to find the perfect one that fits into my style budget (I seem to fall hard for the ones that cost thousands of dollars). But I’m patient in this respect and will hold out for the right item. 

The lace skirt is one of those versatile classic and timeless items that can be styled and manipulated to portray all sorts of fashion personas. Classic, retro, romantic, and elegant on the one hand. Modern, gothic, flirty, fun, arty, and spunky on the other. It really depends on the style of the skirt itself, and the items that you match it up with. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Classic: Add a white shirt and pumps
• Alternative: Add Doc Marten boots and a graphic tee
• Edgy: Add a T-shirt, leather jacket and booties
• Romantic: Add a soft ruffled blouse, floral heels and pearls
• Retro: Add a patterned blouse and mary janes
• Modern: Add an oversized high-low striped knit top with wedged cage heels

Or, just add a layering top with a denim jacket and dressy shoes because that trusty formula is flop proof. 

I tend to think that a knee- or midi-length lace skirt in neutral colours is more timeless and ageless — either flared or fitted. Dress it up or down, and haul it out whenever you feel a little romantic and dramatic. Anyone else feeling lace skirt love? Do you prefer lace over sequins?

In honour of Mother’s Day this Sunday I’ve added three books to the store that each in their own way celebrate all the stylish Mums in our lives. The third title, My Mom, Style Icon, got me thinking about favourite pictures of my own Mum. There is a photo taken at the seaside that always pulls at my heartstrings; we were on holiday and Mama just looks so relaxed and carefree. She is strolling along the seafront wearing a flowy midi skirt with a tiny floral pattern, a long navy cardigan belted at the waist and nude low-heeled sandals. Her dark sunglasses look modern and chic, a blue patterned headscarf keeps the breeze from messing up her short hair. This is by no means the most glamorous or fashion forward outfit Mum ever owned, but I love it because it’s such a good example of the ladylike casual wear that Mama and her friends used to wear on vacation. 

I wish all you beautiful Mums out there a very happy Mother’s Day, and would love to know if there is an outfit picture of your Mum that holds special memories for you.

New in YLF Books

In My Mother’s Closet: An Invitation to Remember

Eugenia Zukerman has collected the personal stories of forty-three very different women who explore the unique relationship between mothers and daughters. Writer Erica Jong, TV journalist Lesley Stahl and actresses Claire Bloom and Carrie Fisher, among others, travel back in time to “reminisce about their mothers’ closets where they tried on clothes, jewellery and shoes, and imagined the world they would one day enter.”

My Mother’s Clothes: An Album of Memories

Jeannette Montgomery Barron began photographing her mother’s clothes and accessories to trigger her fading memories. Often the pictures were taken against backgrounds that had as much personal relevance as the garments themselves. And even as the Alzheimer’s progressed Eleanor could still recall when and where she wore her clothing. When Ellie passed away these images became not only an ode to her refined taste and vivacious personality, but meaningful and evocative still lifes in which she continues to live on.

My Mom, Style Icon

People have been submitting vintage snapshots of their mothers to Piper Weiss since early 2009. The author publishes them on her blog of the same name in homage to fashionable mums from across the globe. Her first book features two hundred colour photographs of mums sporting the styles of the times with pizzazz – pixie cuts, glamorous updos, hot pants, jumpsuits, mod frocks and retro accessories galore. Each photo comes with a personal anecdote; proof that our mums often led quite eventful and adventurous lives, and very stylish ones at that.