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8 Wardrobe Tidying Tips That Will Change Your Life

February 7, 2017

Prep style: black blazer, stripe tee, and jeans. Prep style: black blazer, stripe tee, and jeans. Prep style: black blazer, stripe tee, and jeans.Prep style: black blazer, stripe tee, and jeans. Prep style: black blazer, stripe tee, and jeans.

This post is an update to one of my first posts. I have wanted to expand upon it since wardrobe organizing is a lifelong passion of mine.  So much so that I feel like I could have written The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying. I have always curated my wardrobe by only including the things I love and keeping my wardrobe tidy.

Back in the 2000s my mom coined the term “the heap” to reference unwanted items that I got rid of. Whenever we would go shopping she would say things like “I can see that piece ending up in the heap in a few months”. Lol. Over the years, I grew tired of wasting my money and now make it a point to ask myself if I will still love it in 6 months. If the answer is no, then it has to stay at the store. I had to really crack down to avoid my hard earned cash from becoming disposal income.

Getting back to the purpose of today’s post, I have always preferred less clothing in my closet; quality over quantity. Unfortunately, in 2013 I went a little crazy with the spending. Shopping became my outlet for stress and I ended up buying a lot of stuff that I didn’t need.

I’m definitely not an impulse buyer, but sometimes I still buy things that I don’t love or use. What I enjoy most about fashion is using what you already have and incorporating some new items while finding creative ways to re-wear what you already own. You’d be surprised by the outfit combinations you can come up with when you have a limited selection. Having only the best items will save you time and eliminate the age old “I have nothing to wear”.

Now that I’ve wised up, I have even toyed with the idea of going minimal. But after much thought, I decided that full blown minimalism is not for me. I still love the idea of a capsule wardrobe or small wardrobe. With that said, here are eight tips for organizing your closet.

Wardrobe Tidying Tips

  1. Clear out your closet and begin with a blank canvas. Try on everything and throw out the items that you don’t love.
  2. Make piles for donations, stuff to sell, and another for repairs and dry cleaning.
  3. Move all off-season clothing to another closet or store it under the bed. I use containers similar to these to store my clothing and keep it dust free.

Selling Unwanted Items

  1. List your clothes on online consignment shops. I sell my stuff to ThredUp (see my post on this brand here & here) and TheRealReal (designer items only).
  2. Curate your own shop of gently used items on PoshMark. I recently became a user of this platform after hearing so much about it. If you aren’t familiar with PoshMark, it is a platform that allows the seller to list their goods (via their phone) and sell their stuff directly to the buyer. For the most part, the platform seems to work well. PoshMark does however, collect a small fee for the sale and shipping. The prepaid labels make selling easy. I would describe PoshMark as the modern day equivalent of Ebay for fashion lovers, but don’t expect to make a lot of money. I found that most buyers are looking for a deal and pay little to nothing for high-quality items. Buyers are able to bargain too. PoshMark is definitely in the buyer’s favor. Once basic fees are deducted it can be hard to make much money. I would recommend listing a few items and if your experience is good, list some more.
  3. Sell your stuff on Ebay. If you don’t mind the legwork of photography, creating listings, shipping costs, payment fees, and driving to the post office, Ebay is another good option. However, I much prefer leaving that work to the online resellers.
  4. Donate your items.
  5. Sell or trade to your friends/coworkers. It’s much easier to part with something when you know it’s going to a good home.

Now make room for the new! What tips do you have for wardrobe tidying?

Blazer: Target Who What Wear Collection | Tee: J.Crew (similar) | Necklace: Loft | Ring: Madewell (sold out)| Denim: Madewell | Shoes: Paul Green| Purse: Marc by Marc Jacobs (similar) | Lipstick: Bite Beauty

📷’s by Luba Kochubey Portraits

Related posts:

  1. The Best Closet Staples + Rocksbox Review – 4 Months In
  2. Petite-Friendly Retailers For Short Girls
  3. Unintentional Capsule Wardrobe + Spring Wardrobe Challenge 10×10
  4. 8 Closet Staples You Need Right Now

4 Comments · Labels: Fashion Tagged: Prep Style, Street Style, Stripes, Styling tip, Who What Wear

The Ultimate Pattern Mixing Guide

June 23, 2016

Floral-skirt-24 Floral-skirt-23 Floral-skirt-22Floral-skirt-25 Floral-skirt-26

📷’s by Luba Kochubey Portraits

Top: Who What Wear | Skirt: Club Monaco (similar) | Necklace: Lucia K. Jewelry c/o (use Laceandpearls20 to get 20% off your order)| Ring: Stella &  Dot | Midi ring: Pretty Particular c/o (use code laceandpearls to receive 20% off your order) | Shoes: Josef Seibel  | Purse: Michael Micheal Kors (similar)| Lipstick: Wet n Wild (pretty persimon)

My favorite mixed-print combo is a striped blouse and a floral skirt. This classic pairing works well because the colors in the top (black & white) are also in the skirt.

This skirt is from Club Monaco (first seen here). I love the multi-layer hem and orange hue. The tank is from the Who What Wear (Target) collection. I am such a fan of this line and will be showcasing several pieces from the collection this month.

What I like most about pattern mixing is that it allows you to maximize your wardrobe without spending money. It may seem intimidating at first but you only need to master a few fundamentals.

Pattern Mixing Tips

  • Same color family. Replace your go-to solid top with a monochromatic pattern in the same color.
  • Try mixing two prints with a unifying color. An example would be blue and white stripe with a blue and white gingham.
  • In the world of fashion, stripes and leopard are neutrals. Keep this in mind when mixing your prints. They will almost always work.
  • Vary the scale of your pattern. Try wearing a medium/large print with a smaller one. Steer clear of two large prints paired together.
  • Matchy matchy. Wear identical prints in varying shades or different sizes.
  • Inverse colors. Wear a navy piece with white stripes alongside a white garment with navy stripes.
  • Break things up. Both your top and bottom don’t need to be a print. Add a solid in between each print. For example wear a patterned scarf with a solid top and a printed bottom.
  • Stick to similar tones. If your prints don’t match, make sure that the colors are in a similar tone.

What’s your favorite mix print combo?

Shop the Post:

Related posts:

  1. How to Wear a Chambray Shirt
  2. Petite-Friendly Retailers For Short Girls
  3. Tips and Tricks for Flattering the Midsection
  4. Tips For Styling a Peplum Top

16 Comments · Labels: Fashion Tagged: Black & White, Girly Fashion, Skirt, Stripes, Styling tip, Who What Wear

Breton Stripes

July 28, 2015

Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 1 Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 2 Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 3 Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 4 Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 5Tee: J.Crew | Jeans: Zara (old) | Necklace: J.Crew (old) | Bracelet: J.Crew (old) | Earrings: Nadri | Shoes: Jessica Simpson (leather version) | Lip gloss: Giorgio Armanicolor 519| Lipliner: NARS color Rosebud

Saturday I went thrifting with my friend Kelly from Sweet Kelly Anne (she is also a stylist). I usually like to go shopping solo, but with Kelly it was a total breeze. I felt like we had the entire store to ourselves as we perused the racks. I found the cutest chambray dress, a girlie coral dress, and a pair of tri-colored sandals. I have been looking for a chambray dress, and this one is made out of the softest material and hangs just right.

I am obsessed with this outfit! It is a simple look, but I love it. I have been searching for the perfect stripe tee. I found this beauty at my favorite store J.Crew and I couldn’t be happier. I want it in every color. The weight of the material is just right and the silhouette is not too boxy. These shoes were love at first sight. I almost died when I spotted them. Ballerina shoes in a pale pink suede, what’s not to like!

Thank you so much for reading. See you Thursday!

P.S. You might also like Stripes and Put A Bow On It.

Let’s connect: Instagram | Twitter| Bloglovin

Related posts:

  1. Tips For Wearing Lace
  2. How to Make a Winter Handbag Work for Spring
  3. Golden Tote – Clothing and Surprises
  4. How To Wear Lace in The Fall

49 Comments · Labels: Fashion Tagged: Distressed Denim, Girly Fashion, Stripes

Coral & Stripes

July 2, 2015

Lace & Pearls Stripe Dress 2Lace & Pearls Stripe Dress 1Lace & Pearls Stripe Dress 3 Lace & Pearls Stripe Dress 4Dress: J. Crew (old) | Cardigan: Nordstrom (old) | Necklace: J.Crew (old) | Bracelets: J.Crew (old) Nordstrom (old) | Sandals (old) | Lip gloss: M.A.C in color Sinnamon

Whenever I wear this dress I always go for the coral cardigan and statement necklace. I love the combination of coral with navy. This dress is one of my favorites due to it’s length. I’m on the shorter side and it can be hard to find a dress that falls above the knee. This one is perfect. I really should challenge myself to come up with another way to style this dress with either a jacket or a different color cardigan and change out the shoes and accessories. Any ideas?

Have a Happy 4th everyone! Hope the weather cooperates. Thanks for reading.

Let’s connect: Instagram | Twitter

Related posts:

  1. 5 Reasons For Saying No
  2. Fashion First
  3. 8 Wardrobe Tidying Tips That Will Change Your Life
  4. 8 Closet Staples You Need Right Now

33 Comments · Labels: Fashion Tagged: dress, Prep Style, Stripes

The Perfect Pixie Pant

May 5, 2015

Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 5Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 4Lace & Pearls Stripe Tee 3 Blouse: Loft | Pant: J.Crew Factory | Neckalce: J.Crew Factory (old)| Bracelet: J.Crew (old) | Flats: Sam Edelman | Lip gloss: Giorgio Armani (color 519) | Lipliner:NARS color Rosebud

Today I am rocking the classic navy pant with nude ballet flats. These pants make me feel like a modern Audrey Hepburn. I love the cropped length and stretchy forgiving fabric. The cut is fitted through the hips and thigh and perfect for my 5’3 frame. They now come in two more colors, red and pink (both on my wishlist).

I have yet to find the perfect striped tee, but I love the chiffon-like fabric on this one. The flowy material is slimming and has a feminine lace trim.

The weather is still on the cooler side in Seattle, but that didn’t stop me from grabbing my flower necklace in anticipation of the warm weather.

Related posts:

  1. Stripes
  2. Put a Bow On It
  3. Breton Stripes
  4. French Hen Sweater

31 Comments · Labels: Fashion Tagged: J.Crew Factory Winnie Pant, Stripes

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