Accessorize...

If my accessories looked prettier in their drawers, would I use them more?  Nothing else I have tried makes me accessorize...could this work?

Before:
Drawer 1

Drawer 2

In an effort to become more organized and not spend money, I combed through drawers and found my random tea cup collection that hasn't gotten as much use as I would like.  I got this done just in the nick of time before Chantal arrived.  Phew. 

After:




Style me...what I learned.

So, Chantal...she was fabulous.  I was worried that she may recommend clothes that were too high fashion for me or stores to shop at that are completely out of my price range, but she was incredibly sensitive to my lifestyle, budget and likes/dislikes.


So...that afternoon, we went through my closet, piece by piece.  Some of my key take aways...

1.  All my life, I thought 'my colors' were yellow and red.  Those were the only two colors in my entire closet that she picked out and told me the complete opposite.  She was very sweet about it...and just said that they 'don't do anything for me'....who knew?

2.  I had several silk blouses back from the work days, and I thought they were going to be headed for the 'donate' pile, but she said definitely not!  She suggested pairing those tops with boyfriend jeans (which I do not own).  That seemed to be an overall theme of needing to pair something more dressy with something more casual...I still haven't implemented this one yet - kind of nervous :)

3. She helped me figure out how to incorporate more belts/accessories into my outfits.  I guess I should have asked how to accessorize yoga pants :)

One thing that she said to me was that she thinks that I have good intuition, but I just need to follow it more.  I don't feel like I have good intuition, but I do think that I buy a lot of things that
 a. don't fit me or my body style well (need to put a quick stop to this habit)
b.  are cheap, but not good pieces that will last, that I really like or again, that fit me well.

Case in point...as I have been still going through more old photo albums that have resurfaced, it seems that every picture that I see with me in it, I think to myself...why was I wearing that?  I never liked that...that didn't fit me...that didn't flatter my body shape/style....UGH! 

Hopefully my experience with Chantal will help me be more discerning in the pieces that I choose to spend money on and add to my closet.  I need to not buy crap, and instead buy pieces that I feel good in, that will last more than one season, and will work for my current role as a SAHM.

I had asked Chantal to help me figure out what pieces my wardrobe was lacking once we were finished with the cleanse.  These are a few of the things she suggested...
--boyfriend jeans
--two blazers - (i have NO clue where to start with these)
--good white button downs
--more long cardigans
--over the knee boots
--good black flats and maybe a pair in a fun color
--metallic sandals
--sperry top siders
--off white or more neutral pair of converse

Do you ever leave the hair stylist, when you really like how they did your hair, and you get home and think....how am I EVER going to make it look like this again?  That is exactly how I feel about my clothes.  I wish Chantal could be here with me every morning to pick out my outfit for me :).  (no wonder I loved my days in Kindergarten through 12th grade of wearing a uniform!)

The best part is that she is totally willing to check out pieces that I am thinking about buying and giving me her opinion.  She also said I could take a picture of me in an outfit and text it over to her and she will get back to me if she can.  So...she doesn't just leave you out there all by your lonesome.  She's great.  Thanks so much for the wonderful afternoon, Chantal!

Style me

For years now, I have been saying that I really need a stylist.

This became even more clear to me recently when a woman that I see from time to time here on post saw me and said, 'Wow...no yoga pants today?'  Yes.  I had actually worn jeans for a day, and yes, she went there :).  I started laughing, and I sheepishly said, 'Wow.  I guess you are right!'  She proceeded to say...'well, it's not like you have anywhere to go.'  She didn't mean any harm by it at all, but that definitely woke me up to my super boring mom wardrobe.  Yikes.

Thanks to thoughtfulness and coordination by my friend, Jennyjo, and for the willingness of my husband, my birthday gift was an afternoon with Chantal Hughes, a stylist from NYC.  She was giving a class to the cows (juniors) here at West Point, so after her class, she came over to our house to help me with a wardrobe cleanse.

The day before she came, I scrambled and at least tried to organize everything.  I have to admit, I was pretty anxious about having anyone look through my closet, let alone a person who can call herself a stylist.  Yikes.

Nonetheless, here was my closet before:

And here are the piles after the cleanse....

All the 'to go' clothes, just in more organized piles... (sorry for the night time pictures)



I would say that we got rid of at least half my closet.  We got rid of 22 sweaters, about 14 pairs of pants, most of my dresses, a big pile of maternity clothes, tops galore...on and on...

How did it feel?  Sort of scary...I feel like there isn't much left.  Then, when I think about it logically, not emotionally, I feel elated.  Those were clothes I rarely chose to wear.  Sure, I wore some pieces from time to time, but I don't need to be wearing things that don't flatter my body type, are out of date, etc.  It was very freeing.  I do feel daunted from time to time because I now really need lots of things to replenish/update my wardrobe, but I feel like I need to win the lottery to do so :)

Good thing we did this before this past weekend when we had the yard sale!  The clothes are no longer in the house.  Phew. Done.  No More.

More to come on how fabulous Chantal is, and what I learned...