Storing Clothes

I have just finished up with my Fall/ Winter clothing storage ritual. This little practice has helped me keep my winter jackets for well over 10 years in some cases. After a season is over, there are a few basic steps I take. While it seems a bit time consuming, it really saves time and money in the long term. And I don't have to fight the lines for fixing pieces when the season starts again. I'm all ready.

1. Dry clean Most heavy wear pieces visit the dry cleaners. I don't take anything to the dry cleaners more than once a year. Dry cleaning can wear out your clothes faster than anything else, so I use this technique sparingly. And once a year is sufficient to keep my clothes fresh.
2. Hand wash I hand wash all wool and cashmere before storing. 
3. Repair I repair any damaged clothing. My favorite red jacket had a torn up lining this year. It is much cheaper to take this to a tailor to repair than replace the jacket. 
4. Replace I buff my boots and replace any heels. 
5. Store All off season clothes are stored in cloth bags. This was a new recommendation from my stylist, Alethea, this season. Cloth bags allow your clothes to breathe and leave them with a chemical smell. Throw a few cedar balls in there to avoid the moths. 

That's about it. Do you have any seasonal fashion rituals that you adhere to?

Top of the trend: Colored pants

If you haven't bought colored pants or jeans yet, proceed with caution. These colored darlings are every where right now, and this is a sure sign that we are at the end of the trend. We will return to our regularly scheduled programming of dull colors in the Fall.

So what do I mean by caution? Well, if colored pants are a key ingredient to your personal style, you should buy, buy, buy! I took this approach a couple of seasons ago with the shirt dresses. You should always buy deep into a trend if it is your personal style any season. If this is not part of your personal statement, then don't spend more than $20-50 if you want to experiment with the trend. And do something a little more now, such as some of the prints or or newer colors like mauve or lavender.

I have red and blue pants that I will wear through the summer and then gently store until I need another pop.

What trends are you investing in this year?

Petite trend: Pintuck pants

Last year I happened to come across a relatively inexpensive pair of pintuck jeans. Ok, it was really a  steal at $15. Since it felt a little trendy, I didn't want to spend much money on them just to try out something new. Well, sometimes you get lucky. This trend has turned into a basic tool in my wardrobe.

Some of you may be scratching your heads. What is pintuck, you ask? Literally, a pintuck is a pleat in the fabric. For pants, a pintuck is a very small pleat or seam sewn typically down the front of the pant. The advantage for the petite ladies is that this simple pleat has a great elongating effect. More simply said, I feel taller. I have subsequently bought 4 pairs of pintuck pants and jeans.

Since this is not a wide trend, these styles are not the easiest to find. But there are several examples out there this season. The color versions from Asos and Diane Von Furstentburg can border on a Mad Men set. I personally prefer a skinny or straight leg version for pintuck, but AG Jeans is doing some dark wash flare that are nice too. I found my recent editions on Gilt, picking up some dark grey Nili Lotan trousers and James Jeans. The picture here is a very classic DVF style.

I dream of jewelry

After realizing I am all stocked up on basics this season - plenty of jackets, tees, jeans, and shoes - I have decided to turn my attention to jewelry. For the record, the most expensive piece of jewelry I own is my wedding band. That's right, wedding band. There is no big rock on this band. I have no passion for precious stones or real metals. My bar is much lower. I try to avoid things that turn my skin green. Nevertheless, I have decided to pay some attention this season to jewelry. Much like great outwear, outstanding jewelry can make a very simple tee and jeans into a stand out outfit. And you don't have to think that much. White tee, good jeans, good shoes, simple jacket and a great necklace - done.

So my quest for jewelry begins. While I lean toward traditional on the clothing front, I find jewelry is a great way to add comic relief or a bit if "f-yeah" to an outfit. There is one designer that I just can't stop drooling over, but I haven't willed myself to shell out the cash yet. Iosselliani is an Italian jewelry designer that uses lots of different textures, metals and colors for each piece. The picture here includes brass, silver, crystals and horns. That's right horns - "f-yeah"! You get my point.

Luv Aj is also great for adding a little bit of rock and roll to my more conservative style. And its a more affordable price point. Lulu Frost is lovely for bigger pieces. If you are in the Seattle area, a great place for unique finds is Hitchcock up in Madrona. My friend, Erica, introduced me to this shop and they in turn introduced me to Iosselliani. If you can appreciate international shopping, FarFetch has one of the best selections I've found online.

The one thing I have found challenging for jewelry shopping this season is that there is a ton of brass and gold. These two tones are not my friend. Silver and blue based tones are my primary palette. I keep repeating to myself "I will not buy unless it is silver," tempting though the brass may be.

What jewelry designers are you coveting this year?

Spring has sprung

 

This is my favorite outfit so far this season. Check out the conservative duds with the "f-yeah" necklace. One of my colleagues tells me this necklace scares him. I love the juxtaposition of the nice girl sweater set against the the rock and roll necklace and shoes. The early tan doesn't hurt either for putting me in the summer mood. 

Are you in the summer mood yet?

P.S. Please ignore the messy wardrobe. What was I thinking for this background?!

Red Pants

Many years ago my wardrobe consisted of black, white, tan, and grey tones. This was pre-stylist and represented both the conservative nature of my job in corporate America and my lack of understanding on how to use color. Any use of color I could muster was "cute-sy", bordering on childish. Since finding a stylist, I have better understood how the right colors make me look better, brighter, and younger. Yes, forget fancy creams and pick the right color to loose weight and look younger in seconds. If you need a refresher on your colors, check out this earlier post.

On to the color trend of the moment. If you have not purchased colored jeans in the last year, you are either terrified of the potential fashion faux pas or you may be living under a rock. Anyone producing jeans these days is making green, yellow, red, purple, hot pink, and cobalt blue versions of their favorites. With all of the colored jeans being produced in the last year, one must ask themselves, is this trend for me? Or will I regret the photos in 10 years?

The trick to the trend is to wear these jeans with more basic colored tops - white, black, navy or tan. If you must do a print, stay with these basic colors but choose a plaid, stripe, or small print. Keep it simple out of the gates so you can warm up to the color trend. Color blocking (using two vibrant colors side by side) should not be attempted as the first venture into colored jeans. Otherwise, you may find yourself running and screaming away from color for the foreseeable future.

Are colored pants just for women, you ask? In 2009, I traveled to Italy and found many men sporting brick red pants. My husband is a brave soul. He picked up the color trend long before me with red, blue, pink and pale blue pants to boot.

I am happy to report I've successfully ventured into both red and blue jeans in the last 12 months. I'm steering clear of green and yellow, which are outside of my complementary color family. I have attempted one color block outfit, though I don't think I will return to that again soon. Maybe in another couple years.

Sincerely,
Style Illiterate

Color block travel

I'm 4 months into a new job that requires me to travel quite a bit. My normal trip starts with a cab to the airport at about 4:30 am, which allows me to step off the plane directly into afternoon meetings. So I need to look professional and be really comfortable for the long commute. Getting this look down is a challenge that I'm still working on. Here is an attempt at the color block theme. Sadly, this shot misses the leopard print shoes which make drab a little more playful.

Always a work in progress,
Style Illiterate