I LOVE a good challenge!

This weekend I had the most enjoyable pleasure of helping a client ‘revamp’ her closet. In an earlier blog I mentioned how everyone does have a buying pattern. This client bought khakis, black plants, and tops she liked….(in every color they came), and cardigans. Possibly one of the more extreme buying patterns I have come across.

The challenge: Walking into the closet made my chest break out in a rash and have a minor anxiety attack. Clothes were all over the place and unorganized, summer, fall, and winter were mixed. Pant sizes were mixed (at this time she is fluctuating between sizes). Purses were all over the place and shoes were all over the place in pile on her closet floor. There is no way you can mix and match clothing when it is so disorganized and lost in a sea of other clothing!

As soon as I walked in her closet I asked her if she felt like she could not breathe walking in to her closet everyday and she laughed and responded, “YES”!! Okay, so this is a problem!

Breakdown: I started weeding out her pants so we could have the appropriate fitted sizes for her to have easy access too and not have to worry if they fit or not. This process would be easy right??…well, try 200 pants later. EXHAUSTED! Once pants were organized by size and style, we moved to tops and weeded out faded tops and some that were just completely outdated, to small, too big, or just not flattering on her(fit, color, style) .

We then moved onto purses and shoes. The whole closet floor was covered in shoes! After discarding 2 bags of shoes we came to agreement of which ones to keep for now. This was a challenge because she did not have a hard time parting withe some styles, but I assured her she had so many others that styles that were updated and added style to her everyday wardrobe! Again, with purses we kept the trendy, classic ones and discarded the outdated styles. Ahhhh, I am still envisioning classic black Chanel bags!

My main goal was to organize her closet in a manner where she could get creative with her wardrobe…oh, and walk around in her closet as well! . I wanted her closet space to be a creative board so each day she could walk into her closet and come out with a stylish outfit for the day. When clothing is visible, organized and fits, usually you can create a new outfit everyday because you see what you have and it is not getting lost in a sea of unorganized clothes. A good blog to refer back to is the “trickle effect” blog on how to organize your closet.

Here are some before and after pics of my clients closet to give you an idea of the organization process:

Before                                                                After

XOXO,

Shelley Longwell

I was kidnapped by wedding planning :)

Wow, I can not believe how long it has been since I have written a post! All I have been thinking about are flowers, RSVP’S, and catering!

In the world of ORA:

I am thrilled to have a closet organizing this weekend! I look forward to meeting a potential new client and revamping her closet…or should I say OrganizeRevitalizeAccessorize her closet. As we are making a fast pace toward the end of spring and gearing up for humidity and heat during summer our wardrobe change can become dull. Dull, meaning it makes the heat more bearable to throw on a sun dress, flip-flops and call it day! There are so many light fabrics for spring and summer with vivid prints, stripes,geometric prints, and the oh, so famous animal prints to spice up your wardrobe!

Here are some trends for spring/summer 2012:

Fashion color trend: Mint Green(HUGE TREND), Neon’s (Bright blues, Yellows, greens, oranges, and hot pinks) within the neon shades orange made a huge debut on the runways! Black, white, red and lastly creamy neutrals.

Patterns: Think, whimsical: bird prints, fruit, and feathers! Floral, from soft muted pastels to South Pacific inspired. Stripes are huge year after year, so this should be a staple in your wardrobe. Anything paisley will also be another big trend but only touches, don’t overload on this!

Fabrics: Lace (But only for a few more seasons ladies), crochet, and soft fabrics such as silk.

Purses: Belt bags, not fanny packs but the cute small square flat belt bags. Incorporate at least one over-sized clutch this season.

Shoes: Kitten heels, cut out booties, and I hate to say it but gladiator sandals will be making a reappearance…more so than in 2008. If you can zip it, or buckle it up, buy it! Hardware on shoes it still a trend for this season.

Okay, let’s visualize! Now that I have talked about it take a look at some outfits that will have people looking twice at you:

Happy spring/summer shopping!!

XOXO,

Shelley Longwell

 

 

 

 

 

Measure your wardrobe in happiness not dollars!

So just digest the title of this post….”measure your wardrobe in happiness not dollars.” What does this mean to you?

Think about moments in your life that were memorable. A first date, a life changing interview, a night out with friends, children’s baptism, Christmas party, summer bbq, concert, neighborhood get together, New Years Eve, wedding, ect… What were you wearing? Did you feel good about what you were wearing? Were you happy with your self-image? Did you spend a lot of money on your outfit?

The reason I brought this topic up is because I was recently watching “What not to Wear.” A lady named Jodi (a belly dancing psych-ward nurse who wears inappropriate clothing in all bright colors) was on the show because her daughter was mortified by her mother’s clothing selection and wanted her to present herself in a more tasteful manner. Jodi was in her early 50′s and still shopping in the juniors section! The gist of the show is they give you $5,000 for a completely new wardrobe, take you shopping and give you advice on what would best suit your body type, age, and style. Every time Stacy and Clinton (the shows stylist) offered fashion advice she would be mortified at what outfit selections they were choosing and felt old, frumpy, unhappy, and not like her. I myself fell in love with the amazing outfit selections the stylist were choosing and thought it suited Jodi’s age yet still gave her a youthful edge. After a couple of days of shopping and a lot of frustration on both the stylist and Jodi’s end she decided she was only happy with 50% of the clothes that the stylist had bought for her. Stacy (the shows stylist) actually said out of all the years I have been doing this, this is the first time I have felt like I have done something wrong. Stacy had given all her advice and knowledge, and not to mention $5,000 in spending money for a new wardrobe and Jodi felt worse about herself.

The purpose of the show is to make you feel great about your self-image which in turn will make you feel confident in day-to-day life! Jodi ended up taking the new clothes she had incurred and went back home to show friends and family her new wardrobe and new look not so happy. Now, here is a turn of events…one month later they revisit Jodi and she has made an amazing transformation and wearing tasteful outfits that the stylist had chosen but yet added bits of the own style as well. Jodi mentioned that every time she would put and outfit on she would her Stacy andClintonin her head about the dos and don’ts of selecting outfits that would suit her. She had an epiphany after the show and she looked so happy in her new outfits!

Okay, so back to my point…measure your wardrobe in happiness not dollars. Be happy with what you put on, but also make sure you are not giving the wrong impression. You don’t have to shop at Prada, but you also don’t have to shop at the junior department in Kohls. If you are on a budget find a happy medium…I suggest going to a store that has sales associates that would be more than willing to help you select a wardrobe and give you advice. Try Zara, Nordstrom, or French Connection. If you are you are in your 40′s, or 50′s swing by Ann Taylor or Ann Taylor Loft and see what they have to offer. Like I have said in a previous post self-image is the key to the way the outside world perceives you. Be confident, be happy, and maybe catch a few episodes of, “What not to Wear” to absorb Stacy and Clinton’s do’s and don’ts on wardrobe selection.

 

 

Classic Pieces are a MUST!

Ahhh, finally I’m back in the groove of things after some much-needed time off. I can not believe it has almost been a month since I have written a post! So let’s get to it!

I recently had a conversation with my sister-in-law about a company her friend is a wardrobe consultant for called Carlisle. After doing some research on the company I was highly impressed by the amazing quality of the pieces Carlisle produce which has inspired me to write about the importance of incorporating classic pieces into your wardrobe that will last year after year.

If you are not sure where to start with purchasing classic pieces for your wardrobe or which pieces would be a great fit for you I highly recommend you start browsing on Carlisle’s website, http://www.carlislecollection.com/, and even better attending a local trunk show in your area to get a one on one wardrobe consulting experience. Below are some unique qualities that make Carlisle an amazing company:

Background-Founded by William Rondina, Carlisle is a high-end fashion company based in New York City. Carlisle produces couture dresses, suits, separates, and accessories with a sense of classic style that is modern yet appropriate for any professional or social occasion.

Experienced Designers-The Carlisle management and design teams possess an outstanding fashion pedigree, having gained experience at Christian Dior, Bill Blass, Tahari, Ellen Tracy, and Burberry, among others. Each collection is the result of this collective knowledge—intuitive design sense and a studied understanding of perfect fit and function. Our team is focused on making women look and feel divine.

*Personalized Service-The Carlisle Wardrobe Consultant acts as a personal stylist, using her fashion expertise to develop and customize a fun, functional wardrobe tailored to the client’s personality and lifestyle. Consultants keep records of all clients’ purchases for easy coordination of existing and current pieces. Many Consultants even make personalized “closet calls” to help clients maximize their wardrobes by putting things together in new ways.

Great Prices-Because the Carlisle Collection is sold through trunk shows and our by-appointment showrooms, the conventional and costly retail overhead is eliminated. This direct sales model allows our consultants to offer superior quality clothing at extremely competitive prices

Quality manufacturingFrom concept to completion, each Carlisle piece is impeccable in detail, from linings and seams to zippers, buttons and trim. Each perfect garment is the result of our longtime relationships with Hong Kong’s most discerning manufacturers, ensuring the highest level of consistency and quality.

What I love about this brand is the many options you have to mix and match outfits and literally create a new outfit with only having to purchase a few separates along with a personal wardrobe consultant to help you along the way! You can’t get much better than that.

I will say I am a sucker for going to stores such as Forever 21, Target, Pink Heart, Fabrik, and H & M to find pieces that are in style now, but the key is to have classic pieces that will last you over years to come and then incorporate ‘fad’ pieces with the classics. Invest your money in nice tailored slacks, classic black dress, a tailored jacket/blazer, pencil skirt, silk blouse and designer jeans. I know they can be costly but as the saying goes, quality over quantity is the best solution.

In a previous post I wrote titled, “Yes, you do have a buying pattern” I delved into a closet cleaning technique to decipher what quality pieces you may or may not have and getting rid of the fad pieces that you have not worn in the last year. If you are getting rid of a lot of fad pieces and your closet is left bare I recommend taking a look at Carlisle and purchasing some high quality pieces that will be in your closet years to come!

Check out these stylish outfits from Carlisle:

Happy classic piece hunting!! Also, Let me know if you would like me to put you in touch with a Carlisle Wardrobe Consultant to get you started.

New Obsession…Rent the Runway!

How many times have you had to attend an event where you bought an expensive new dress and only wore it once? What if you had a friend that let you borrow a dress anytime you wanted? Would you be even more ecstatic if your friend had a sea of designer dresses and accessories in her closet, but charged you a small fee?

Well, meet your new friend Rent the Runway.com! Here is the gist: You basically rent designer pieces for 90% off retail prices. The site has over 95 designers including, Badgley Mischka, Herve’ Leger, Anna Sui, Trina Turk, Missoni, Cynthia Rowley, Diane von Furstenburg, and Vera Wang. This is pure genius and you can get lost on this site just looking at all the amazing dresses.

Background:

Co-founders Jennifer Hyman (Jenn) and Jennifer Fleiss (Jenny) met as sectionmates at Harvard Business School where over frequent girls nights, they became fast friends. Jenn watched her sister Becky struggle with a ‘closet full of clothes but nothing to wear’ moment.Becky had an upcoming wedding and wanted something gorgeous—Hervé Léger maybe, or Proenza—but her modest salary meant that everything high-end was out of reach. What if, Jenn thought, the Beckys of this world could have access to their dream closet – a new dress for every occasion? And what if designers were able to get their pieces into the hands of young, fashionable women and build an addiction for designer fashion? With a “business plans are a waste of time” mentality, coupled with a series of iterative tests and formative meetings with top designers and retailers, was born in New York City. It’s a community designed to fill the needs of women just like Jenn, Jenny and Becky—women who know and love high fashion, who want to look glamorous for all their nights out and experiment with new brands without the anxiety of investing in piece after piece. Users benefit from the expertise of professional stylists and the shared wisdom of like-minded fashion-forward members. Through exclusive relationships with top designers, is able to continually update its stock with the latest pieces. And to think: it all started with that age-old complaint: I don’t have anything to wear.

Perks of shopping with Rent the Runway:

We all know it can be tricky ordering clothing from online stores because you are not too sure on how the clothing will fit. The beauty of this site is that you get a back up size absolutely free! So, if you are in a size 4 but where a size 6 in some dresses then you get both!

Returning your order to RTR is a breeze and free! They give you a shipping label to return your item and all you do is drop it in the mail. You also pay $5 insurance that covers you if you spill wine, tear a zipper, or lose and accessory.

You can invite friends and get $20 towards your next rental once their rental has been shipped. How does spending $30 for a vera wang dress for a night on the town sound?

If you are having trouble navigating the site or deciding what styles to pick and choose they have a link that you can click called, chat with a stylist. A window pops up and you type your email address in and type away with any questions you may have.

Blogging! RTR has an awesome blog that gives you tips and trends on anything and everthing related to fashion and beauty. This is also a place where you can meet the stylist and see you who are talking to on the webiste if you need help pairing pieces together.

Here are some amazing dresses you can rent for $50.00-$150.00 for Holiday parties coming up!

Adam $150Chris Benz $150                                                                                                            Versus by Versace $85

  Jay Godfrey $50     Milly $100                                                                                                          Tibi $65

Happy renting! www.renttherunway.com

Yes, you do have a buying pattern.

ORA - (Organize, Revitalize, Accessorize)  The organization of a closet. The revitalization of a persons image. The accessorizing of an outfit.

Every closet I have organized, I have always found the person has a buying pattern. It is actually quite comical when the person sees their buying pattern because their jaw drops and they are baffled about their repetitive purchases. In the end we have a good laugh! So in saying this, if you want to see if you have a buying pattern, I have little or big (depending on your closet size) project for you to do.

I have to pick on some of my friends buying patterns before I go into the project.  My good friend Amanda collected yellow tops, my friend Lauren had at least 6 tops that had (bat wing arms) —> , and my friend Blair had roughly 8 Ralph Lauren cable knit sweaters in pastel hues.

So lets delve into the project! The trickery of the organizing process is keeping pieces that are classics and discarding pieces that were a fad. Here is a hint: if you are going through you closet and you say to yourself, “Gosh, I have not worn this in a year or two”…GET RID OF IT. If you are going through your closet and you have 10 yellow shirts (Amanda I am picking on you)…GET RID OF A FEW.  Chances are you will not incorporate items you have not worn into your wardrobe anytime soon. If you have a huge closet and you can hang up all seasons you are blessed and the organizing of seasons is a breeze. For those of you who have small closets and have only room for one season, don’t fret you just have to make use of plastic crates and dresser drawers.

Take a step back and look at your closet. Are short sleeves mixed in with long sleeves? Are pants mixed in with tops? Are you hanging up your t-shirts? If this is so, lets start reorganizing. A great way to have your closet laid out is like a trickle effect. Since we are going into winter lets use this season as an example: Start with sleeveless (that you would wear under a cardigan), short sleeve (again under a cardigan), and long sleeve blouses, collard shirts, sweaters, and lastly cardigans. While you are moving items, try things on in the process, if it does not fit, toss it! Next comes skirts, dress pants, dresses and lastly coats (unless you have a coat closet). If you really want to get nit picky color code your wardrobe. Organizing your closet this way will help you decipher whether you have too much of one color or too much of a certain style of clothing. To make the most use of your wardrobe try not to hang up t-shirts, this is a very casual item and does not need to be hung up. I recommend keeping these in a dresser drawer or plastic bin.  A questionable item to hang or not to hang are jeans. Personally I do not hang my jeans up, but this is where your personal preference comes in. If you decide to hang up your jeans keep them with your dress pants. When you are revamping your closet don’t be afraid to discard items you don’t wear…I can not stress this enough. Free up some space for yourself and get a better idea of what you have bought in the past and what to stay away from buying in the future. Try it and let me know if it helps you see your buying patterns!

Sidenote: When I say “toss it” or “discard it,” I really mean donate to a charity or Goodwill.

Use of the trickle effect below: Nice layout to see what items you have, instead of getting lost in a sea of unorganized clothes.

Pinterest! A Guide for Style.

ORA - (Organize, Revitalize, Accessorize)  The organization of a closet. The revitalization of a persons image. The accessorizing of an outfit.

Ahhh, the wonderful world of Pinterest! I highly recommend joining this website (If you have not already) to help you depict your style. Yes, it can be a bit of a time suck (not a bad thing), but this can be a great guide for putting together outfits and visually seeing your style.

To get started go to Pinterest.com  and sign up, you will have to wait a day or two to get authorization onto the site, but it is worth the wait! When you become a member play around and create your profile and find friends from Facebook because you will be able to follow each other! The best part to come is creating your boards! Go to the homepage and select the category Everything and a list drops below. Click on Women’s Apparel and boom! Inspiration board city for fashion! You can get even more creative and type a designer or a piece of clothing you love in the search bar to narrow down your search even more.

When creating your boards you will become more and more aware of your style which in turn can be your cheat sheet when you go shopping…pretty genius! Here are some tasteful pieces for winter that you should incorporate into your wardrobe: chunky sweaters with leggings, layers, knee-length boots, high wasted jeans, silky tops, scarves, and chunky bangles.  Dont forget, you can find pieces like these at stores such as, Forever 21, TJ Maxx and Target for a great price if you are low on cash. Happy Pinning!

Organize Revitalize Accessorize!

ORA - (Organize, Revitalize, Accessorize)  The organization of a closet. The revitalization of a persons image. The accessorizing of an outfit.

From 5th grade to high school I grew up in a wealthy neighborhood with a not so wealthy pocket-book. Due to my desire to wear trendy clothes and stand out in a crowd of designer clothing with little cash I became inspired. What inspired me was the many resources I had to be able to pull off looking like I spent $500 on an outfit for $50. Budget shopping became a hobby and an addiction to say the least. I would venture out with my mother on Saturdays and go to stores such as Target, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and Walmart. We would work together and ensemble classic pieces with trendy items and whoola….you got a $50 runway outfit. What helped me keep all my runway inspired clothes together was the organization of my closet. I can’t stress enough how crucial this part of the process is. I organized my clothes in a way that I would be able to see each piece I have in order to create a new outfit in 2 minutes (365 days a year!) .

I have started this blog because I want to inspire other ladies out there to feel confident in their outfit selections because this is YOUR image. This can be the key to success in getting your dream job, finding love , and creating a boost in self-esteem. Think about it, when you have an outfit on you feel great in you smile more, you are more approachable, and you are more confident.

With my services I can take you shopping at Walmart, or I can take you shopping at a trendy boutique in the city. Either way I can help you choose clothing that looks like you have spent a lot of money for nothing!  I can also help you organize your closet so you can have a new outfit everyday with what you already own.

I am so excited to share my passion with you and hopefully create inspiration to each lady out there who agrees with me on this saying, “life is too short to wear boring clothes!”