closet organization

How to shop your closet for fall 2018

 in Shopping / Trends  tagged closet organization / fall 2018 by

pictured:  A Detacher runway for fall 2018 at NYFW

It’s that time of year again! Although the temperatures are soaring into the 90’s on an almost daily basis, the stores are beginning to stock fall merchandise. Our closets are almost full of summer clothing and accessories; but the stores are starting to look a lot like the weather has cooled off, and pumpkin spice latte’s are being served. Can someone pass me a cooler fan? Ugh!

Despite the fact that we are sweltering in this summer heat, we need to shift our shopping minds to the fall season. The first thing we all need to do before we buy anything for fall, is to shop our closets. Now, you might be wondering, how do I shop my closet for fall 2018? Well, let me break that down for you.

Step one of how to shop your closet for fall 2018:

The first thing you will want to do is remove anything from your closet that doesn’t fit anymore, is damaged, or you haven’t worn in a few years; and anything you just aren’t in love with anymore. Anything that doesn’t fit, but is in new or gently used condition, can be resold. For designer pieces, look to TheRealReal. For other items, check out ThreadUp. If you have damaged clothing, please recycle them. I wrote about how to recycle clothing here. All other items can be donated to your favorite charity.

Step two of how to shop your closet for fall 2018:

The next thing you will want to do, in order to shop your closet for fall 2018, is to pull forward pieces which are on trend for the fall 2018 season. Here are the hot trends to look for in your closet:

1) Handbags: Keep any circle bags and small box bags you have in your closet. These handbags will continue to be hot for the fall 2018 season. They were all over the NYFW runways for the fall and winter seasons, so you know they will stay in style through early 2019-at least. If you don’t own a small box bag or a circle bag, this is something to invest in for the fall season.

fall 2018 color trends new york fashion week

2) Colors: The big colors for the fall 2018 include yellow, green, blue, and shades of purple. Black will be the big neutral hue as well as white. Keep your white shoes from last year too! They are going to be on fire for fall!

3) Volume sleeves: The big sleeve trend is going nowhere fast. The fall 2018 runways were covered with big shoulders, big sleeves, and tons of volume. Keep your fun sleeves and rock them with pride this fall 2018 season.

4) Trench Coats: OK, I know I have talked about trench coats making a big comeback-well here it is! They were the IT coat on the fall runways, so dust off your classic trench coat, or your not-so-classic trench coat, and rock it this fall. Trench coats are the ultimate cover-up when temperatures dip this autumn season.

5) Menswear plaid: The menswear trend will stick around for fall 2018. While it won’t be the number one trend of the season, menswear pieces will still be extremely relevant for the fall season. Keep your blazers, trousers, shirts, and dresses. Rock all your conservative menswear plaid; it’s hot for fall.

6) Metallic shoes: Metallic shoes are sticking around for another season. While they may not be available in the early fall sales, they were all over the runways for the fall 2018 season. So wear your metallic shoes from last year and watch for new styles to hit store shelves later in September.

7) Cozy teddy coats: The teddy coat trend was huge last year, and it shows no sign of stopping for the fall 2018 season. Keep your teddy coats from last year and rock them this year. If you don’t have one from last year, this is something to invest in for fall 2018. They are super soft, cozy, and fun! Love that!

8) Moto jackets: The moto jacket slips in and out of style every few years. For fall 2018, it is slipping into style! Dust off your old moto jacket from the back of your closet and rock it this fall. If you don’t have one yet, there are several cute ones for fall 2018 in the upcoming Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I will highlight the cutest ones at the best prices from the sale later this week. If you prefer vegan, you can find this fabulous vegan moto jacket online now for under $100. I bought it last week. <blushes>

9) Fall Florals: Florals for fall have been an ongoing trend for the past few years. Keep rocking your fall florals for fall 2018! They are being shown on skirts, blouses, and dresses. Look for black, green, and yellow floral patterns for fall and top off the look with a moto jacket. Love it!

10) Fanny Packs aka Belt Bags: Ugh, I don’t encourage this trend, and to be frank, I wish it stayed in the 80’s. Although I prefer to avoid them, they are still proving to be hot for fall 2018. So, if you must, keep rocking your fanny pack/belt bag.

Last step of how to shop your closet fall 2018:

Store everything else from last fall. New trends will appear as the season gears up and celebrities are spotted on the streets wearing something obscure from the runways; or not from the runways at all. Plus, as you know, everything old is new again at some point; so store your clothing and accessories appropriately! If you don’t pull them out for fall 2018, you may pull them out next year, or the year after.

If you are wondering how to store a handbag, check out my tips here.

Things your closet might need for fall 2018:

Now that you have successfully shopped your closet for fall 2018, and saved a ton of money, you can make a list of what is missing in your wardrobe. Stay tuned for my fall 2018 shopping strategy post which will help you make a short list of what to buy for fall 2018!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

How to wear a special occasion dress multiple times

 in General Fashion  tagged closet organization / dresses / formal / holiday fashion / investment dressing / tips by

fundraising gala gown

Have you ever been invited to an event and wondered if you can re-wear a dress from your closet? Do you have a fabulous gala gown just collecting dust in your closet that you would love to wear to another gala but you are not sure if it is OK to rewear a formal dress? We have been programmed over the years to never be caught wearing the same special occasion dress twice. Therefore, it can be difficult to know what to do with a formal dress hanging in our closets!

Special events are just that; special. So we all have this subconscious feeling inside which tells us we need a special, new dress for the occasion. While shopping for a new gala gown, or cocktail dress, is a lot of fun, it can also add up! Think about how much you spend each time you attend an event. Could that money go towards a fabulous designer bag you can wear on a daily basis? Or maybe that money could buy an entire new summer wardrobe, or pay for a trip to Hawaii. Perhaps the money could be used for a new washing machine. (I know boring, but reality)

Saving money, and still making a special event feel special, is easier than you think! You can absolutely re-wear a special occasion dress, gala gown, or cocktail dress; again, and again, and again! The only rule of thumb is to never wear the same dress, to the same event, twice. That silver cocktail dress you wore to your friend’s party last week? You can’t wear it with that group of people again, but you can easily wear it to the upcoming charity event you are attending, and then your second cousin’s Friday night wedding. Get the idea?

While it seems to be a simple thing to be able to wear a dress over, and over, there is one easy way to remember where you have worn each dress. I easily forget where I wore a dress; especially if it hangs in my closet for two or three years. Since formal attire trends don’t change often, you can hold on to a dress for several years and continually re-wear it. Love that!

I have one simple system I use to help me keep track of where, and when, and with who, I wore a dress. In order to keep track of where my dress has been, I make hang-tags which I keep on the hangers of my dresses while they hang in my closet. This tells me when I wore a dress, which group of people I wore it with, and to which event it attended. This enables me to get many wears out of a cocktail dress, gala gown, or party dress without getting caught in the same dress twice, with the same group of people.

Here are the steps for making your own hangtags! You can see what they should look like in the photos below.

  1. Buy a package of index cards.
  2. Use a hole punch on the end of one index card to make a hole about a quarter-inch from the top. Hold the index card vertically when you punch the hole so that the hole is on one of the short ends of the card, not the long end
  3. Using scissors, cut a straight line from the end of the card to the hole.
  4. Make three columns on the card and label them “Date,” “Event,” and “Group.”
  5. Fill in the card with the event information from the place you wore it.
  6. Hang the card on the hanger; and voila! You have a record of where. and when, and with whom, you wore each gala gown, cocktail dress, and party dress!

punch a hole how to make a formal dress hangtag steps for making a formal dress hangtag how to rewear a cocktail dress how to remember where you wore a dress how to remember where you wore a cocktail dress how to wear a special occasion dress again

In addition to a special occasion dress, you are likely to own special occasion shoes, and clutches. These can be re-worn over, and over, and over again. If you have a clutch, or a pair of shoes which are kitschy, they will have a shelf life and should be labelled, so that they are never re-worn to the same event twice. If you tend to own classic formal accessories, like me, then you can easily re-wear them to the same event, and with the same group of people.

formal high heels shoes

Pictured: Tom Ford formal pumps

When it comes to formal accessories, I recommend owning three formal clutches or mini-bags, one in black, one in silver, and one in gold. I also recommend owning three pairs of formal shoes, one pair in black, one in silver, and one in gold. My black satin mini bag is fifteen years old, yet every-time I wear it, the bag looks fresh and new. Look for formal accessories which are classic and can be used over, and over. You will save a ton of money over time. Besides, when you attend an event, everyone is looking at your dress, not your shoes or bag. #FunFact

There you have it! It is OK to re-wear a formal dress to another event as long as you are keeping track of where you wore it before. Do you have a system to keep track of where you wore your gowns? If so, please share in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy saving money by re-wearing your formal gowns, cocktail dress, and party ensembles!

XOXO

Cathy