Mix & Match

This time of the year, everyone's closet is too full! That's because we're wearing both winter and spring clothes so, naturally, we have both in our closets. Unfortunately, this can make us feel like the closet is getting worse rather than better! Take heart, though. By the end of April, most of the winter stuff will be put away and the closet will go back to normal. For now, be patient as you work with all those extra clothes.

Spring dressing is similar to business casual dressing. What do I mean by that? Business Casual is, generally speaking, half business and half casual. So, the idea for Spring dressing is that half of your ensemble will be "wintry" and half will be "spring-like." For example: A wool blazer with a wool, silk or cotton shell and triacetate slacks.

Another way to add some 'spring' to your look is to add a little color to your dark neutrals. Tops in aqua, turquoise, salmon pink, bright red or yellow will add some life to dark colors. Also try winter white, tan or light gray pants and now you have 2 parts of the outfit in lighter colors.

Don't forget to add the jewelry,,,!

Spring sales are in full force!

April is generally a big month for retailers. Primarily this is because of Easter but it's also because of the seasonal change. The stores are full of merchandise they are anxious to move out in order to make room for the summer clothes, which are already on display. (Have you noticed the swim suits?)

If you can use some additions to your Spring wardrobe, now is an excellent time to go shopping!

If corporate women would shop the way men do, they'd have a more co-coordinated wardrobe.

A man will buy a suit, a sports coat, a couple pairs of dress pants, a casual pair of pants, etc. In other words, there's a well defined selection of garments that he'll purchase. He'll buy shirts during the same shopping trip and if he's really smart, he'll get ties, socks, shoes, a belt and a raincoat also. A few hours of shopping with a pro, and it's done!! (Yes, keep in mind that shopping with a pro - i.e. me - is much faster than shopping on your own.) AND everything will be coordinated. The only thing left to do is the alterations.

Not every woman likes to shop, but for women who do, buying one item at a time is fine because they're good at finding a piece here and a piece there that works in beautifully with their wardrobe. Rarely, though, will you find a business woman with time for that kind of shopping. Her idea of relaxation is reading a book, not shopping (that's what I do for relaxation!).

Another difference between men and women is that he'll start wearing his purchases right away and wear them until they wear out or he changes sizes. Women, on the other hand, will quite often save some of their new clothes for a special meeting or occasion. They feel that their 'good' suit should not be worn too often. Unfortunately these clothes will age and goes out of style before they're worn out!

I always know when I've made the right purchase because I'll wear it right away. If it hangs in the closet, it obviously wasn't the right piece because, if it was, I'd be wearing it!

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The main issue recently, for the men I work with, has been 'fit.' One of my male clients was classified wrongly at a well known store, which I really found surprising. In order to help you avoid this, here are some tips:

Stand with your suit coat or sport coat on. Let your hands drop naturally at your sides. Curl your fingers up as if to cup the bottom hem of the jacket. When you do this, the hem should fit where your fingers meet your palm and it should hang straight. That's what to do when you shop for a new one.

A little more information for you - jackets are proportioned overall, meaning that the size has to do with height AND the build of the torso. There are three size ranges for men - regular, athletic and portly (I call it robust). A 42 regular suit jacket will be paired with pants that have a waist of 36. That's a six inch difference between chest and waist size and this is called the 'drop.' A 'regular' size range has a six inch drop, 'athletic' has an eight inch drop, and 'robust' has a four inch drop.

If you don't happen to fit naturally into one of these size ranges, another way to purchase a suit is as separates. Women have been doing this for years but it's a newer concept that's gaining in popularity in men's departments. If you can buy your suit pieces separately, fewer alterations may be needed. This is also the way to buy if you want to mix and match. The world isn't as 'suited' as it used to be because there's a more relaxed atmosphere in workplaces these days and 'business casual' is in style.

In the final analysis, find the size that fits YOU.

How exciting to be going to a warmer climate! Who couldn't use a vacation right now?! Several of my clients are taking vacations this month. Here are some tips I use to make packing stress-free!

1. Using an itinerary - list each event. For instance, four days of beach or touring will have four lines. Do the same for the evenings and any other activities like golf or tennis.
2. Select the clothes for each line, including shoes, handbag and jewelry. Put them on your bed or in a section of your closet, in the order you think you'll wear them.
3. Write these ensembles on your itinerary. List the entire outfit, even if you're wearing something more than once.
4. Decide what outfit to travel in. I recommend slip on shoes, not sneakers with laces. For attire, be comfortable, but stylish. Since you're going from one climate to another, wear a jacket, sweater or shawl over two other layers of clothing.
5. A color scheme may have developed by now. If not, see if you can edit your selections to have more mix & match options. If you choose black and white as your base, be sure that each outfit has some color. After all, you are on vacation, so why not be colorful!
6. Start eliminating as many pairs of shoes as possible. They weigh too much, take up too much room in the suitcase and you don't care what strangers think of your footwear! The same goes for handbags.
7. Leave room in the suitcase for toiletries. Put all liquid containers in zip-lock baggies.
8. Put jewelry in baggies, as well. It keeps it from getting tangled. Also, try not to bring the good stuff. Again, you don't have to impress strangers AND you won't worry so much about losing it.
9. Have a wonderful time and be sure to take an extra picture in one of your fabulous outfits to give to your image consultant when you get home!

Bon Voyage!

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Copyright 2001-2007 Julie Foley. All rights reserved.