Style Tips and Fashion Basics for Women

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Ruth

“Cling to your style and refuse the trends.”  ~vreeland

Having a small wardrobe of just the right pieces is infinitely better than over-full closets and dressers that are stuffed with trendy or cheap items.  It really does pay to invest in basic classics made of quality, excellent fabrics and fine workmanship.  In the long run you will save money!  Be conservative about buying on sale.  In fact it can be dangerous since you will probably be motivated by the thrill of bargain hunting instead of necessity.  Such bargains seldom pay off.  Before investing in this “fabulous buy,” ask yourself if this is something you would buy at full price.  If so, by all means buy it.  If not, leave it alone!

Update your basics with accessories.  Scarves and more scarves, jewelry, shoes and bags can be great wardrobe extenders.  Quality pieces in a classic design are always in style and can easily be updated with a fun accessory that will also express your own style and creativity.  Belts, scarves and jewelry add variety to your wardrobe while creating illusions of wearing a different outfit every day.

Shoes and bags are great accessories that can add flair and style to any outfit.  Here again, buy the best quality you can afford, and make sure the shoes are the best possible fit.  A pair of strappy shoes and/or a dressier pair of earrings will change the look of a business basic suit or dress instantly from daytime to after-five.  Keep in mind that pumps remain the best shoe choice for business.

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Declutter your closet – Declutter your life!

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Ruth

Closet audits.  Unless you are planning on creating a museum in your name, there is no excuse for having a cluttered closet with huge inventories of clothing you may not even remember you had.  It serves no one, most of all you.  Cleaning out your closet and getting rid of “stuff” is more than that.  It is about creating order, calm and control in your life.  In fact I would take it one step further, it is about freeing yourself of the past.  Clients that I have worked with have said it in so many words, “I did not realize I was hanging on to an old relationship, a time when I was thinner.  Perhaps I have been clinging to my youth.”  Those thoughts are never realized until you begin to move the “stuff” out.  It is then that old emotions begin to surface.  It is also then when you realize how freer you are beginning to feel.

A closet audit is the fastest way to having more to wear.  Once you rid yourself of what no longer serves you, you quickly find and see that your wardrobe is more appealing.  Decisions are so much simpler when the right pieces are no longer surrounded by the old, worn pieces that have been taking up precious space.  The gaps that you have left after your audit, will give you a better idea of what you need to buy the next time you shop.  You will now have a point of direction instead of running into the store grabbing a few things that you hope will go with what you think you may have in your closet.  A trimmed closet makes it easier for you to function on a daily basis.

Make “Less is More” your mantra and always remember that it is best to own a few quality pieces than a closet full of mismatches that will not go with anything and continuously cause you frustration and confusion.  You will know what it is like to open the doors of your closet and have just the right thing to wear for any occasion.  Gone are the days of lamenting, “I have nothing to wear.”

Make 2012 the year you create calm and order in your life.  Treat yourself to a closet audit, and the decluttering of your wonderful life.

Need assistance?  You will find more information in my book, “Be the Rage at any Age – Style Wisdom to Last a Lifetime,”  or a personal consultation w/Ruth.  www.ruthromero.com

 

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