Let's start with the mirror- at the very least it should be full length and if you have access to a second mirror of any sort then use it! Mirrors are second only to your best friends when it comes to building a great closet.
Once faced with the mirror, I ask myself the most important question:
DOES THIS FIT?
Ladies, I urge you all, if the item does not fit do not put it back in your closet. I'm not judging, I'm so very guilty of buying the 'I'll lose weight for this' dress and then letting it sit in my closet over the years, taunting me and making me feel like the rest of my wardrobe is inadequate because it actually fits. It's funny how I'll justify purchasing an item like this with some crash diet scheme and yet in the same shopping trip I'll purchase three items that fit me as I am... odd logic, isn't it?
If you can't stop the problem at the source (aka, buying an item that's too small), try to get it out of your closet asap. The sooner you do so the more likely you will be able to resell the item online or at a consignment shop. I know it's so tempting to hold on, especially if you feel it's just a little too tight in one place. As much as we'd all like it, we can't will our bodies to lose weight in a specific area. I have the same problem with every pair of jeans I try on- loose in the legs, tight in the waist. Yet every time I lose weight, the first place I lose it is in my legs. Thank you, genetics.
We've attached such a stigma to the phrase "this doesn't fit." Fit isn't about the smallest size we can pour our bodies into- it's about finding something that matches your proportions. But when you're trying on clothes you already have, if it's too small toss it or store it somewhere that's not your immediate closet. If it's too big and get it tailored- if you find the right tailor, your options are endless and your closet will thrive.
Finding items that fit is only the beginning, as Oprah says, everything in your closet should make you feel like a million bucks. The trick is looking like a million bucks- come back later this week for tips on how to rethink your existing wardrobe.
Think you're a master at recycling old clothes? Email me your most inventive outfits with the prices(or approximations) and where you bought them... I just may feature your look!
Dress to Impress,
tiffany
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