The Curated Closet

by Anuschka Rees

  BUILD A REPERTOIRE OF FAVOURITE LOOKS

  Fine-tune your outfits until they are 100 per cent your style. Then snap a picture of your look and take notes. Throughout your fitting, pay attention to two things:

  1. The main ingredients: Which pieces go well with each other?

  2. The spices: What styling tricks (including accessories) work best with each of your items?

  Styling challenges

  Complete these challenges as part of your fitting or whenever you need some fresh new ideas. Start by tackling the three foundation-level challenges. They will help you get to know the basic structure of your wardrobe. After that, pick a few of the advanced-level challenges to dig even deeper.

  FOUNDATION LEVEL

  • Inaugurate new pieces. No matter whether you’ve just finished a major wardrobe overhaul or just bought a couple of fresh pieces for the new season, make sure you spend a little bit of time getting to know each new item and find out as much as possible about it: what occasions could you wear it to, with what other pieces does it go well, and what type of styling brings out the best in it? Find at least three different ways to wear each new piece and make sure you record all your findings in your style file.

  • Get to know your outfit formulas. Pick one of your outfit formulas and use it to put together five different looks. Use accessories, additional pieces and styling tricks to add variety and differentiate between them.

  • Put your key pieces to work. Choose your five most important key pieces and challenge yourself to create three outfits, each as different from each other as possible. For example, your perfect black blazer might already work really well for daytime, but let’s see if you can also make it work as part of a super-casual weekend look or a fancier going-out-at-night outfit.

  ADVANCED LEVEL

  • Style a plain base look five different ways. Start with an outfit of basics, like black jeans and a simple white top. Then challenge yourself to transform that base layer into five completely different looks, using accessories, additional pieces, hair and make-up, and other styling tricks.

  • Create a flagship look. Condense your entire personal style into a single outfit. Fine-tune every detail, including jewellery and make-up.

  • Style three weekend looks. What are your favourite things to do on the weekends? Build three outfits that are perfect for those activities.

  • Style three work looks. Time for business. Put together a few different outfits that you could wear the next time you have an important meeting or a big presentation and want to feel ultra confident.

  • Dress it up, dress it down. Start out with one of your go-to looks and then dress it either up or down by amping up or toning down its individual elements one by one, by adding, removing, or changing your make-up; adding or removing accessories; tucking in hemlines; switching out your shoes; adding a different jacket; and so on. See how far you can take it in either direction.

  • Play a game of six degrees of separation. To get started, pick two complete outfits (no overlapping pieces). Next, start out with one of your looks and see if you can create another equally great look by switching out a single item, two at the most. Continue to create new outfits by switching out one or two pieces each time, until you have eventually linked your two starting outfits.

  • Style a week’s worth of outfits with only ten pieces. This is a two-part challenge, because you need to flex your styling muscles to style your pieces in different ways, and you also need to choose the right pieces in the first place. But once you have found a versatile set of pieces, packing for your next trip will be super easy.

  Build an arsenal of styling tricks

  Look closely at any great outfit you see in magazines or on blogs and you’ll notice the huge amount of detail and thought that went into it. That gorgeous dress an actress is wearing is made all the more beautiful by her red lipstick and sapphire green earrings. That cozy but ultra chic fall outfit in the September issue of your favourite magazine wouldn’t look half as good without the belt, the layering, the tote bag, and the boots with socks peeking out from them. And even if the outfit consists of nothing but a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, or is otherwise simple and minimalist, little details like the cuffing of the jeans, the tuck of the T-shirt, or the rolling of the sleeves can take it to the next level.

  Styling is what turns a good outfit into a great one.

  While the process of styling an outfit may seem elusive, it’s actually quite simple because there are only so many basic elements that can be adjusted or added to an outfit (see the list below).

  Some of these will work for your unique personal style and help you take your outfits to the next level; others won’t. As you experiment with different outfit combinations during your fitting, make it a point to also throw as many different styling tricks into the mix as you can to see which ones you like the best.

  Start by testing out the styling techniques you discovered during your inspiration search and fieldwork stage, but then branch out. Take notes about what type of pieces go particularly well with what type of styling techniques. Also, try to pay attention to what effect a certain styling trick has so you can use it to calibrate any look.

  Write a list of your favourite styling tricks and add to it whenever you come across a new idea you might want to try.

  TUCKING IN SHIRTS

  Adds structure and interest to your outfit. Experiment with full tucks, front tucks and half tucks.

  CUFFING TROUSERS

  This can mean anything from skinny half-rolled cuffs to a solid 2-inch cuff.

  ROLLING UP SLEEVES

  This works for jackets and shirts, as well as for long- and short-sleeve tops alike.

  BELTS

  From skinny to wide, worn up high on the natural waistline, low on the hips, or anything in between.

  SCARVES

  From silk handkerchiefs to blanket scarves.

  JEWELLERY

  Necklaces, bracelets or bangles, rings, earrings and brooches.

  OTHER ACCESSORIES

  Glasses or sunglasses, tights, hair accessories, hats, and gloves.

  LAYERS

  Think adding an accent top that peeks out around the neckline, hemline or sleeve openings. Or, try tying a shirt around your waist or hips.

  MAKE-UP AND HAIR STYLING

  These are important parts of your look, whether you prefer a bold or neutral lip colour, an updo or a looser hair look.

  The definitive guide to smart shopping: Escape the fast fashion cycle, find pieces you love, and prevent impulse buys with these three essential habits.

  Being a conscious consumer in a world that’s obsessed with amassing more and more stuff can be a real challenge. Glossy billboards, highly produced celebrity-driven ads, and clever social media campaigns are everywhere, and stylish clothing is now more accessible and affordable than ever. This is a dangerous combination that has had quite the impact on our spending habits: The average person in the 1960s bought fewer than twenty-five new garments a year and spent almost 10 per cent of his or her income on clothes. Nowadays, we buy close to seventy new pieces a year – more than one per week – but spend less than 3.5 per cent of our income on clothes.

  We buy more but invest less per piece. And I’m not just talking about money. We also invest less time and thought into each purchase. Why? Because we can. With the rise of the fast-fashion industry, the average prices for wearables have dropped steadily and we simply no longer have to think twice about every piece we buy. But lower prices aren’t the only reason for our haphazard spending.

  The new normal

  In recent years, there has been a huge shift in the way we use technology. We are online and ‘connected’ 24/7, and that has made it a lot easier for brands to reach us. Instead of having to rely on expensive magazine ads or the persuasive powers of their sales assistants, brands can now simply send out a few tweets and sponsor a few bloggers to reach a global audience of millions.

  As a result, the
online world is so saturated with ads and brand messages, it’s impossible to escape. And so most of us spend our days surrounded by pretty pictures of stuff and glamorous people talking about that stuff. Every day, we see fashion bloggers and Instagrammers buying more and more, without thinking about it too much. And even if at first we think, ‘What, you bought another pair of leopard heels?!’ over time that constant exposure changes our own perception of what’s normal and we ourselves get used to buying more and more without thinking about it too much. Flash sales, two-for-one deals, and constantly changing collections teach us to make fast decisions. Being less selective becomes the new normal.

  Escaping the cycle

  The way you shop is nothing but a set of habits you have picked up over the years. And if you want to change the way you shop and become more selective and thoughtful about what you buy and what goes into your wardrobe, then you need to gradually replace those habits with some new ones.

  Most women I know who have successfully escaped the fast-fashion cycle and now own personalised, well-curated wardrobes all follow the same general process when it comes to shopping for new pieces. That process can be broken down into three key habits, which I’ll walk you through in this chapter.

  None of these habits require drastic measures or huge amounts of willpower, so don’t worry – you don’t have to unfollow half of your Instagram list, vow to never shop at your favourite budget store again, or go on a thirty-day shopping fast to become a more selective, thoughtful shopper. Instead, it’s all about slowing down the process and subtly tweaking the way you shop, to give you both more energy and deliberation time to make better purchasing decisions.

  HABIT 1 WRITE DETAILED SHOPPING LISTS

  Have you ever noticed how most fashion stores are set up in the same way? Fashion-forward, higher-priced pieces are in the front and on mannequins so you definitely won’t miss them, the permanent collection is in the back, and the way to the till is always conveniently lined with budget-friendly goodies for you to grab while you wait. No matter whether you shop at Forever 21 or Anthropologie, that’s the setup you will find 95 per cent of the time because it’s what brings in the most sales. After decades of research and number crunching, brands know exactly how to lure us in, point us towards the pricy stuff and send us home with way more than we came in for.

  Your best defence is a clear, succinct shopping list (like the one you created in your style file in preparation for your wardrobe overhaul). Get in the habit of deciding what you want to buy before you hit the shops, online or in person at a brick-and-mortar store.

  The average shopper does the exact opposite: they go on a little shopping trip as soon as they have a vague idea of what they want to buy (‘trousers’,‘fancy outfit’, ‘something blue’) and then let external circumstances fill in the details. What they eventually take home is above all a result of chance, which items caught their attention, what was on sale, what the nice sales assistant talked them into, and how many stores they made it to until their feet started to hurt.

  And sure, sometimes serendipity strikes and that approach works out just fine. But when you’re trying to build a cohesive wardrobe, your shopping process really needs to be more strategic than that, because you’re not just looking for any old pair of pants – you need one with specific qualities that work with the rest of your clothes, your colour palette and your style profile and that matches your preferences for things like fabric composition, fit and silhouette.

  And the more you can define these qualities in advance, the better off you will be when you do eventually go out to shop. You’ll be able to do a quick online search for items that fit your criteria and put together a short list of brands. You’ll be able to narrow down your list of go-to shops. And then, once you are in a store, you’ll be able to use your predefined criteria like a filter to scan what’s available.

  All this not only increases the likelihood that you’ll actually find what you are looking for, but it also helps to de-stress the entire process and preserve your energy, thereby keeping you from settling for something you’re not all that crazy about.

  And of course, having a good idea about what exactly it is you are looking for is also the best way to avoid impulse buys because it gives you a clear focus, a target. While you are concentrating on hunting down that target, you are much less likely to get sidetracked by any of the other pretty things on display that may look cute but wouldn’t work with your wardrobe right now, let alone fit into your budget.

  So the next time you are considering adding something new to your wardrobe, take a couple of minutes to figure out exactly what kind of garment you are looking for, using your style profile, colour palette, outfit formulas and any other basic parameters you have set for your wardrobe.

  Key factors to consider when writing a shopping list:

  • Overall style

  • Colour

  • Cut, silhouette and fit

  • Material

  • Details

  • Sleeve length

  • Neckline

  • Pattern

  Feel free to add as much info as you want to your shopping list, but make sure you distinguish between qualities that are a must (such as white or eggshell colour, cotton fabric) and those that aren’t essential but nice to have (such as a crew neckline).

  HABIT 2 TAKE IT SLOW

  Compared to the average shopper, people who own carefully curated wardrobes shop at a snail’s pace. They like to take their time to compare all options before they make a decision and will rarely buy a piece on the same day they first spotted it in a store or online.

  Again, it all boils down to being selective. If you are looking for a very specific piece, one that ticks all your checkboxes in terms of style, fit, details, and so on, one shopping trip will usually not give you enough time to consider a possible new garment from all angles.

  By deliberately taking it slow, you are giving yourself the chance to be thorough and make sure you aren’t rushing your decision or acting on impulse.

  So instead of checking off all your shopping on a single afternoon, try this approach: take your time to define exactly what type of item you need and write a very specific shopping list. Then check out some of your favourite brands online and see if any of them offer a piece that fits your criteria. Put together a short list of items that you can try on in a nearby store or just order directly (making sure that you can return any items that don‘t work out). Read reviews and search for pictures of the piece online. How does it look as part of an outfit? What are people saying about the fabric?

  Once you have tried on the items on your short list, compare each piece to your list of criteria and think about how well they each would work as part of your current wardrobe. Take a walk around the block if you are not sure or put the items on hold and sleep on it. If none of your final contenders feel quite right, just walk away. It’s better to live with a gap in your wardrobe for a while than to waste money on a piece that doesn’t work for your style or your life.

  HABIT 3 PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS

  Think a white T-shirt is just a white T-shirt? Think again! There are crew necks, V-necks or boat necks; cap sleeves, raglan sleeves and half sleeves; A-line fits, straight fits, slim fits or relaxed fits; cotton, linen or synthetic fibres. And all these tiny details matter. These details can mean the difference between an all-American Ivy League style and edgy boho-chic. Because in combination, they give a garment personality and a very specific look.

  Your ability to create outfits that are in tune with your personal style is completely dependent on how well each individual garment in your wardrobe reflects that style. And that’s why training yourself to pay attention to details like the fit, fabric composition or neckline of an item is such an important step toward building a better wardrobe.

  Let’s say you want to add a new basic to your wardrobe: a pair of jeans in a dark wash. Now, instead of going with the first pair of dark-wash jeans you find in your size, s
top and have a closer look. What fit style do these jeans have? Are they slim, straight, boyfriend, or skinny? Would that fit work well with the rest of your wardrobe, and is it in line with your overall style? Do you like the material? Does it work with the overall look you are going for? What about the rise, the fading, and the placement of the pockets? Are they comfortable to move in?

  At the beginning, while your personal style is still a work in progress, paying attention to every detail of a garment might feel a little cumbersome. But once you feel confident about your style and know exactly what types of pieces you need to express it, you’ll be able to develop rules of thumb (like you did here) that will speed up the process. For example, it took me a while to figure out that I’m not a fan of scoop necklines or really any neckline that’s neither very high nor very low. But now that I know that, I can just go straight to my trusty crew necks or deep V’s while I’m out shopping, and it doesn’t take any extra time at all.

  Here’s an easy way to make better purchasing decisions, and thirteen questions to ask yourself before you spend your money.

  Nobody likes dressing rooms: the lighting is terrible, and you’re crammed into a tiny space with a mountain of clothes and a long line of fellow shoppers standing just behind the curtain, waiting for you to hurry up and take your pick already. Making smart purchasing decisions under those circumstances is definitely no easy feat, even if you took the time to write a detailed shopping list beforehand.