There are certain celebrities who always look great no matter where or when they are photographed – Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, Miranda Kerr, Alexa Chung. They have that effortless chic that looks like they just threw on the first thing they grabbed. I can assure you, it is not effortless. Yes, some people have a knack for dressing themselves. However, it does take some planning to end up with a closet where you can do that. If you want to have a wardrobe you love, a little bit of work will get you there.

Me in my closet

Here are some tips that can help…

• Keep an ongoing shopping list. You do it for groceries. Aren’t clothes worthy of the same attention? Start that list by taking the orphans out of your closet. Is there one piece you can add that coordinates with many of them? If so, write it on your list. If you get dressed one day and realize that a plaid blazer would make your outfit perfect, write it on a “want” list. If that blazer matches three or more pieces you own, move it to a “buy” list.

• Flip through the pages of fashion magazines (InStyle is a good one) and rip out the outfits you like. As you page through, keep an eye out for things you have in your closet that can be worn differently. For example, I ripped out a photo of slouchy boyfriend jeans worn with high heels, bold jewelry and a fitted turtleneck. I have all those pieces but wouldn’t have necessarily thought to pair them together in that way. See where I’m going with this? Once you are done ripping, analyze what you like and write notes on each page. Do you like the overall look? Color? Silhouette? Fabric? Are you seeing a pattern? For example, do most photos include black riding boots or skinny pants? If it will match other pieces in your wardrobe, putt it on your shopping list.

• Take your favorite items out of the closet. Let’s say one is a patterned shirt. What is it that you love? Is it the color or fabric? Is it the style – flowy or a fitted? Is it the fit? Is it the scale of the pattern? Write down exactly you like about your favorite pieces and then you can shop for different versions of it. Now do the same for a few pieces you dislike. Make a list of things you DON’T need as well (if you have six blue sweaters for example). We women can remember every transgression a boyfriend ever made. But, when it comes to the contents of our closets, we have amnesia and end up with multiples of the same item.

• Once you have all these notes in front of you, compile them together in an easy-to-read format to help you figure out what you like and what don’t so you can repeat shopping successes and avoid shopping mistakes. You don’t have to buy everything on your list at one time, but you should always carry it with you when shopping.

• As you shop from your list, be careful of the disease I suffered from when I was younger called “Almostitis.” If I needed a pair of black straight-leg pants, and I found a pair of navy straight-leg pants, I bought them. I ended up with an extra pair of pants that didn’t match what I needed them to.  Don’t make the same mistake!

It may take a bit of time, but if you follow my advice, you will fill your closet with clothing you love and avoid fashion mistakes. Soon enough you’ll be able to easily grab an outfit that will look great. Let me know if you have any questions.

Illysia Neumann-Loreck