Fall Wardrobe Stuff...and Closets

My bowl of bracelets. Perfect for the pile-it-on jewelry trend for Fall!

Don't you love Fall clothes? I really do look forward to chunky sweaters and boots. I Loooove herringbone, tweeds, cable-knits, argyles, cashmere, camel hair and all the lush fabrics that embody this season !

When I was a small girl, I loved school shopping with my Mom.  I could picture myself meeting my teacher in my new dress, fresh knee-high socks and shiny mary-janes. Growing up, there was always some item of clothing I coveted that would change my world if I could just get it. Clothes lovers you know what I mean! My Mom, bless her, always made sure I had a few special things, even when we didn't have a ton of money. One, I remember, was a red faux fur coat in elementary school, another time it was flowered denim platforms in fourth grade and later, in junior high, brown dittos jeans and boots that laced up. That last ensemble went along with a knit cap with a flower I loved! As you can probably guess, I stood out. That wasn't always a good thing. Yeah, I was harassed throughout my school career for my non-conforming clothing choices. I was the first girl at my high-school to wear ankle jeans in the early eighties.  They were so cool, but they called me high-water girl.  Anyway, I have suffered for fashion willingly since childhood!

 Back-to-school shopping is now for my two boys. Getting a few special new pieces for myself is fun too. As far as the closet, I try to take a hard look at what I have actually worn in the past year and donate what hasn't and what is looking faded or worn. I've noticed it's the finer things I have added that have stood the test of time so I try to add one or two a season, if I can afford it. Sure, I also still like a few new trendy things from places like H&M, Banana and J. Crew that I throw in the mix. I am trying hard to buy less and only things I am truly crazy about. Otherwise, they just end up taking closet space. As a close friend recently said, if you haven't worn it within a week of buying it, you probably won't. True that!

This is the perfect time to point out the virtues of a fabulous book that really got me revved up about Fall wardrobes, closets and starting fresh. It's called, Practical Princess Perfect Wardrobe, and it got my tail into gear regarding my closet. The author, Elika Gibbs, styles and organizes closets for the rich and fabulous, (Kate Moss, ladies!)  She knows her stuff.  It has many helpful tips, that you should be doing, but probably aren't.  For instance, how to keep things ultra clean so you will never get moths, and how to properly store every kind of garment and why it even matters. Loved this book and if you are into clothing you will too.

Some of the fashion books I keep on my closet shelves.

Here's a peek into my weeny closet. It's tiny, but I don't share it, unlike my old larger walk-in. I kind of like it smaller and to myself. I love to fill it with sachets, and a candle, that make it smell girly. I also have some shelves that I like to place jewelry, accessories and bags. I try to rotate them out each season, where I can see them.  I like putting a small inspiration board of pictures up from the latest Vogue or whatever I love! It's fun- you should try it. I did it for the first time in Summer and I enjoyed seeing it in there when I dressed and now I just changed it for Fall. It also gave me some ideas for getting dressed when I was feeling uninspired. This is like my only personal spot in the whole house, so I tried to glam it up a bit and really make it my own little sanctuary, though it is a closet!

I display my jewelry so I can remember to wear it. I recently bought a pretty bowl from Anthropologie that I pile all my bracelets into. I love seeing them sparkle on the shelf. I also use the tie racks that were originally built into the closet for my necklaces. It makes it so much easier to see what I have. I put these by metal and color. Check out my cute owl necklace my sweet friend Jen gave me if you can see it.

So ladies, get on with the de-cluttering, as one of my favorites bloggers, Faux Fushia always says. While you're at it, get yourself a Vogue or Bazaar too. Lucky us, we can do back-to-school clothes without the school !