A CLOSET I LOVE

I went through my closet recently and felt uninspired. Unsurprised, I decided to take inventory of my closet. I noticed that it was becoming more and more difficult to find outfits that I love, and many of the items in my closet don't fit my style anymore. My life has changed; I am changing, and so is my style. I'm quickly moving away from fast fashion and trends and moving toward wanting more of a capsule-style wardrobe that reflects quality and sophistication.

I want my closet to reflect my current style: modern sophistication with flair. I want clothing that fit like a glove (it's time to find a great tailor) and quality fabrics and construction that stand the test of time. Recently, I started building the closet of my dreams, taking this quote by designer Micheal Kors’ as inspiration: “If 70% of your wardrobe is meat and potatoes aka basics, the other 30% is the dessert—full-on sparkle and shine, indulgent glamour.” Yes, I’ll definitely indulge in fun pieces with sparkly and all that jazz, but I will reserve 70% for the basics/ foundation of my closet.

Below I’m sharing my process for building a wardrobe that I love.

•  Natural Fabrics - I'm opting for clothing made of natural fabrics like wool, silk, and cotton instead of synthetic materials like polyester and rayon and nylon. From personal experience, natural fabrics are more durable and last longer, so although they are usually more expensive upfront, they are a better investment in the long run.

• Quality construction - I can remember shopping with my mother as a child and watching her check the seams and stitching on clothes before purchases. The daughter of a seamstress, my mother developed a keen eye for how well (or not well) fabrics are stitched together. Despite witnessing my mother's shopping practice since childhood, I did not use it in making my own purchasing decisions. Until now. Quality construction means better quality clothes. Thank you, Mom!

• Fit - Clothes that fit well and look well on my body. If something doesn't fit well, I stay clear of it. A great tailor helps with getting clothes to fit well. 

• Wearability - Since I am investing in more quality pieces, I expect to get a return on my investment. In other words, I look for pieces that I will wear. I consider factors such as: is this an item I can wear for years?; can I create at least 3-5 outfits with this piece?; and does this item look good on me?

• Color - I recently did a color analysis to determine what colors look best on my complexion. This makes shopping a lot easier as I go for the colors that help me look my best.