Just add color!

As I was sautéing my vegetables last night, I was admiring the abundance of color from the variety of veggies in my pan. I remembered hearing the more color you have on your plate, the healthier it is for you … and although colorful, I don’t think they meant M&M’s. With that said, I added as much variety of fresh vegetables as I could. As I stood at the stove stirring, strange as it seems, it reminded me of my obsession with wardrobe color. I am forever trying to get my clients out of their comfort zone in terms of adding more color to their wardrobes.

What could be more uplifting than sporting a bright red or dramatic purple top to start off your day? We all have at least 40 colors that are our very best, so why do I see so many wardrobes of black and white? Create excitement and interest by adding one or two colors to your typical work “uniform.” You may even feel like you have a totally new outfit on just by pairing a blue, green or even, gasp, a yellow top with your black pant. It’s OK if your sense of adventure is a colorful necklace, bracelet or earrings. It’s a start, right?

I encourage all of you reading this to get creative with what you have in your closet. Start by organizing it so you can see what you have in each category of pants, tops, skirts, etc. Then pull a basic piece like a pant and try several different tops with it to create a unique combination. Do this with all of your “uniform” pieces. You’ll feel like you’ve just been shopping in your own closet when you see these potentially great looks. Know what the best part of this experience will be? As you begin creating new looks with the pieces you own, you’ll start to get a sense of your own personal style. How great is that? Don’t forget to make note of missing pieces that might inspire yet another creative outfit. That list will serve as your shopping list for the next time you hit the mall. (Shopping with a focus saves time and money!)

Didn’t know you had the potential to look great in 40 different colors? Don’t spend another dime on your wardrobe until a professional does your color analysis. Wow, what a difference the right yellow can make! (Can you see where I’m going with all of this yellow talk? Everyone has a good yellow. You just need to wear your best one to appreciate this magnificent color.) Looking fabulous in your best colors every day will definitely give you confidence and make you feel like a million bucks, I guarantee. Like colorful vegetables, looking healthy and vibrant is easy with a wardrobe loaded with your best colors. Join me on this journey to healthy living, won’t you?

OK, some of you may be thinking, “That’s not a messy closet!”

But for someone like me, this is totally a disaster! I have a very small closet and it must stay neat and organized for me to maintain my sanity. Getting dressed each day should not be a chore, nor should it instill a bad mood.

What is your idea of a perfect closet? For me, it has to be orderly and organized by color.

Regardless of whether you are male or female, wear suits or business casual, or work in a corporate environment or at home, you should place high importance on your closet and your wardrobe. A messy wardrobe or a closet full of “nothing” can really affect your attitude for the rest of the day.

Here are 5 key points to consider for your own wardrobe:

1. Build a wardrobe that meets your lifestyle needs. (Use a pie graph to chart this.) An example would be:

a.  55% of your time needs work clothes
b.  35% – family time/play clothes
c.  5% – athletic/outdoor activities
d.  5% – social events

2. Do you travel a lot for business or pleasure? Do you have a system for packing quickly and effectively?

3. What colors are predominant in your wardrobe? Is that working for you or would you like to add more color into the mix? (I’m going out on a limb here to assume you mostly have black!)

4. What’s your personal style like? Could you describe it? Could you recognize it in

a store?

5. Do you have time to shop and plan for your wardrobe?

Taking the time NOW to organize, purge and reclaim your wardrobe is a smart investment. Save your precious dollars! Don’t buy something just because it’s on sale. And stop wasting time and money on bad clothing mistakes because you were under some time pressure.

Put your energies into your existing wardrobe:

• Do analyze your lifestyle needs to make sure you have the correct proportion of work clothes to play clothes to social events, etc.
• Take the time to go through all of your spring/summer (don’t worry about your winter clothes till the fall) items to make sure each piece fits you well, flatters your skin tone, hair and eyes and is in good condition.
• Please purge the items that don’t pass this test. This may be most of your wardrobe. Don’t panic.
• Look for other ways to wear your current pieces together. I bet you can find different looks if you try.
• Stop! Don’t forget to jot down any items that you need to add or want to replace, like your white dress shirts. A season of dry cleaning/washing will dull your whites to a dingy yellow.

Know your colors, what looks best on YOUR body and what style is most like you (Look for the commonalities in your current wardrobe.)