Sugar Blaze

Very rarely do you see someone whose style is all over the place, dressing in romantic ruffles on Monday, wild neon pieces on Tuesday, grunge wear on Wednesday… I could go on, but you get the idea. Most of us have a pretty straightforward style and stick to it. If you’re a regular reader, I don’t have to tell you that my own style is colorful and fun. Perhaps you’re frilly and flirty, or sleek and sophisticated.

These adjectives are not meant to be limiting, but rather, are used to describe the styles your eye is naturally drawn to. Knowing your preferences can help you when you’re shopping, when you’re not sure if something is really “you” or not.

I really like all of the outfits here:

Photo Credits (clockwise from top left): 1, 4, & 5) José Serrano; 2) Lilly Pulitzer; 3) decor8; 6) Peter Duhon

These clothes do not look like they came from the same closet. The outfits look like they belong to six starkly different women, each with a distinct sense of style. Yet, if someone offered me all of these clothes (either for free, in my dreams, or for a reasonable amount of money, in real life), I would jump at the chance to have them.

The problem lies in what happens when I get home with these clothes. While they look great matched as you see here, the ability to mix and match each piece with the clothes I already own dwindles the further I get from my base style of, “colorful and fun.” Simply put, not everything I like would get along with the other clothes in my closet. Clothes that don’t agree with one another are a surefire path to disaster. A closet full of drastically different styles, while interesting, makes getting dressed extremely difficult.

Because I shop clearance racks, secondhand stores, and clothing swaps, I am constantly presented with opportunities to snag experimental pieces for very little or even for free. Mostly, this is a good thing, but as far as closet space is concerned, it’s not. I’ve acquired so much in the past month, I am now out of hangers to put it all on, and I already fold what I have shelf and drawer space for. I could buy more hangers, but there is very little room left in the closet to hang more clothes. If I am to hang on to the tried-and-true, I must collect less of the experimental clothing.

So, how do I know when something is different enough to add a dash of flavor to my wardrobe, but not so different that it looks sour next to the clothes I already own?

I’ve read guides before that tell you to envision at least three pieces that you can match to your new one, before buying. That’s a good suggestion, except for the fact that things always look very different on than I imagine they will in my head. I might pick out a shirt and be certain it will go with three different skirts I own, only to get home and see that it looks terrible with all three of those skirts.

Unless I can come up with a way to transport my entire wardrobe with me everywhere I go shopping, I will never really know until I get home with new items whether they are winners or losers. So, to solve this dilemna, I’ve settled on this new rule: all new clothes must immediately be worn.

That means no buying a new shirt and letting it sit in the closet for a month before I wear it. No bringing home bags full of experimental clothing from the Goodwill and telling myself I’m not in an experimenting mood the next week straight. The very day after I bring in a new item, I must be seen wearing it. If I have trouble finding something to wear it with, it’s time for a FAO session!

If I still cannot pair my new piece with anything else I own, I will know: this item does not get along with my other clothes. If it’s store-bought, I need to return it and spend my money on something more useful. If it was free, I should resist the selfish temptation to hang onto it and give it to someone who will take it out and show it around.

Clothes, like people, need to see the light of day. They deteriorate if you shut them in for too long, and it’s unfair to everyone involved: you, your closet, the clothing item, and its would-be owner, if only you’d practice a little generosity. The art of collecting useless clothing is not worth your valuable closet space or your precious time in the mornings, when you’re trying to get dressed and get out the door.