Resolve to Clear Your Closet and Your Head

Can clearing out your closet really change your life? I never get tired of telling people how and why it can. Most people tell themselves they'll "get to it" over the weekend. Then the weeks come and go and before you know it, it has been a year and your closet is still a mess. The number one thing my clients tell me (besides that they admire the style of Kate Middleton most) is that they can't believe it took them so long to clean/clear out their closets. What they really mean is that they can't believe how long they've taken to REALIZE THE BENEFITS of it. If they had understood before, they wouldn't have waited so long.

Since I had a baby 5 weeks ago, my closet has been looking like a client's before picture. Between managing my business while I'm absent (was that an oxymoron?), writing thank you notes and snuggling with the baby, I have not been able to prioritize cleaning out my closet. However, every morning when I go to get dressed, I am overwhelmed by the amount of clothes in my closet that don't work. Over and over again, I just reach for the same basic black items that I know will work. Being who I am, I was not willing to let this go on any longer (much less for the months or even years most of my clients had before they found me). Last week I ordered a bunch of new tops online (and on clearance!) in bright, happy colors; and a few days ago I FINALLY started taking the maternity clothes out before I put in the new, fun clothes that make me feel good.

The benefits? Now I can get dressed again! Also, I'm not hesitant to accept a lunch or coffee date because I know I can grab something out of my closet in a minute that works and energizes me. In addition, I'm more motivated to exercise and eat right so that I can get back into my old clothes. Do I only have a handful of pants that fit me right now? Yes. However, having two pairs of jeans that work freaks me out a whole lot less than having to find the only two that work, under a pile of seven that don't, in a ridiculously crowded closet. A woman with two kids does not have time to dig through her closet every morning!

The moral of this story is not that you need to buy new clothes, but that you can and deserve to have a stress-free morning (maybe you can't make the kids wear matching clothes, eat their breakfast or remember their lunch, but at least you won't be spending unnecessary time finding your own clothes). Buying new clothes won't help if you can't see the forest for the trees in your own closet!

You can find much of what remains to be said about how and why to clear the clutter in your closet in my past blogs. See below for the list of "greatest hits" to motivate you to clear your closet this year. In January. Not December.

Happy Clearing the Clutter and Happy New Year!

Do You Control Your Closet or Does Your Closet Control You? 

Lani Finally Buys The Closet She Deserves

To Buy or Not To Buy

To Keep or Not To Keep

The Container Store Did Not Pay Me For This One

The 5 Questions: Why You Should Clear Your Clutter

How to Avoid a "Who Wore it Best" Scenario

Celebrity or not, we all like to feel we have an original style. Have you ever gone to a party only to discover that another girl there is wearing the same exact dress as you? Or perhaps you’re fruitlessly searching for a truly unique gift for the person who has everything? In today’s mass-produced society, both of these scenarios are bound to happen. Finding something with a personal or unique touch that’s still well-made (and adorable!) isn’t always easy, especially if you are pressed for time. However, with the website Of A Kind, your search just got a lot easier.

Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, best friends who met as undergrads at University of Chicago, created Of A Kind to showcase and support independent and less-known artists and designers. Each week, the website features one designer, his/her story, and the behind the scenes blog posts. Then, they release one limited edition item from that artist. The catch is that there are only a limited amount of items for sale, which is where the website gets its name. However, if you do manage to snag the item before it’s sold out, I think you’ll be proud to say that there are only 15 of your new clutch or 50 of your new scarf in existence. Here is a sampling of my favorite items from Of a Kind.

I'm OBSESSED with these pink stud earrings!

Pink Double Crystal Studs by Better Late Than Never, $177, 60 of a kind

A unique wallet for either gender, look no further.

Hawkeye Wallet by Canoe, $65, 60 of a kind 

Wear this tee with a blazer and jeans for a look that is too cool.

Dyed Julie tee by Creatures of Comfort, $135, 30 of a kind 

Look fashionable while at the store by using these cute totes as reusable bags.

Catch All Tote by Lina Rennell, $98, 40 of a kind 

This clutch is the perfect size for all of your essentials.

Mini Western Clutch by Annie Williams, $105, 90 of a kind 

This lightweight scarf makes a great addition to a spring outfit, either in your hair or around your neck.

Spots and Stripes Scarf by Rawaan Alkhatib, $112, 40 of a kind 

The perfect tote bag is finally here!

Landscape Tote by Louise Goods, $175, 22 of a kind

This pouch is too cute! Keep your makeup in here and then toss it in your tote or use it as a clutch with jeans and a tee.

Cotton Candy Clutch by Kindah Khalidy, $85, 50 of a kind 



This beautiful statement ring is sure to draw attention!

Rose Furies Ring by Unearthen, $160, 65 of a kind 

Wooden jewelry is always effortlessly chic!

Fringe Necklace by Sophie Monet, $130, 35 of a kind 

This handmade strap will make you want to keep your camera around you all day

Metallic Paisley Camera Strap by SFK, $88, 50 of a kind

Two-toned jackets such as this Garde Jacket is perfect over dresses for spring.

Garde Jackets by Veda, $350, 32 of a kind

Sugar, Spice, and Something Nice: 5 Items Your Closet Can't Live Without

As pointed out to me by a client this week, I am a preacher of proactive shopping. Why? Because those last minute shopping jaunts are almost never successful and definitely not worth the stress factor. Which came first, the fabulous cocktail party to which you are invited, or the perfect dress you have hanging in your closet, ready to go at the last minute? Does it really matter? If you have to go shopping before saying yes to a fabulous invitation, you are definitely going to miss out on some of the finer moments in life.

Here are 5 items you should have ready to go in your closet at all times, lest a fabulous opportunity pass you by because you didn't have the right outfit. And for those of you who don't think that happens, I've heard many stories from clients and friends alike...

1. What's your Spice?

We should all have a go-to piece of Spice in our closet. What do I mean by "Spice"? I mean a piece that makes you feel and look special and sparkly! Speaking of sparkly, my favorite spicy piece right now is a sequined jacket. It doesn't have to be all gold and blingy or expensive either; mine is vintage with tiny ivory iridescent sequins. I bought it so long ago (probably in college) that I can't even remember where or when I bought it! Good thing this sort of thing never goes out of style. Your spicy piece could be a statement necklace that makes an all-black outfit chic and powerful instead of safe and boring, or a pair of shoes so fantastic that is almost doesn't matter what else you are wearing. The point is, if someone were to call you for a last minute dinner date or tickets to an awesome concert, could you be out the door, looking and feeling special and spicy, in 5 minutes?

Fabrizia Sequin Jacket from Nonoo, $495.00
As seen on Karen Elson in the most recent issue of Lucky Magazine

2. The Perfect Cocktail Dress

And no, it doesn't have to be black, but it could be. The purpose of this dress is that you know it fits, flatters and makes you feel good. This dress can be "dressed" up or down with shoes and accessories. Dressed up? Door-knocker earrings and metallic heels. Dressed down? Diamond studs, a blazer and a pair of leather pumps.

Vera Wang Lavender Draped Cocktail Dress from Neiman Marcus, $395.00
Why not try an inky navy instead of the usual black?

3. The 3 Ingredient Makeup bag

I feel like I always get stuck on a conference call or feeding the baby until 5 minutes before I need to run out the door, at which point I suddenly remember that I haven't put any makeup on. For these situations, you only need 3 steps in your makeup routine.

Step 1: Treat, moisturize, protect your skin from the sun, and provide coverage in one step with one of the new BB Creams. I can't wait to try the one from Dr. Brandt.

Dr. Brandt Flexitone BB Cream from Sephora, $39.00

Step 2: Curl your eyelashes. I use a basic Tweezerman model. 

Tweezerman Pro Curl Eyelash Curler from Sephora,  $20.00

Step 3: Do you have the perfect bright lipstick? I'm partial to red or orange right now. The new color "balms" provide impactful color and moisture without looking too "made-up". You can (and should) put a little on your finger as a quick cream blush!

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple from Drugstore.com, $8.00
My current obsession!

4. Jeans That Work Now

Jeans that will work well in 5 lbs do not count here. You must have a pair that fit you EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. The structure of the jeans will actually make you feel more confident than anything else, I promise. The best part about a good pair of jeans? No Spanx required! Wear a cute cropped pair in the summer. Pair with a basic tank and your Spicy sequined jacket and run out the door!

The Stilt Crop: 17 Years Soft from AG Jeans, $188.00

5.  Essential Accessories

Heels you can walk in and a leather bag that works day or night. Don't argue, just buy them if you don't have them.

Carma Open Toe Air Sling from Cole Haan, $140.00
 and
 Lauren Merkin Iris Snake-Embossed Clutch from Neiman Marcus, $395.00
These Cole Haan shoes have Nike Air technology and this Lauren Merkin bag goes with everything.

Why (Almost) Every Girl in Yoga Class is Wearing Lululemon

If you are like me, and I'm sure you are not, you use your yoga class as a chance to check out other practitioners' outfits. I'm fascinated by what some consider practical and comfortable (loose cotton pants vs. black spandex), or stylish (matchy-matchy colors or all black), and how what one wears is indicative of a comfort level with the body.

I've always been aware that the more in-shape I feel and look, the tighter and smaller my yoga clothes become. However, no matter how good I've felt, even at the age of 25, I would never ever EVER consider baring my midriff. My version of daring is a tank top and shorts versus my usual short-sleeve tee and capri length yoga pants. Then I started taking yoga class with women in bathing suits. Allow me to explain...

Have you ever been to a Hot or Bikram yoga class? Hot yoga is hot but Bikram is like practicing yoga inside a furnace for 90 minutes. With every class I am more comfortable in fewer clothes, regardless of how I look. That is because you POUR sweat in these classes. A lot of men wear actual bathing suits and the women wear what look like bathing suits in order to stay as cool as possible. This got me thinking, what could one wear to stay as cool and comfortable as possible, while not baring all?

But I digress. The point here is that at some juncture in my yoga practice, I looked around and realized that 9 out of 10 people in any yoga class (men and women) were wearing something Lululemon, and I was person number 10! Having begun my practice before Lululemon became the gold standard of yoga clothing; I had just continued to do my own thing with regards to my yoga "wardrobe". I mean, what you are wearing is really not the point, right? However, staying cool and comfortable is always helpful and Lululemon has the right fabric combined with the best fit in the industry. This is why they sold over a billion dollars in merchandise last year and sell 95% of it at full price. That was not a typo. A billion dollars' worth of yoga clothes.... Yes, women will pay and do anything for pants that make their butt look good and that are cute enough to wear when not exercising. This is what Lululemon does best.

Lululemon's "exercise" clothes are so stylish and comfortable; it is getting hard to make some of my Mom clients wear anything else. I mean, why confront the denim monster post-baby when you could just live in Lululemon pants? The answer to that question is a whole other blog post and why I have such a successful business!

Here are a few of my favorite Lululemon pieces and suggestions on how to wear them.

Hot But Not Tank, $64.00
An interesting alternative to wearing a sports bra alone. Check out the back of this tank to see the genius of its shape.

Wandering Yogi Tank, $48.00
The perfect after-class layer over a skimpy or tight tank.

Cool Racerback, $48.00
I can alway tell when a woman is wearing a pre-baby tank by how short it is. Invest in some longer ones, please!

No Limits Tank, $64.00
Love the "loosey-goosey in the belly" property of this tank!

Turbo Run Shorts, $54.00
Shorts that keep you cool without looking like underwear. Check out how cute the tush is too!

Daily Gym Bag, $108.00
An gym bag nice enough to carry around the rest of the day.

Namaste Yoga Tote III, $38.00
You know I couldn't resist the neon of this mat bag!

Clothing Care Tips from NYC's Top Dry Cleaner

Hope everyone enjoyed my week off for summer vacation as much as I did! Would you like to see a cute picture of me and Max riding The Ducks on the Ohio River? Well, here you go anyway!

A few weeks ago the people that rock over at Meurice Garment Care let me answer some questions for their clients. This week Wayne Edelman, aka @ClothesDr, let me ask some of my own on behalf of you, my dear readers. Meurice is the only place I trust with my clients' Valentino gowns, but they will also do a spectacular job on your more everyday garments.

Lani: How do I keep my summer whites white? Sometimes they yellow.

Wayne: It can be a challenge to keep whites white - especially on delicate summer clothing. There's no foolproof method to care for whites (and depending on manufacturing process, some garments will yellow no matter what), but there are some steps you can take to improve your odds:

1. Wash whites only with other whites, on the highest temperature you can

2.  For clothing in generally bright and clean condition, toss in a capful of hydrogen peroxide in the load

3. For clothing in dingy condition, use bleach containing Sodium Perborate.

Lani: How do I know what those weird care icons on the care instruction tag mean?

Wayne: This is an easy one. We've decoded the care instruction hieroglyphs here.

Lani: What is the best way to care for wool and cashmere sweaters?

Wayne: The short answer: hand wash. Some wool and wool blend sweaters can be machine-washed and hung to dry. Consult the care label, and proceed with caution, using a gentle cycle and cold water. When washing a sweater at home for the first time, I like to measure its dimensions armpit-to-armpit and collar-to-base, just to be sure there has been no shrinking. If the sweater does shrink a touch, don't despair! Soak it thoroughly and block it back to the old size by allowing it to dry while slightly stretched.

Cashmere and garments with substantial cashmere blends should onlly be washed by hand. I like to use tepid water and just a hint of baby shampoo.

Lani:I've heard that you shouldn't touch a stain before you bring it to the dry cleaner. But what if I can't get there for a few days and I splash balsamic vinegar or olive oil on my shirt at lunch?

Wayne: Yes, this is good advice. One of our pet peeves is cleaning a garment which has been made worse by a botched stain removal attempt. If it's just a couple days, however, you don't need to do anything. Blot the stain at the scene of the crime to soak up any excess from the spill and bring it in as soon as you get the chance.

Lani: Does grease from the taxi door ever come out? Should I even bother bringing it in to you?

Wayne: Yes, grease from taxi and other car doors will absolutely come out. This is a tricky stain to handle at home since the grease is a lubricant that does not break down in water. Immersion dry-cleaning, however, is safe for most garments, and will easily remove oil-based stains.

Lani: How do you clean a garment that has just a little bit of leather in it?

Wayne: Very carefully! It is safest to have this type of garment dry cleaned to prevent shrinkage of the leather. Depending on what colors and dyes are present in the garment (for instance, a white sweater with black leather trim would be very hazardous) it may be necessary to spot clean the garment to prevent the dye in the leather from becoming soluble and transferring into the textile.

Lani: Thanks so much @ClothesDr!

To Keep or Not to Keep

Last week I gave you 5 strategies to use when buying clothes while you are not at your usual size. This week I am telling you what to do with all of the clothes that don't currently fit.

1. EDIT, EDIT, EDIT. If an item of clothing is dated, worn, or in the wrong color now, you can bet you won't want to wear it in two years when you are done losing your baby weight. Only save the REALLY good stuff.

2. TRY ON EVERYTHING IN YOUR CLOSET. Yes, I mean everything. The other day I was freaking out that I had NOTHING to wear to a weekend of wedding events in June. Then I actually tried on the dresses hanging in my closet. Lo and behold, I actually had enough in there that fit to get me through the weekend. Ka-ching! Money and time saved shopping for new outfits.

3. WHERE TO PUT IT ALL. Your closet is not the place for size 4 skinny jeans if you are currently a size 8. Those clothes go in a labeled, organized, clear bin somewhere you don't have to look at them. Your closet is the place for a few of your favorite size 6 pieces that you will use to gauge if you are back in that size. I put my usual go-to wedding outfits, my prized collection of Alberta Ferretti dresses, hanging together in the corner of my closet, to remind me how much I want to get back into them!

4. ADDRESS YOUR LIFESTYLE. Are you now a stay-at-home or work-at-home Mom? Then you probably won't need all of the suits you wore for your life as a banker when you were 25. Miniskirts and tops you wore to the bar where you met your husband 10 years ago should also go, even if they still fit.

5. BE GENEROUS. A great reason to edit ruthlessly is to give to others. Hang onto those suits for another 5 years and they might be too dated for someone else to wear. Donate them now and a woman in need can wear them to a job interview.

One final word of advice: Don't be afraid of empty space in your closet. The less you have, the more  you will wear. Trust me.

The Elfa Closet System by Container Store

To Buy or Not To Buy

One of the most frequent fashion conundrums I'm asked about is whether or not to buy new clothes during transition times such as after pregnancy or when you've gained a few pounds from stress. It is natural to think you would be wasting money by purchasing new clothes when you think you will fit back into your "regular" clothes within a few months. This would be a mistake. You are actually wasting time not feeling good about yourself when you DON'T buy yourself some new clothes. Lest you think I'm being extravagant, I have a strategy for you dear reader!

1. KEEP IT CHEAP AND CHEERFUL. Shop at stores like H&M, Old Navy and The Gap, where you can get the most fashion for your money.

2. GO FOR THE TRENDS. If you aren't spending much you can reasonably assume the clothes won't last very long, so why not embrace the trends this season?

3. BUY WHAT YOU LOVE. If your post-baby belly is making you blue, cheer yourself up with a bright top or scarf. Yes, you should get a basic black and white tee, but you should also get a hot pink striped one if that is going to keep you excited to get dressed each morning.

4. MAKE IT FLEXIBLE. Boxier tops will still look good with skinny jeans when you are skinnier, a cotton maxi skirt will shrink with you, and a scarf always fits!

5. INVEST IN ACCESSORIES. Wearing good shoes, a pricier bag, and an expensive pair of earrings will up the perceived value of any outfit. And best of all, they'll always fit!

How about a black maxi skirt instead of the fall back yoga pant for the new mom and others not wanting to deal with denim? The scarf and relaxed silhouette of the top distract from a larger top half and the long black skirt shrinks the lower half. Add a chic but comfortable leather sandal for a complete look.

Old Navy 3/4 Sleeve Yellow Top $29.94
Zappos Black Maxi Skirt $75
Old Navy Zig Zag Print Scarf $16.94
Zappos Kork-Ease Katherine Sandals $135

The structure of a blazer smoothes any lumps around the middle and dresses up a tee shirt and jeans. Gold hued earrings brighten up the face and give you a natural glow. Bright colors add interest and make you feel and look current. Patterned flats make you look oh so fashionable and really bring the outfit together.

H&M Orange Blazer $49.95
Topshop Blue Skinny Jeans $60
Larkspur & Hawk Earrings $1,150
Repetto Ballet Flats $265