Fashion New Year's Resolutions
Get Ready Now to Make Fashion Work for You All Year
If one of your New Year's Resolutions is to look better, fashion is a great way to achieve that. Going through your closet, learning what works for you, and following through will help you feel better about yourself in the coming year. Here are some tips to follow to make your resolution a success.
1. Begin the work at home. Clean out your closet and drawers. Go through everything you own and separate it into what you will keep, what you will throw away, and what you will give away. Purging your closet will likely give you a lift – you are no longer saddled with clothes you never wear. When deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, ask yourself some basic questions:Do I love it? Does it fit me? Does it look good on me? Does it make me feel good about myself? Am I comfortable in it? You want to be able to answer yes to all the questions. You don't want clothes that make you feel self conscious or cause you to always be yanking at the hem line or itching your arms.
2. Once you have purged your wardrobe, organize your closet and drawers. Put clothes in logical groups. Sweaters in one section, summer shirts in another, winter shoes near the sweaters, and so on. And in your drawers, separate out your underwear from your bras and socks. It seems common sense, but many people simply toss in their clothes after washing and then struggle to find what they want when they are in the morning crunch time trying to get dressed.
3. After your home is organized, do some research to discover what looks best on your body type. Look at styles in fashion magazines and online, or go to a department store and enlist the help of a personal shopper. Identify what type of body you have (straight, apple, pear, hourglass) and then find out what cuts of fabric do the most for you. For example, women with broad shoulders should avoid wide-collared shirts or short puffy sleeves. This will help you while you are shopping to quickly limit down the choices.
4. After you know what styles look best on you, learn what brand names work best with your body. Some designers are more conscious of women with small busts, while others assume that your top is full. Don't waste your time browsing through clothing that will never look as good on you as someone else. And don't get down on yourself about your "flaws". Clothing is cut for different shapes and sizes. If one doesn't work for you, another will. No one person has a body that looks good in every clothing fashion.
5. After discovering the brand names that work for you, narrow down the stores that are most tailored to your style and age. While there might be a number of styles that suit you, they may not all suit your taste. Also, some clothing that fits you well may not be age appropriate. Looking too young or old for your age is usually distracting and not nearly as flattering as dressing in something that is more true to your stage in life.
6. Once you have all the above done, it's time to go shopping! Buy key pieces to have a strong foundation for your wardrobe. Look over the article on Tim Gunn's 10 Essential Elements to start you off. Basic pairs of pants and tops that not only look great on your body and also fit in your closet will start you off on the right foot this year, whether it's in four-inch heels or soft brown leather saddle shoes.
These tips can help you not just begin a new year but any time you want to make a fresh start with your clothing.
