Ahem, as you may have gathered, I’m frequently on a spectrum of sizes. I currently have three “active” sizes in my closet – that means I’ve worn that size within a three year period.
However, I have friends, nearly approaching 40, that haven’t changed sizes, even post baby(ies). God bless these people.
The only down side to this dilemma if you’re a career gal is that there has not been an intervening event that has required you to go buy new clothes. You can get into the same clothes that you wore when you started your job 8 years ago. You’ve been wearing the same pair of black pants every week for almost 500 weeks. They’ve seen better days.
So here are a few tips for the fortunately fit woman who has managed to keep her girlish figure:
1. Periodically buy new staples. Because you stay the same size, you can shop off season or at outlets because there is no pressing need. Those gorgeous wool camel trousers you wear twice a week in the winter, replace them in the summer when they’re marked down 50%. Even though the classic staples don’t go out of style, they do get worn and faded and need an update for you to look polished.
2. Evaluate trend pieces. This means pick up an In Style or Vogue and see if there’s an on trend piece you can add to modernize your wardrobe as well as pull out items that no longer are current. Sometimes, you can repurpose them. I had two suits that felt dated because of the cut. I pulled the pants out and wore them as separates, and then I took the blazers to the tailor to shorten the length so they would feel updated. It’s also easy to modernize with accessories – injecting a new fabric or pattern with a scarf or adding an oversized necklace in this season’s colors.
3. Eliminate items of your youth. I have a gorgeous girlfriend at work that still had items in her closet from college even though she was in her late 30s. A number of them were racy and form fitting. Her body hadn’t changed but she was ready for her style to mature.
4. Get a third party perspective. You’ve seen that I’ve edited girlfriends closets or taken them shopping with a new look in mind. But there’s lots of folks that do this as a profession. My same fabulous girlfriend, once she’d decided to modernize her closet, went to Nordstrom’s and booked an appointment with a personal shopper there. The shopper doesn’t charge, asks your price point and for ideas about your style, and I think my friend walked out with 16 new pieces for her wardrobe that were versatile enough for work or date night.
So congratulations on staying the same size. But don’t forget to edit your closet at least once a year to keep it fresh and modern.
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