Wednesday
Sep022009
Building Your Basics: Get to the Core of the Matter
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 10:08PM 
Dita Von Tesse, Claudia Schiffer, & Victoria Beckham photo courtesy of Celebritygossip.netYou easily arise at 4:30 in the morning, you slip out of bed, and shortly after, head outside for an invigorating 10 mile run. Ahhhhh......After a relaxing shower with the requisite shave, exfoliate, and pluck ritual, (because it's important to look polished at all times), you effortlessly slip into your ivory-colored cashmere bathrobe, the one that your supermodel/genius/Nobel Prize winning husband purchased for you from the 7th Floor of Bergdorf Goodman, "Just because." You make yourself a steaming mug of cappuccino with just the right amount of foam. (Yes, you have a shiny cappuccino maker in your sparkling kitchen that is never, ever messy. Don't argue. Just go with it.) As you sip on your cappuccino, you saunter into your closet. You turn on the light. You hear the faint tinkling of Chopin in the background. Hmmm...You ponder which setting would be most helpful to you today, and finally decide on the "Morning Sunlight" category for the lights. Perfect! Among the rows of impecably pressed designer clothes hung by style and color on wooden hangers, (purchased from Gracious Home), you effortlessly choose a gorgeous ensemble that you have never worn before and that is perfect for today's Time, Place, and Occasion, (T.P.O.).
Gazing into your three-way mirror, you feel giddy with delight about how fantastic you look from every angle.
This is you, non? It's not you? WHAT?? You hit the snooze button on your blaring radio/alarm clock a minimum of four times every morning and don't have time for a run? You are bleary-eyed and incoherent while you get dressed, sipping on a chipped mug of stale Sanka that you made in your disorganized kitchen? Your closet is a dark 35"x37" box with a jumble of shoes and old clothes languishing in disarray on the floor? You put on pretty much the same outfits all the time even though you have an inkling that you may have way more clothes than you actually wear? You leave the house with your hair still wet???
Photo of Rachel Zoe with assistant courtesy of TheFrisky.comNot to worry. You don't have to have the energy of Richard Simmons on speed, the free time of Lindsay Lohan waiting for her call back, or the money of a Rockafeller to be an Everyday Glamour Chick, (E.G.C.). Trust me. I'm going to teach you a method of getting dressed that will just make it look like you do. You'll be able to get dressed quickly and easily, bleary-eyed or not. You'll wear more of what you own in your wardrobe, rushed or not. You'll be Best Dressed List-worthy, Rockafeller or not.
All that is required is a little prep work. It's well worth it. You're going to develop what I call a Core Wardrobe. Core Wardrobes are like snowflakes--unique and unrepeatable. And anyway, they're very handy.
Get with the program. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Fashion math. Multiplication. You'll be looking for 4 bottoms and 7 tops that all mix and match together interchangeably, (not counting accessories). A dress counts as 1 top and 1 bottom. 4 bottoms times 7 tops equals 28 different outfits. Well, except that a cardigan or a jacket is something that you layer over different tops. So adding a jacket and/or cardigan increases the number of potential outfits exponentially, but let's just say 7x4=28, just to keep it simple. Fashion math is not like real math--it's flexible and sometimes a little inaccurate.
How to find 4 bottoms & 7 tops that all mix and match interchangeably, (not counting accessories):
Start with the bottoms. Dig out all of your pants, skirts, and dresses and find your 4 all time favorites. Keep it within the season, (Fall or Spring?), and within the time & occasion, (work, daytime casual, evening fun, etc.?). For example, if you decide to work on you Fall Work Core Wardrobe, then find the top 4 favorite pants, skirts, and/or dresses that look amazing on you and are appropriate for work in the Fall. They need to be different from one another. You can't pick out 4 of the same-cut black pants. No!! Four very different bottoms, please.
Next are finding the tops. Don't give up. Take a deep breath instead. Start by finding your top 10 ab-fab, fave-rave shirts, blouses, sweaters, and/or jackets for work in the Fall. Then start trying them on with your 4 bottoms and narrow it down to 7 tops that work will all 4 bottoms. Have a couple tops that you adore that work with only 3 out of the 4 bottoms? Don't worry about it. Be a little flexible. You don't have to be perfectly accurate because this is fashion math, remember?
Step 2: Dig out your accessories. Of course, you've read my, "Handbags: Symbols of um....Femininity" post. You haven't?? Read it! All you need are 4 handbags: 1 dark, 1 light, 1 novelty, and 1 clutch. Take a look at your shoes, scarves and jewelry. And go for a bra fitting while your at it.
Casual office attire from JCrew.comStep 3:
Still haven't found your Core pieces? Here's a cheat sheet that may help you.
- Bottoms--4 very different pieces that you love.
- Tops--try...1)white shirt, 2)neutral top, 3)colorful top, 4)patterned top, 5)cardigan, 6)jacket, 7)sweater.
- All tops and bottoms must be in shapes, colors, and styles that flatter YOU!
Step 4: Put the Core Wardrobe front and center. Next time you're bleary-eyed and incoherent, reach for the Core pieces, accessorize, and you'll finally have the time to actually finish that cup of Sanka of yours before zipping out the door looking smashing.
Finally...THE BEAUTY OF THE CORE WARDROBE
You've found your basics! Congrats! Most likely, you'll find that other pieces in your wardrobe work well with the Core pieces. And this means--more outfits without spending a dime! Developing a Core Wardrobe also gives you style direction. You'll get crystal clear about what you really need to shop for to make the most of your wardrobe. And you may come to realize that you don't actually need yet another pair of black pants. Or another Grateful Dead tie-dyed t-shirt. And you can feel giddy with delight about how fantastic you look from every angle.
Reader Comments (16)
Damn, I was nodding along until I got to "Four very different bottoms, please."
No!! Don't four black pencil skirts work?!
You are always so on top of things editorially, working on my Fall Work Core Wardrobe is exactly where I am. Today as I put on the gladiator sandals I wear every day, I mentally noted, "Must find alternative flat shoes for work that cover toes... Black... arrggh."
Thank you so much, Kate, for your wonderful words of wit and wisdom! You make me laugh and you make so much fashion sense!
So concise, so brilliant. I think I want to go re-arrange my closet right now!! Although I'm a chef and I spend most of my days in the classic uniform (albeit with black patent leather clogs), I do enjoy "real" clothes, especially vintage and your ideas really inspired me to take a good look at all the cool stuff I already have. Thanks!
Wow! Thanks, Kellina! I was worried that this entry was long and overwhelming. Guess not?? Although I "luff" pencil skirts, "with 2 'f's", yes, you must branch out! How about a pair of high waisted wool pants, (lined), worn long with high heels? (But only if it flatters your figure.) Thanks for the words of encouragement!!
Thank you, Jo! Yes, really try the Core Wardrobe technique. It will blow you away! The reason is because you'll come up with variations you never would have thought of before and you'll be seeing your wardrobe as a whole. I did this one a couple years ago, (and really need to do it again), and it was an eye opener--I was giddy with excitement! Also, a fab technique for traveling. You'll never pack too much again. I love to hear comments, please stay with Everyday Glamour and feel free to comment any time!
I jut stumbled upon your articles looking for glamour lashes-- I am so ecstatic that I did!!
Without a doubt, these are some of the best writen articles on style that I have ever read. Clever, concise and sooo user friendly. I live in a small town where wearing 2 inch heels is a fashion statement and it' so easy to get lazy. I want to be an everyday glamour girl without putting people off that I am a fashion snob( I like how you described over dressing on casual day in one of your other articles).
I've now made a link from my favorites and will be sending one ot all of my girlfriends.
Thank you!
WOWEE! Thanks! That has been my goal with this blog--to really give solutions and not just silly snappy bullet points that get people nowhere. THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT! I'm from a small town in Maine, and I completely understand your point about dressing for the T.P.O. Now I live in New York City, and I can wear black pants without people asking me, "Why are you so dressed up?" Keep commenting, I love the feedback! :)
I believe that Carrie above might be my sister. She passed your website on to me back in September and I am constantly checking for new articles. Luff them! :-)
I also have been trying to organize my finances using www.gailvazoxlade.com as a guide. She blogs daily and the one this morning was about wardrobes. We all spend a lot on those whether we need to or not. Right now I am thinking of setting fire to mine in a last ditch effort to force a fresh start and organize a core wardrobe.
I posted a comment and referenced this article and site. I think you might get a few more avid followers.
Thanks for the EGC advice,
Michelle
WOW!!! Wow, wow, Michelle!! Thank you soooo much!! (Send my regards to your sister Carrie, too!!!!!) I just checked out http://www.gailvazoxlade.com and what a cool site.
Please don't set fire to your clothes, ha ha ha! I'm sure there is a core wardrobe, (if not many cores), in there somewhere! :)
Seriously, I can't thank you enough! I love to hear from people. I'm thinking my next post will be about packing for travel, it's very similar to "core wardrobe", so stay tuned. :)
Kate
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Let me just say how pleased I am that there are professionals like you out there to help the rest of us. I dress well I think, generally speaking, but hearing the simple rules and "do's and dont's" lists are always great reminders. Don't worry, I'm not out strutting flashing shirts or anything, but everyone needs a little help. Thanks!
Oh, thank you!
As the mother of two I am happy to report that the Core Wardrobe works great when planning back-school wardrobes or summer/camp wardrobes for children. Creating a Core Wardrobe for my son and daughter has saved me a great deal of time, money, and closet space. Even more importantly, teaching my daughter the Core Wardrobe fashion math has encouraged her to make better choices on those occassions when she is shopping with her own money (she's 11, so this does not happen all that often).
Core Wardrobe = cuter outfits/less whining/less shopping/easy mornings = :) Mom
Countess!!! Thank you for letting me know of your success, I am delighted to hear it!!
*happy dance*
I am going to linger on my supermodel/genius/Nobel Prize winning husband wearing only a towel for a bit longer.
happy sigh.
That's the spirit, Cranky Old Batt! :D
Smack dab in the lap of luxury...wistful sigh.