Fashionomics

Ok, so I am inspired to write this blog by Annie, a friend of mine whom I haven't seen in 10 years. She has always been trendy, and since leaving high school, has followed that inspiration to become an interior designer in California.

Just recently, I realized that An has a cool blog where she shares tips and ideas for things that inspire her in and within the world of fashion. It's a great site, and has recently started inspiring me, since I am also a big fan of all-things-that-look-good. The other day, she posted a contest on her blog, that in order to win a pair of gorgeous feather earrings, you just had to post a comment about what inspires you. So I did, and I won! There is more to the story about me being the fourth person to write on her wall (as well as my lucky number being #4), and she posted that on her blog as well (it's well worth a read: and the winners are...). Please check out her site: http://yolksy.blogspot.com for a bit of fashion inspiration of your own!

As a result of this random set of circumstances, An and I have been back and forth checking each other's blogs out, as well as getting back in touch via Facebook and e-mails. It just so happens that all of this reconnecting has happened in the last week, after I wrote the blog about my clothes fetish (see: stuff), which Annie enjoyed. So, in her latest e-mail to me, she said this: "You should send me pics of your organized closet...people go crazy over that stuff!"

Well, ok!

I mean, I thought about it for about one second, and realized that, YES! I do have some really great fashion tips for keeping scads of clothes organized. A few that would only personally work for me (like the bike - see below), and others that could be used (and should be used) for anyone (backwards hangers - it's for the environment!).

So, with pleasure, I present to you 'Wendy's clothesroom tips'...

1. Keep pictures that inspire you (especially of outfits that you'd like to try) clipped out and stored in a place where you can look quickly for inspiration (especially on a bad clothes day).

2. Use anything and everything you can to hang clothes, hangers, or odds and ends on (you see, storing my bike in my spare room was originally a ploy to keep it safe over the summer, but will remain an EXCELLENT clothes hanger, and a great place to put hangers, clothes that need ironed, and with two baskets, even dirty clothes!).

3. A girl can NEVER have too many shoes. Or belts. Or earrings. Or clothes in general, for that matter.

4. S-hooks can create space for you anywhere. I use them to hang belts in my closet, jeans from my curtains, and scarves from the door.

5. Clothes make great decorations too! A great jacket, a purse, some bracelets, and shoes can really brighten up a regular chair (and create more space elsewhere!).

6. Never, ever, ever, ever be far from your iron. The truly well dressed always look well kept too. (note to #2 - an ironing board is also a great stand for night-before outfits, didn't-work-this-time shirts, or occasionally, a chair).

Now, most of the above are fun, or easy tips that you can take or leave. But I do have one trick that I pride myself on for it's practicality, fashionability, and environmentally friendliness:

7. Each fall and spring, I hang all of my clothes in the closet so that the hanger's hook faces out. After I wear an item of clothing, I hang it back up in the closet with the hanger's hook facing in, in the opposite direction. For starters, this gives me a good indicator what I have and have not worn (lord knows we ladies like to wear the same thing over and over again - this ensures that you can be more uber-fashionable, as well as get more wear out of the clothes you have). As for the clothes whose hangers are still backwards after 6 months, and haven't been worn? They get donated or recycled.

Which gives me an excuse to go shopping again. So really, everyone is a winner, right?