November 14, 2013

You asked: How I put my vintage outfits together

Last month we took a gander at the process behind how Tony and I do our photo shoots for the blog, and today I'm delighted to launch into a related topic, which I've been asked about numerous times, including in a comment by the thoroughly lovely (and super talented) Anthea from Sewing ♥ Vintage ♥ Knitting on this post, and that is...how do I put my vintage outfits together.

On the surface, much as with the question of how we take photos, the answer to this query seems like the kind of thing I could answer in a mere sentence or two, but as with so much in life, a bit of thought quickly reveals that there is, in fact, more to the process than what lurks on the surface and I'm happy to share what goes into the vintage looks you see here each week with all of you.

To begin with, like many people in our wonderful sphere, I have certain decades - namely the 1940s and 50s - that I most commonly dress in the styles of. These are the decades that not only fill my heart with immeasurable joy, but which (typically speaking) work best for my body type (short and curvy like a mountain pass). I have been endlessly smitten with the fashions of these two decades since I was the youngest of lasses, and knew in my heart of hearts as a child that I would grow up and wear the styles of this twenty year span, ages before I'd ever found out that other people were into vintage fashion, too.

This isn't, of course, to say that I don't enjoy fashions from other decades (which, on occasion, I may also wear an outfit from as well), it's just that this is my favourite era from a sartorial standpoint and thus I've centered the bulk of my wardrobe around this timeframe. As a result, most of the pieces on the hangers in my closet and the drawers in my dresser either hail from, or are designed to look as though they could have easily come from, the 1940s and 50s.

I mention this point because I think that in order to help facilitate the process of easily putting together outfits you love on a regular basis, it helps a great deal if you know which decade - or decades - you adore and want to dress from (a point which I discussed in more detail here), in order to build up a wardrobe of pieces that compliment one another in the sense that they are all from (or look the part of being from) the same era.

On top of knowing which decades work best for me, I'm also quick to acknowledge the fact that I'm the type of gal who loves a variety of different styles - a point I explored at length back in 2012 in the post How Many Personalities Does Your Wardrobe Have?, in which I highlighted some of the particular styles (such as ultra girly-girl and preppy) that set my heart aflutter year after year without fail.

Knowing then, which decades and styles I adore most, I've worked diligently throughout my adult life to put together a wardrobe the is rich in these kinds of pieces. While not every single garment in my closet is from (or made to look as though it could be) the 1940s and 50s, the vast majority are. Like many of us, my wardrobe is an enjoyable blend of genuine vintage, vintage appropriate, and vintage reproduction pieces, a good number of which I've tried to coordinate fairly well with one another.

This isn't to say that my closet looks like a super matchy-matchy capsule collection, it certainly doesn't (my tastes are far too eclectic for that to ever happen), but there is a general sense of cohesiveness that flows throughout each skirt, sock, bead and beret, and which I believe goes a long way towards my ability to put together outfits I love to wear with a good deal of ease.

Each of us is a different point in terms of how complete or incomplete our respective wardrobe is, and like most folks, there are still some gaps in mine (vintage trousers, I'm looking at you!), but I do have most of my bases - and basics - covered, which also aids in cutting down on the dreaded "I have nothing to wear" feeling that we've all been hit with many a time as we stood in front our well stocked closets.

Speaking of closets, mine is very small (you can technically walk into it, but you'll only get to take about five steps before you hit the back wall) and every last millimeter of space has been put to use (the same goes for all of my dresser drawers), but (humbly) very well organized. I sort all of my garments by type (skirts, dresses, short sleeved blouses, long sleeved blouses, cardigans, jeans, etc) and then further by colour, so that it looks like there are numerous rainbows bursting forth on the racks in there. Ditto for anything houses in a drawer or under-the-bed plastic garment storage container, as well as my accessories (save for brooches, which are arranged by subject matter).

As you may be picking up on, I'm big on creating an efficient, fun workflow when it comes to my wardrobe because I find that having a place for everything and everything in its place means that I don't have to waste time hunting for an item I need when I'm getting dressed. I can throw open the closet door, and know that my beige skirt is where its supposed to be and that I'll find a blue sweater sandwiched between the green and purple ones. Easy-peasy. No undo hunting, no "hmmm, do I actually own a red belt?" moments, and no time lost picking out the pieces I want in a flash.

But Jess, I hear you saying, how to you go about deciding what to partner with what - and how do you coordinate all of it? I'm glad you, like Anthea, asked, and am getting to that point right this very moment.

Colour. Yep, good old, find it nearly everywhere, colour is the secret behind how I put my vintage outfits together. I love colour with all my might. This doesn't necessarily mean that I go about looking as flashy as Carmen Miranda 24/7, but more often than not, I wear multiple colours in each ensemble I don and find that doing so can really help a look appear well put together.

I've always been smitten with colour - its power when it comes to influencing our mood or stirring up certain memories or associations is fascinating, and the ways in which different hues can be married together in the same look is a never-ending source of inspiration for me. There isn't a single colour I don't like at least a few shades of, and in the case of most garments and accessories, I've intentionally worked hard at trying to create a broad spectrum of different coloured pieces so that I can continually view my wardrobe as an artist's palette.

Much as a painter reaches for certain colours that he or she loves time and time again, so too do I have beloved favourite shades, but I try not to pigeonhole myself too much, because doing so can quickly lead to (overly frequent) outfit repetition and boredom.

Much as my closet itself is far from huge, I do not have a massive wardrobe, but because it's filled with so many different colours - partnered with some great basics like pencil skirts, shirtwaist dresses, blazers, gloves, hats and shoes in timeless neutrals - it gives the appearance of being larger than it is, because I can continually come up with so many fun new combinations of differently hued garments.

There's an old expression that typically goes along the lines of "I put my pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else", and this is certainly true for me too, but I don't necessarily begin getting dressed with the same garment in mind each day. Far from it actually. I constantly start with different pieces and accessories when it comes to putting together a look.

I've kicked off outfits with something as small as a pair of earrings or a pair of tights – doesn’t always have to begin with the largest item they’re going to sport. I'm typically struck by a certain mood each day, as we all are, and this plays into what I want to wear for a given day, as does where I might be going/what I'll be doing throughout the course of said day. Once I know those things, I usually feel pulled towards one or more items in my wardrobe, and build up from there.

I'll let you in on another secret behind how I compose my outfits: the rule of thirds. Yes, that very same rule of thirds which you may be familiar with if you work in (or have an interest in) areas such as photography, art, or graphic design. Though I don't interpret the concept as literally in my wardrobe as I would if I was taking a photograph, I do try to keep portion in mind when I'm getting dressed.




This shines through in two main ways. For starters it means that I (often) like to balance out the proportions of the colours that I use. Commonly I start with one, two or three base colours (for example, in the outfit above, I began with dark purple and black), and then inject one or more colours into my look via my accessories or perhaps another garment, such as a cardigan or scarf, which plays a supporting role, but doesn't steal the show, so to speak. In the case of this particular outfit, grey (gloves and tights) were the supporting colour. Because grey both a natural and very close to black on the colour wheel, it compliments this ensemble, without seeming garish or out of place.

The second way in which proportion comes into play for me is that I like to keep the general scope of my outfits well balanced in terms of how the pieces fit. For example, I'm not overly keen on baggy or super tight fitting clothing generally speaking, and if I do wear a garment that falls into either camp, I will almost always keep the rest of my outfit on the opposite side of things (for example, a slouchy shirt with form fitting capri pants or a curve hugging pencil skirt). On a 5'2" frame like mine, this is especially important, so as to not give the illusion of knocking further inches off of my height.

Speaking of frames, mine is far from perfect, but it's the only one I've got and I've learned from trial and error over the years, that some things work a whole lot better for it than others. By and large, I've tried to filter out those that don't work (no matter how much I may love them in principle) and to fill my closet with garments that I feel comfortable and confident in when I slip them on (here again, doing so helps speed up the process of getting dressed, because it usually means you're less likely to have to try on three or four - or more - similar items to find one that, if you're lucky, you're satisfied with).

Once colour and portion have been sorted, it's time for the finishing touches - these are not to be taken lightly, they can make or break a look, and have the potential to elevate it from merely nice to seriously specular. I love accessories - they're the delicious cherries on just about every ensemble I don, and at times, may even (intentionally) be the main dish themselves.

You've probably heard the expression before that you should always take off one accessory before you leave the house. While this can ring true sometimes, generally speaking, I don't pay it much heed at all. If one dresses with purpose and care, you'll likely know when enough is enough, so to speak, while putting your outfit together; there's no need to risk disrupting the balance you're created at the very last minute.

The types and colours of accessories you opt for will depend a lot on what your focal garments (i.e., skirts, blouses, sweaters, dresses) are and where you'll be going that day. Some people like to keep theirs on the understated side of things - perhaps a classic pair of gloves and a sophisticated brooch or a timeless strand of cream pearls. Others might add on some bangle bracelets, a vintage scarf on their head or some eye-catching earrings, and others still feel nearly naked if they're not decked out in accessories from head to bejeweled toe. There's rarely a right or wrong here, it's simply a matter of how many accessories you enjoy wearing at any given time.




Personally, I tend to opt for a medium number, and am never without at least a couple (say, earrings and a few bangles or a brooch and gloves). As a general rule, if the colours (and/or patterns) of your outfit are bold, loud or eye-catching, you'll want to tone down the volume on your accessories (stick with smaller pieces in supporting, rather than competing or contrasting colours. Matching like to like is also a good approach here, as in the case of the vividly hued outfit pictured above.

On the one hand this outfit might seem a little plain if each piece was examined separately, but the primary colours, small pattern of the shirt, and variety of hues at work here, help it add up to cohesive, youthful, lovely (if I may say so myself) ensemble that is anything but boring. Here, I started with a navy blue pencil skirt, red patterned shirt (the shirt has tiny cherries on it), and green cardigan (as there is a little bit of green in the shirt's pattern).

Three bold colours are often plenty, so instead of introducing more, I kept my accessories in the same palette. Red wrist length gloves, a red handbag, red and white shoes, a small red cherry brooch, a simple white headband (there's also white in the shirt), and bangles in colours from the main outfit creates a harmonious flow and a well put together over all look.

Opting for three key colours in an outfit is an approach I take often (I also use it in my crafting, such as when I'm making scrapbook pages, cards or jewelry) and which I highly recommend to one and all as well.

It often helps to start with one or two neutrals (such as black, brown, grey, beige, taupe, navy blue, denim, cream or white) so as to ground the look, then pick any two (or more) colours that you feel partner well both with that neutral and with each other. Of course it's possible to put together an outfit using fewer or more colours, but three is a really good starting place and one that I begin with more days than not.




Let's take a look at another outfit (this was actually the one that Anthea commented on with her question, so it seems extra fitting to include it in this post). At first glance, what jumps out at you most in this photo? Is it the energetic, charming floral print dress with its rainbow of hues? The lilac belt, the red handbag, the stack of different coloured bangle bracelets, the red shrug, or something else? Because the pattern on this dress was eye-catching, I knew that I was going to want to stick to solid coloured accessories in colours that pulled directly from the frock itself.

Having a plethora to pull from, I did just that, but created a second key focal point, the colour red. It appears in the pattern, then says hello again via the shrug, purse, hair flowers and one of the bangles. White, the background colour of the dress was also repeated here via the gloves and shoes, to help tone down the punchy palette a little, but still keep the look fresh and summery, as it should be given the warm, sunny day it was worn on. There are a lot of colours at work here, but none of them are dominating the show completely. They flow well together and work in harmony to create a look that, while bright, is not overpowering.

What about the opposite side of the spectrum, I hear you saying, what about outfits that are more low key and toned down? You bet - I love colour, but I don't go as "all out" with it everyday as in the case of the last outfit by any means, but that doesn't mean that you'll see me in head to toe black very often either. Even when my outfit is on the less vibrant side of things, I'll still usually include at least a couple of different colours, as well as visual interest via the types of fabrics I choice (think of the sheen of velvet or the nubby landscape of tweed, for example, and how they compare to a flatter material such as linen or cotton).

As a whole, whether you enjoy bright, medium, or soft shades (or tend to live in neutrals), colour is a pivotal and highly important factor in the success of an outfit. Of course a LBD or classic solid coloured suit can be fantastic unto itself, but even there, you'll likely find your look comes more alive if you include a little colour via your accessories. It can be as simple as silver or gold jewelry or as a elaborate as a vintage hat with seven different colours on it.




Working in a similar tonal range (for example, in the outfit above, the three key colours are all from the same tonal family), aiming for complimentary colours, or contrasts that still look harmonious are all great ways to put together a look - no matter your favourite decades or styles - that is bound to make you smile when see your own reflection.

Keep the overall time period you're dressing from in mind, too (though, of course, there's nothing wrong with mixing decades/styles in the same outfit), as well as the portions (and fit) of your garments, and you'll be well on the road to knocking out ensemble after ensemble that you absolutely love.

There are few greater compliments to a person's style than being asked how you put together your outfits, and I want to take a moment to sincerely thank Anthea for her question, as well as the other folks who have said similar things to me over the years. I dress from the heart in a way that brings me joy. I follow certain general guidelines of style, but am not afraid to break the rules. I honour the decades I love, but never hesitate to put my own spin on them, and above all else, I never wear anything that I don't, at least in the moment, completely love.

I encourage you to do the same - to experiment, embrace colour, and put together the sort of outfits you love seeing on others yourself. There's no magic or mystery to it, just a little bravery, a well thought out wardrobe, and a handful or two of great accessories - plus your own unique fashion sense, which, after all, is ultimately what is most likely to inspire someone else to take a style cue from you when they see how wonderfully you're dressed.

32 comments:

  1. Such a helpful post! Not only educational but helpful in a real way with real tips. Thanks for sharing your trade-secrets with us! I learned from this and I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't pick up some valuable tips from it. You deserve an award!

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  2. I have never seen a post like yours, dear Jessica, and without the proper computer help, wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
    What a wonderful vusion of thorough you are. I am amaded.
    I just put clothes together and let my eye decide if they like each other. My husband takes the photos, most of the time without glasses, so he just shoots and hopes for the best, LOL
    Much love and sunshine, dear jessica. How did I live without you? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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  3. Another fabulous post - I particularly love your outfit of thirds approach, truly inspiring! I wish I had a quarter of your accessorising talents!

    Ruby xx

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  4. Wonderful well developed article.

    I think putting together an outfit is just like creating a piece of art. There needs to be a focal point and an overwhelming sense of what you are trying to say to the world with your outfit.

    You did a great job of letting us know how through curating your closet will inspire outfits that automatically go together.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  5. I enjoyed your post, but I also think you're one of those impeccably stylish women who are simply born with the gift of seemingly effortless chic - although I know it's all on purpose :)

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  6. What a fascinating topic, I loved reading your take on it, especially as I think it is quite a hard thing to explain. It was really interesting to read how you work with colour and the rule of thirds. I tend to stick to the same colours all the time, the ones that I love and feel suit me, but this reminded me that it wouldn't hurt to break out some other colours once in a while. I think you accessorise brilliantly and your outfits always look so well pulled together. I enjoyed reading all about it and love the sound of your rainbow closet.

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  7. Certainly, you are wonderful, my dear Jessica! And I say more ... you are complete inspiration! All this post has opened my "appetite" to go to my closet and rummage garments that can be combined together. Many times, I have a little "respect" for combining colors, usually I choose two colors for my palette every day, but you made me think .... I'll be more creative with my combinations inspiring me in you. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

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  8. Some posts deserve to be read twice. I read this earlier while at work and felt rushed 'cause I needed to get back to business. But I realized there is so much valuable content in this post that I'd benefit and learn from reading it again. So I did. And it's true -- I picked up tips I missed the first time. I apologize for commenting twice on a single post but this article deserves that double treatment.

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  9. A little bravery...how true that statement is! There are so many things that I love, but it takes a bit of boldness to pull it off.

    I do love your floral dress and red shrug...so pretty.

    I also have always loved the 40s and 50s because those style fit my figure the best, as well as my heart.

    Thanks for the delightful and informative post...

    Happy Friday, dear Jessica!
    :)Hope

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  10. You have an impeccable sense of style for sure. I particulalry love that outfit with the black hat. I am just beginning my all out vintage dressing journey as I only really started waring vintage seriously after my 35 birthday. I look forward to building my wardrobe in the coming years. I think all of your looks are very inspirational. I do prefer the looks of the 20s and 30s but I like to mix itup and wouldnt be opposted to a 40s or 50s or even 60s look Im actually impressed your style is so consistent and that you stick to just one decade, I like too much vintage or vintage inspired stuff to do that. I also think you have the best accessories. Of course knowing what suits you is key. One reason I dont do all out 40s is longer hair does not suit me so there is no way I could pull of victory roles or anything like that. Thaks for this great pist

    kate the old fashioned way

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  11. that - dear jessica - I can only sign :-)
    But, i´m often very lazy with accessories. jewelry I wear almost exclusively for evening events, gloves only during winter.
    love that sporty red/blue/green outfit!

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  12. I really do love how you can put together a lovely wardrobe! As I begin collecting, or making, pieces I hope to create my wardrobe to be as efficiently organized. Currently as I makeover my bedroom, this is the perfect opportune time to do so. I have very few vintage pieces. Mainly vint/insp or just plain modern items. I'll be sure to come back to this as a base for structure when I battle my closet.

    Which is an Edwardian era closet and is VERY small. You can't even walk in it. Thankfully I do have my chest of drawers to keep pants, underthings, sleepwear, etc... all tucked away. Another thing I'm n need of getting are hat boxes. I already own two and they are great for keeping a cluttered place pretty.

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  13. Thank you all so very much for terrifically lovely comments and compliments!

    As you may recall for my post on the matter a week ago, my current ("old") laptop is beyond on its last legs (and the new one isn't slatted to arrive in the mail until early December). After another 1.5 days of not being able to get it to turn on and hold a charge at all, I was able to a few minutes ago. Just depending on how it wants to behave - or more accurately, misbehave! - I may not be able to reply to your all individually today, but again, I sincerely wanted to thank you for your awesomely nice comments. My checks are as red as rose over here having just read all of them right now.

    Tons of hugs & happy weekend wishes to each of you,
    ♥ Jessica

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  14. Jessica, this is a terrific post full of solid advice, and it is generous of you to share it with people. Obviously, you follow it because you always look terrific! It is a little sad though–not about you, but that this sort of knowledge was once standard, passed on from mother to daughter. I'm not sure what happened, but am quite happy to see you explaining the basics and then some.

    Though for my money, few things add so much zing to an ensemble as a little novelty piece—I wore my recently-scooped up vintage lemon necklace & matching earrings along with a favourite 80s-does-50s dress to see Alton Brown live last weekend, and oh, the compliments! I'd get a look, then double-takes, then "Oh, how perfect!" It really was fun to see so many people tickled by my look—it makes people so happy, somehow, which is just a little bonus to dressing as we do. Novelty isn't always appropriate, but when it can be gotten away with...plus it's a great conversation starter, especially for shy folk.

    Oh, enough blathering. Have a lovely weekend, and I hope your laptop holds out!

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    1. You're not blathering at all, dear Jen, I really enjoyed your wonderful comment, thank you very much for sharing it. I couldn't agree more, it really is sad that the time honoured art of passing along style guidelines from one generation to the next is something that many no longer carry on with when they have children. Should I ever be blessed with kids, you can be that I'll be handing down my knowledge to my little ones.

      Oooh, I love Alton! That sounds like a fantastic evening. So cool that you wore a lemon jewelry set to see one of the coolest cook/culinary experts of our time (I would have woven something food themed into my ensemble for an event like that, too).

      Thank you again so much - have a beautiful weekend, honey!
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. great post! I wish my clothes were organised. I try to organise it, but they never stay that way for long. I don't have enought hanging space so I have to go digging through an ironing basket to find something! I love all of the outfits. Especially the one with the purple scarf

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  16. Wow! Thank you so much for answering my question in such great detail! It was a joy to read and very educative!

    What I also love about you is that you don't seem to shy away from certain colors. Colors who don't go very well with a certain hair color or skin type. Or colors like bright yellow which can be very tricky.
    You always find a way to wear it in a flattering way!

    I wish I had a walk in closet, it would make things easier and more coordinated. We had one spare room left in our house and I had to choose: Walk in closet or crafting room. I choose for the latter. I still need to find a way to organize my accessories more efficiently. But organizing is not my strongest point, but I realise now it will be of great help if I want to put an outfit together.

    One again, thank you for this wonderful post!

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  17. Thank you for sharing this! Your outfits always inspire me, and it's really nice to hear a bit of your process when putting an outfit together. I especially like your idea of using the rule of thirds to help pull an outfit together artistically. Hope you are well and warm. It's starting to get cold here. We've had a couple of nights with temperatures in the 20s already.

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  18. 1) I need you to come here and revamp my wardrobe (and me)!!!
    2) Would you consider showing how you keep everything organised?
    ((((hugs))))

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  19. Oh how I wish I had the discipline to arrange my closet in such a fashion! I barely hang things back up, let alone arrange them by color! I always love your bright outfits, I need some more bright colors in my wardrobe.

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  20. What a lovely post! So well thought-out, and wonderfully informative. I must say, I'm always impressed by the variety of colors you manage to pull into your outfits while still looking fantastically put together. I admit that I can be on the color-timid side, usually opting for one or two main colors and only rarely daring to add other accessories, so I'm eager to try your strategy for widening my color palate!

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  21. I enjoyed reading about how you put your look together. I've never really thought much about balancing colours in the way you describe but I can see it works very well. I am very minimalist when it comes to accessories (I love my pearl ear studs and a classic slim gold watch), but I would like to do it better...I will watch and learn!

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  22. so many lovely outfits, you always look so beautiful and polished! it does take a certain eye to put together a good outfit with lots of components but it's one of those things that comes with practice and with having a passion for what you wear and for searching for the right pieces and trying new things, which i think most girls who are into vintage have! :)

    little henry lee

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  23. Oh, I replied to this post days ago, but I'm afraid something went wrong.

    Firstly, thank you so much for answering my question in such a great detail! It was really educative! I really love it how you're pairing different colors and are even able to wear more tricky colors like yellow.
    Everything is very balanced, eventhough you use multiple colors. You're very talented! I can't remember outfits of you I don't like. It seems you nail it every time!

    I really need to organize my closet and accessories. I have 2 tiny closets which are not very practical. I would love to have a walk in closet, but we don't have enough space. When we moved here, I had to choose between a crafting room are a walk in closet. I choose for the crafting space.

    And organizing is not my best skill :)

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    1. Hello dearest Anthea, you are very welcome! Thank you so much again for asking this terrific question, as well as for your tremendously lovely comment and compliments here. My apologies for taking a little while to reply to your wonderful comment here. My current laptop is as good as dead, and though a new one has been ordered online, it won't arrive from the manufacturer until sometime in early December, in all likelihood, so I'm falling a bit behind online at the moment. :(

      I would love to have a proper walk in closet, too! My closet is sooooo small by modern standards. I do keep some items (like hats, gloves, and coats) elsewhere through the house, but still, space is at an absolute premium. In a way though (silver linings and such :) ), I think that this can be somewhat of a positive thing, because it helps ensure that one is pretty ruthless when it comes to what they keep and what they buy (knowing that there just isn't room for items you don't love with all your heart and which fit you well).

      Thank you again very, very much - I was so touched by your fantastic question and wholeheartedly enjoyed answering it.

      ♥ Jessica

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  24. Who would have thought that getting dress was such an art ?
    I believe the key to it all begins, as you have stated: with an organized closet where you can find your goodies.

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    1. It really is - and (for me) it is a highly pleasurable one! I love thinking about, planning and then putting together my outfits. I love that moment when one is out shopping (or shopping online) and you see a piece that you suddenly know will forever change your wardrobe for the better. There's very little I don't madly adore about the art of getting dressed, which, I agree, is aided tremendously by having a well organized closet (or wardrobe, dresser, etc). I find a quick tidy up once or twice a week (and periodic thoroughly culls to weed out any items you no longer want to keep for whatever reason), if anything is out of place, is all it takes to keep things in good order.

      Thank you very much for all of your wonderful blog comments today,
      ♥ Jessica

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  25. You look absolutely fantastic in each gorgeous photo! I too adore color! And I love each of your fabulous full-color outfits! I organize my closet by color- only slightly OCD! ;)
    ~xoxo, CoriLynn

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    1. Thank you very much, darling gal! I organize my closet by garment type and then by colour with in each category. It's not "OCD" to me at all. It's efficient and just seems like the most logical way to go about it. Doing so makes getting dressed an absolute breeze - why wouldn't anyone want that? :)

      ♥ Jessica

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  26. Thorough and amazingly informative! Great post Jessica!
    -Jamie
    ChatterBlossom

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  27. What a fantastic post. What I especially admire about your style is that you often contrast colours. I love colours very much but I'm more of a matching person. Besides that I'm queen of jools. ;) I always get inspired by your outfits, and often think that wow, I wouldn't have done so, but it looks fabulous. Gotta try it soon. I'm also queen of order. Last week son said to me, mum do you ever have dressing crisis? No, I said puzzled. I had never thought about it. But you'll never hear me say that I have nothing to wear, because I feel I have tons to wear. I just have to choose. :) I think it is due to order, and my order sounds much like yours.

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