Mature Fashion: "Rules", Closet Nazis

Hello Fashionistas and Stylinistas:

ARGHHHH!!  I was just reading an article regarding thinning out one's closet; arbitrary statement from stylist:  "My goal is to reduce a client's closet by at least two-thirds.."...WHO comes up with these "rules"?  Just the words alone imply a "one size fits all" approach to styling for an individual; key word here: INDIVIDUAL; there is no one solution for all.

For young women just beginning a collection of quality clothing, or the woman of limited means who has a drastic change in circumstances where she has to completely re-build her wardrobe might benefit from some of the Spartan rules.  I would submit there are better solutions that would keep a little "fun" in the clothes one wears.  All of these rules also fail to take into account the "Carrie Bradshaw's" of the world.

I believe that most people who have too many clothes want to have a variety of items to wear.  Many of the solutions I encounter in the media about effective styling entail solutions as extreme as "French" women claiming they need only a black cashmere sweater, a good pair of black tailored pants, a black blazer, a little black dress, a white button down classic shirt, a good pair of jeans, a good pair of black heels, a pair of black flats, and a trench coat to be well dressed at all times. Oh; I forgot the Hermes scarf and a good watch.  If the stylist allows more than this, it is an addition of a black skirt, maybe a patterned skirt with some color, and the addition of another sweater or shirt in the color that is in the patterned skirt. Some,  of course,  allow more than this.  Any woman with any sense of fun in wearing clothing, or "effortless dressing" is going to have a challenge to make the above wardrobe work for all of her life roles without a very dreary closet.  Any woman over 40 is almost certain to look "dated," to use the current vernacular.  

Very few, if any, women I have ever met in my entire life want their choices to be this limited; certainly not a fashionista.  Any woman who has any pretension of  looking modern, youthful, energetic, etc., would not want the above to be the only contents of her closet, and is certainly not "rocking her age".  Although it is true that many, in fact most, women have more clothes than they "need", the major problem is failure to eliminate certain clothes that no longer suit their "roles", or in fact, suit them in any role (too small, too big, too dated, in poor condition, etc.). All of those garments need to be addressed (see post "Mature Fashion:Inventory Time, dated Sept 15th) by disposal, alteration, donation, replacement, etc. Reducing clutter in a closet does not require a woman to reduce garments, it means having the correct garments for her individual  lifestyle and a wardrobe of garments she loves to wear. 

Each fashionista and stylinista needs to determine what the future is of each garment in her closet, why she has it, what she plans for it, how many of "it" she ;wants as well as "needs", and has space for; there should be no arbitrary number, percentage, or any other "one size fits all" pronouncement.  Roles are too different, preferences are too different, and attitude toward the wardrobes are much too different.  Some of us want "uniforms", some of us want infinite variety; some want a sense of adventure.  Styling a closet should be for the sole benefit of, and meet the desires of the "producer" , not the "director" of the play. 

Check out "Rockmyrole.blogspot.com" for tips on taking advantage of a triangle body type

......Happy Styling ....................Geneva