Do you have a closet confession?

Closet ConfessionsFirst of all, let me tell you what a closet confession is. A closet confession is anything that is said in the closet, about your wardrobe, about your body, or about your relationships. And really it could be about anything you want to share or something that you may not want anyone else to know but me, your stylist. It could be funny, intimate, a little embarrassing, something you detest doing, or just plain strange. I’ve heard it all…or at least I think so.
Some closet confessions are personal and I would never reveal them to anyone. But many closet confessions which deal with the complexities of discovering the right style, are the same ones I hear from more than a few of my clients. I, of course won’t be mentioning names, but if you recognize a topic you brought up when we were working together, then you can be assured you weren’t the only who brought that concern or problem to me. Today I will provide solutions to those concerns and problems that I know will be very helpful to you and many more.
Before I share, let me remind you that what you say to me in the closet, stays in the closet between you and me. I will be giving examples but of course I will not be giving out any names. So you don’t need to break into a sweat as you’re reading. Your closet confessions are safe with me, and as always, I will honor your anonymity.
So here it goes. This list contains 3 closet confessions and the solutions I gave to my clients, that worked.
Speaking of breaking into a sweat…
Closet Confession #1:
“I sweat profusely. No deodorant seems to work.” (A few of you have confessed this only happens with one underarm. Relax, this is more common than you think, and the solution will obviously work for you too. 🙂
Solution:
  • Wear only natural fiber clothing in looser styles. The more restrictive the clothing the less circulation you will have. Natural fibers also breath better than synthetic fibers. Polyester, rayon, nylon produce more heat, hence, you are more likely to sweat.
  • Every body reacts differently to bacteria therefore some people’s body odor will smell worse than others. To minimize the smell, you need to reduce the bacteria on your skin. Deodorants that you dip into and apply with your fingers just spread and transport bacteria from your deodorant to your underarm and back again. So do roll-on deodorants. Try using a spray type deodorant.
  • Wear protective shields. I recommend: Hollywood Fashion Secrets Garment Shields to protect your clothing.
  • If you still end up with those embarrassing yellow underarm stains, by simply washing your shirts with borax combined with washing soda (found in the laundry isle) your white shirts should return to their sparkling state.
Closet Confession #2
“I am addicted to buying clothes. Even though I feel I have more than enough clothing, I can’t help myself.”
I confess I had this problem many years ago. This is how I handled it, and what I also advise my clients to do.
 
Solution: 
Some habits are hard to break. Follow these 3 easy steps:
  1. Promise yourself that every time you buy a new piece, you have to get rid of two, not one, items of clothing. In the beginning this will be easy because if you are a true shop-a-holic you are probably buying many items, and most likely you aren’t buying just what you absolutely love. Therefore, you probably have items that you aren’t that excited about. These will be the first to go.
  2. However, as time goes on and you stick with your promise, you’ll run out of items that you don’t necessarily not like, and you’ll have to decide which items to get rid of that you do like because you just bought something new. You may even find that you are returning the new item, because you don’t love it as much as any of the items you currently have in your closet, that you don’t want to get rid of because you had purchased something new, and you’re honoring your promise to yourself. Whew! Get the picture?
  3. Buying and returning items you don’t really love are a waste of time. What this will teach you, if you haven’t discovered already, is to be more selective about the items that you buy, making sure that you really love them before you add them to your wardrobe. This is a good rule of thumb to go by even if you aren’t an addicted shopaholic. Think about it this way: Your closet is prime real estate to house a wardrobe that you love. Does this item deserve a place in your closet space?
Closet Confession #3
“I hate to iron.”
Who doesn’t?! Well…let me confess, I actually like to iron. And in fact, let me share a fun fact about myself. Many years ago when I worked in the costume department for the local theater and opera, ironing costumes was part of my job. I was taught how to iron a shirt the proper way so that when complete, you didn’t have any part of the shirt wrinkled from ironing another part of the shirt. I’ll share it with you another time, but for now, let’s just say I mastered the art of ironing and I pride myself on a well ironed shirt.
For those of you who thinking, “I’m impressed Michelle, but please give me the solution,” Here it is.
Solution: 
  • If time is your biggest issue, dry-clean your blouses and have your shirts laundered. To save even more time find a dry cleaner that picks up and delivers.
  • If money is your biggest issue, many times blouses and shirts can be laundered for a lot less than dry cleaning. Check the care label.
  • Unless you are a person who fits confession #2, a shirt or blouse doesn’t necessarily need to be cleaned after wearing it once, or even twice if you’re careful.
  • Always undress the moment you get home and put the top on a hanger, (don’t throw it on your bed or chair piling more clothes on top inviting more wrinkles) to keep it looking as fresh as possible.
  • Sometimes a shirt or blouse just needs a touch up on the collar, cuffs, and hem, unless you are tucking it into your pants or skirt. (Why bother ironing areas that are going to be hidden?)
  • Buy Wrinkle Wiz. This is a product that will remove wrinkles by just spraying the fabric. The spray relaxes the fibers, hence, removing wrinkles. It’s great for travel or everyday use at the home or at the office. Bonus feature: It also helps remove static.

*****

Let me end by saying, I think I’ve heard every closet confession imaginable, but you never know. You may confess something to me and it might be the first time I have ever heard it. Try me. I’ll give solutions to the first 5 people who blog me within 1 week of the date of this blog post. Caveat: Just because these solutions worked for my clients doesn’t mean they’ll work for everyone. If you try a solution and it doesn’t work, contact me.

Now, it’s your turn. I’d love to hear from you.  Your insights and inspiration are appreciated so please share your stories in the comments below.

Blog me.

Love,

~Michelle

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