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Each month, Mary Lou answers (and we post!) a fashion question from one of our site visitors. If you have something you want to know to help pull together your wardrobe with style and confidence, ask away!
We also announce that the monthly question and answer is available to read in our free weekly Dressing Well "Tip of the Week!" You may want to subscribe if you haven't already done so.
Bookmark this page and return back soon to see if your question has been answered!
For February, 2003:
Q: I like to think of myself as a thrifty shopper and love to take of advantage of end of the season sales. I often will buy a sweater, shirt, pants, etc. at the end of the season to put away for next winter.
However, when I dig it out of my closet the following winter I am sometimes disappointed to find that the item is already outdated. Do you have any suggestions about items that will be a wise purchase for next winter?
A: There's nothing like a new outfit (especially when it's on sale!) to cure the winter doldrums. Before you head to the store, head to your closet first and take an inventory of what you actually might need. A bargain is only a bargain if it is needed, fits and complements what you do on a day-to-day basis.
Are you sick and tired of your sweaters? An easy way to give yourself an end-of-winter wardrobe lift while cost effectively building your wardrobe for seasons to come is by adding a sweater with classic styling. You might even find one in cashmere for up to 70% off. Having a hard time figuring out what a classic sweater looks like? Visit burberry.com or talbots.com and look for ones with a neckline that flatters your face and that have very little detailing on the bodices.
Wool coats are another excellent sale rack find if you need one. With today's more casual lifestyles, many people have expanded this area of their wardrobes. Short, 3/4 and ankle length coats are all popular and can complement different areas of your wardrobe. I bought a long camel coat last March for 60% off its original price. When I saw it last year at the beginning of the season, it looked like a good "wish list" item. When I saw it on the clearance rack in the spring, it came home with me! Given the especially cold winter we are experiencing in the Northeast, it has been a key staple in my wardrobe this year.
Leather coats, pants, skirts and boots can be added now too if they are classically designed. Stay away from shorter skirts, trendy pants and boots with funky heels. Skirt lengths can change overnight and fashion-forward pants and shoes are only fashion-forward if they are in fact cut and designed in the style of the moment. At this time, it's too hard to determine what skirt lengths, pant shapes and boot styles will be most popular next year.
I think of all tops as accessories. I tend to stock up on them at the beginning of the season in the "in" colors that are being shown. If you can find knit shells in basic colors now (i.e. black, cream, beige, red) by all means grab them, especially in lightweight wools and seasonless silks. Picking up colors such as lilac, apple green and yellow can help you lighten up all your dark suits for spring.
I tend to only buy shirts and blouses when I need them to complement a certain outfit. I find if I buy too many without a plan, they just sit in my closet.
Retailers have trained consumers to buy on sale. You don't necessarily have to wait to the end of the season any longer. Coat sales, for instance, start on Columbus Day and off-price retailers offer tremendous value all your round. Shop with a focused plan and you can buy items on sale throughout the year.
Have fun shopping!