• ORGANIZATION It is better to organize your closet according to "types" of clothing rather than color, as you will see, at a glance, what it is you have and need. When it comes to size, the clothing (not including shoes) you can fit into a large suitcase is my ultimate goal, if a vague and romantic lower limit. It is like makeup minimalism—the fewer the items, the higher the quality, and the greater the satisfaction.


• QUALITY AND FIT Essentially, this translates into: "Buy clothes that flatter YOU." Quality usually translates into improved fit and durability, and you'll just have to acquire an eye for this, because hype is not a reliable guide (as ever). I see little reason, for example, to move beyond J. Crew trousers and American Apparel tees, and the last time I looked at a Louis Vuitton purse or a Christian Louboutin heel, I was appalled by the crappy construction. Take a good look at the stitching, feel the material, and try it on and see how it drapes, how it moves on the body. Fit depends on your figure. For example, a pencil skirt is better with curves, so I don't find myself using mine that often, but a-line (full) skirts draw attention to my tiny waist and give the illusion that I have hips (which I don't). Similarly, a v-neck makes me look more flat-chested than ever, but a boatneck draws attention to my long and slender neck.


• CLIMATE CONTROL This is an assessment of your environment. If you live in California, for example, a down coat may be overkill, but my friends and I quite froze in Montréal in May in our New England gear. Temperate climates that see a great seasonal changes will naturally need larger wardrobes. Just as the physical environment informs your wardrobe, so does your cultural environment. As a snobbish Bostonian, I nearly choke with rising bile at so-called SoCal "style" (hee hee.. "so-called SoCal"), but hey, they'd turn right back at me and call me preppy. Every city has its vibe.


• ERR ON THE SIDE OF CLASSICISM Clothes that are seasonless will become permanent pieces in your wardrobe, and they do not have to be boring. Subtle details are always the more tasteful, intimate pleasure, and bear repetition with dignity, unlike pieces that wear you. Consider: lush, offbeat colors, luxurious materials, a sense of humor on a classic silhouette.


• ERR ON THE SIDE OF POLISH Not "fussy", mind you. I suppose some of us go to balls and operas and movie premieres with regularity, but bedazzlement for the everyday is rather silly. But then, I don't approve of lazy and sloppy-looking casuals either, because clothes affect one's state of mind (elegant clothes lend grace to their wearer). In truth, it is far easier and more comfortable to slip into a dress and a chic little ballet flat. Most of your clothes should fall into a middle ground that dresses easily up or down with the right accessory or two—that same dress will take you to cocktails or a job interview with heels and posh jewelry and a freakin' awesome coat. There is essentially no difference in wearing a soft and lightweight knit top rather than a t-shirt, or a pair of trousers instead of jeans, except that they look better and will take you from work to the weekend with with real peace of mind.


• FIND YOUR NEUTRALS Find the neutral that flatters you most, and buy several basic pieces in that color: at minimum, a blouse (or some kinda top), a cardigan (layer), pants and skirt (bottom), and a dress (little _____ dress). Mine is white, which is not a stain-friendly color, so my bottoms are in grey and navy. These pieces should flatter your figure, but otherwise have rather muted personalities, because they will serve as the basis of your outfit or as a balancing touch to a busy ensemble. Once you have these down, you will find yourself naturally gravitating towards colors that complement your neutral as well as yourself, and you'll find the whole issue of "does this match?" becomes increasingly less pressing. I wear a lot of green and lavender and blues, because they are particularly pristine with white. Less flattering but nevertheless attractive colors can serve as "contrast", in the form of accessories or layers, for example, saffron or raspberry. It is not a precise science, but it does sort of fall into place.


• ON TASTE Such a tricksome, mercurial, insensible thing that one might argue, taste is not "essential to life", one of the excesses of civilization, but such criticism usually comes from the mouths of those who have no taste. The joy lies in its superfluity. The cultivation of taste (which should not be confused with the mere accumulation of stuff)—the books we read, the art we see (including tv and movies), the music we listen to, the food we eat, the places we go, the clothes we wear—do not these enrich life beyond mere hand-to-mouth existence? It is, above all, a cultivation of personality, and the confidence to wear your clothes rather than have your clothes wear you. This is the last and perhaps most essential point. Though these are basics that every woman should own, the incarnation is entirely up to you: "This above all: to thine own self be true" (Hamlet, of course).

Labels: an array ecumenical, philosophy