wardrobe-prep

3 Tricks For Busy Women To Get Dressed Fast

October 16, 2017

Sometimes you just don’t know what to wear.

Some days you have to get out the door in a hurry. Those are the mornings when I reach for one of my grab and go outfits. Grab and go (also called fast fall back) outfits are those outfits that I’ve put together in advance. I typically plan at least a few outfits when I set up my capsule wardrobe at the start of each season. But what if I don’t want to wear any of my re-planned outfits and I’m getting dressed in a hurry?

Here are 3 ways I get ready fast, without reaching for one of my grab and go looks.

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Shopping Brake — The Book

September 29, 2017

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Shopping Brake — The Book

Available at: Kindle | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Createspace

Own too many clothes, yet never have anything to wear?

Unable to walk out of a store without buying something?

Struggle every day getting dressed?

With shopping tips, closet organization advice, and insights into the mindset of a shopaholic, Shopping Brake: Proven tips to stop shopping wrong, and start shopping right for a wardrobe you love, will provide you with the tools that you need to own a wardrobe that is the right choice for you.

Pick up your copy today!

Available at: Kindle | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Createspace

2017 Fall Capsule Wardrobe

September 21, 2017

2017 fall capsule wardrobe final_intro

In my last post I began my Fall Capsule Wardrobe Check-In and discussed what was and wasn’t working over the past month. My fall wardrobe was all ready to go after I culled it down to a manageable 42 items. Until I walked into Target to buy stuff for my home, and walked out with stuff for my closet.

Does this ever happen to anyone else?

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Fall Capsule Wardrobe Check-In

September 18, 2017

2017 fall capsule wardrobe before

It’s been 1 month since I started wearing my Fall Capsule Wardrobe. Since fall is my favorite season to dress for (the colors, the layers, the boots, and let’s not forget the pumpkin well everything, yum), my fall capsule is also my favorite wardrobe capsule to work with.

However, my fall capsule wardrobe was prepped back in July and early August, and then sat unworn until now. The long delay gave me a chance to review my fall capsule wardrobe with a fresh set of eyes, and I noticed something disturbing about this capsule wardrobe.

My fall capsule wardrobe began with a staggering 58 items, yowza!  That’s a lot of clothes.

Or is it, really?

The answer depends on how often I want to wear everything in this capsule wardrobe.

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5 Budget Friendly Style Tips For Women

September 7, 2017

Have you ever followed a fashion blogger or celebrity and felt jealous of their every move? Impeccable outfits, amazing shoes, gorgeous handbags, flawless make-up, perfect hair, a peek into a glam lifestyle can make any women green with envy. The dirty truth behind celebrities and Instagram’s top fashion bloggers is that they often have partnerships with luxury designers, so they either don’t pay for the stuff they wear or they buy it at a considerable discount. They also have a glam squad (hair, make-up, etc.) to help them get ready for events and professional appearances.

Does this mean that if you don’t have the budget or the professionals to help you get ready on a daily basis that you’re doomed to having no personal style? Absolutely not! Personal style is not about how much money you spend, it’s about what you do with your money.

Here are 5 tips on how to look fashionable when your budget doesn’t include buying out the designer’s collections or having a team of professionals to help you get ready.

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The Number One Reason Why Your Closet Is A Mess

August 28, 2017

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How did my closet get so messy (top) when it used to be so neat (bottom)?

Have you ever cleaned out your closet, only to find it looking like a mess again a week or two later? Me too! A few weeks ago I had prepped my fall capsule wardrobe and my closet looked like the closet on the bottom. The shelves had lots of space, there was room in between each hanger, and most important of all, I could see and access everything I had inside my closet.

Yet the other day I looked inside my closet and discovered that it had turned into the mess at the top.  The shelves were overflowing, there wasn’t much space in between each hanger, and overall I couldn’t see or reach for at least half or more of the things in my closet.

Why did my closet become such a mess?

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How To Transition To Fall Without Spending A Single Penny

August 24, 2017

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With the weather starting to cool down (it was 61F this morning) and the stores filled with gorgeous fall colors, the only thing on my mind right now is dressing for fall.  But what if my budget hasn’t caught up yet and I don’t have any money to spend on new clothes for fall?  No worries, because I can transition my wardrobe for fall without spending a single penny.  In fact, I don’t even have to cross over into my fall capsule wardrobe to start wearing outfits for fall.

The 3 outfits at the top of this post contain pieces from only my summer capsule wardrobe and they all have a nod to the fall season.

What did I do to transition these summer clothes for fall?

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Spend Or Save — Fall Florals and Loafer Mules

August 21, 2017

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Would you spend or save on this outfit?

Last week I demonstrated how I can take 3 of my favorite summer outfits and transition them for fall. But what if you’re tired of your summer clothes and you want an entirely new outfit instead? Then it’s a great opportunity to refresh your style with a couple of trendy pieces.

Two of my picks for the 5 hot trends for fall 2017 for women were floral prints and raw hem jeans. No longer just for spring, this year designers have extended the life of flowers right into their fall collections by placing gorgeous blooms against dark backgrounds. Shaking up the classic skinny jean this season is their cousin, the raw hem jean. And while you could pair floral prints and raw hem jeans with ankle booties, I’m going to add in a different footwear option instead—loafer mules. Loafer mules first popped up in high fashion spring collections and their popularity is still going strong today. If you have a mild fall season, or you’re simply not ready to commit to boots yet, a loafer mule is a fun option.

But before you can shop first you have to decide which option you will pick—spend or save.

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Shopping Brake — The Book Is Now Available As A Paperback

August 18, 2017

Shopping Brake Book

Now available as a paperback!

Today I’m excited to announce that the book Shopping Brake: Proven tips to stop shopping wrong, and start shopping right for a wardrobe you love is now available as a paperback!

If you have ever done any of the following:

  • Stood in front of your closet and said “I have nothing to wear”
  • Bought something and then tried to hide it because you felt guilty
  • Found clothes in your closet with the tags still on
  • Looked for tips on editing and organizing your closet
  • Struggled to figure out what your personal style is
  • Become bored with your current wardrobe

This book is for you!

Filled with shopping tips, closet organization advice, and insights into the mindset of a shopaholic, Shopping Brake: Proven tips to stop shopping wrong, and start shopping right for a wardrobe you love will provide you with the tools that you need to own a wardrobe that you love.

Check out the Kindle version to read the entire introduction, as well as preview a few additional random pages.  Or grab a print version from any of the following retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Createspace

Thank you for supporting the Shopping Brake Family!

Transitioning Summer To Fall

August 17, 2017

Navy Sweater and boyfriend jeans

Outfit #1 // Navy sweater and boyfriend jeans from summer to fall.

With a few simple styling tips I can easily transition some of my favorite summer pieces into fall.  Mixing my summer and fall clothes allows me use 2 capsules at the same time, a win win!  It also stretches my creative juices so that I don’t grow bored as the seasons change.  When it’s time to start using my fall capsule I don’t have to pack up my summer capsule right away, I can use transitional dressing to get a little more use out of my summer clothes before they are put aside until summer rolls around again.

Here are 3 summer outfits that I plan to transition for fall:

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