Ordinarily I would have suggested that you stop buying summer items and concentrate on getting your autumn and winter wardrobes updated (and vice versa if you happen to be living in the southern hemisphere). This is because the retail cycle forces you to think a season ahead. However, there are three instances in which you should still be sifting through end of season summer rails:

1. If you expect to have at least 2-3 more months of hot weather
2. If you are planning a warm weather holiday in the middle of winter
3. If you can make those summer items work for you in autumn

With specific reference to the last point, find guidelines below on how to make a few summer sale items more versatile and less seasonal:

• Girly tops are great on their own in summer with a pair of walk shorts; and just as sweet in autumn with jeans, boots and a fitted piece of knitwear or cropped jacket.
• Denim walk shorts, despite their breeziness, will be warm enough when it gets colder if you wear them with long boots, a turtle neck and a long sleeved cropped military jacket or coat.
• Fitted collared shirts with sleeves of any length can be layered with camisole underneath, cardigan or pullover on top and any form of jacket or coat over that. It’s an especially good idea to buy white.
• Knitted wrap dresses are sexy with heels, and just as gorgeous in autumn with long boots, a denim jacket or cropped piece of knitwear. Consider wearing a knitted knee length dress over a pair of leggings or jeans if you are a dash more daring.
• Jailbird striped knitted tops are still a big statement next season, and can certainly be layered appropriately for chilly temperatures.
• Any black, cream, grey or red item of clothing is going to keep you current now and in the next 6 months. 
• Jeans are always a good investment!

Reinventing our summer items in autumn outfits is one way to get the most out of our wardrobe.

The versatile walk short (left) and jailbird stripe pullover (right) work for both summer and autumn/winter dressing.

Hopefully you’ve managed to do a thorough closet cleanup and gotten as far as the first part of closet organization. All that remains is to give your closet a system. Regardless of the space you have available, the guidelines below should help you get organized:

• Clothes, shoes and accessories only – try not to clutter your closet with all sorts of other items. The aim is to create a concise and efficient dressing area so that you can shop in your own closet every morning.
• Hanging space – assign each item of clothing to its correct hanger and group your hangers by category (e.g. group all shirts together, then all knitted tops together, and so on)
  • Dresses,  jackets, blouses, shirts should be hung on a simple wooden or thick plastic hanger
  • Skirts should be hung on clip hangers
  • Suits, pants, slacks, jeans and shorts should be hung on suit hangers
  • Fancy knitted tops and knitwear should be hung on padded hangers
  • Heavy coats and jackets are best hung on shaped hangers
• Shelving – fold and stack knitted tops, t-shirts, pullovers and sweatshirts into separate piles.
• Underwear, camisoles, socks and tights –fold and section each category into drawers using drawer dividers.
• Sleepwear – fold and place into a separate drawer or area in your walk in wardrobe.
• Sports gear – work out clothes, ski clothes, cycling togs, soccer kit or any other type of sports gear needs to be folded and kept in a separate drawer or shelf. These items should not be worn as everyday clothing unless you are actually engaging in the sport. If you keep them close to the rest of your clothing, you’ll be tempted to wear them day to day and that’s not stylish.
• Belts and long necklaces – hanging them on a tie rack makes them easy to access. Alternatively, hammering a small nail into a cupboard door for each separate accessory will also do the trick.
• Handbags – if you do not have a separate cupboard for your bags - placing them on shelves will also work. Messenger bags are best hung on hooks, while dainty evening bags and clutches are best filed side by side or stacked in a drawer.
• Shoes – shoes need to be stored either on shoe racks or in canvas shoe files. If you do not have room to keep your shoes in your closet underneath your hanging space, then in the coat closet close to the front door is also a good idea.
• Scarves, hats, gloves and shawls – fold and stack these into boxes or baskets in your closet. If you have a large assortment, then group each category into its own separate box. These items are very seasonal and proper storage will keep them free from dust and moths.
• Jewelry – everyone has their own personal storage vessel for their jewelry. Whatever you select needs to be easy to access and kept dust free. There is little point in storing everyday jewelry far away from your clothes – you’ll forget all about them when it comes to dressing.  Keep your accessory boxes organized – if your jewelry is tangled, you won’t wear it.

You will still be able to use the above closet system if you share a wardrobe with someone else. For the ultra regimented, consider sorting your clothes not only by category, but by colour – it not only makes your closet look even more inviting – but it makes it even simpler when putting together your look for the day.

With a little organization, even those of us with modest closets will be able to experience some of the benefits of a very fancy, custom California Closet like the one above.

I was elated when I discovered Jockey modern briefs (see “Brilliant boy shorts“), but it turns out that they weren’t so easy find in stores. This was disappointing – they weren’t only comfortable, but had passed the washer and dryer test with flying colours (they retain their shape and size well if you tumble dry them on “low for knits”).

The good news is that they are available online in an assortment of colours at Bare Necessities.

These boy shorts truly live up to their promise of “no panty lines” and are extremely comfortable despite their centre front seam. Thanks to Sue once again for sharing her valuable findings with us – I intend to stock up immediately.

Smelling delicious every day is feminine and polished. To find a fragrance that suits us is not always easy. Once we’ve found it, we’ll want to apply it correctly so that we get maximum mileage out of our pricey purchase. Expert opinions differ on the subject, but here are my two cents worth:

• Choice of fragrance – perfume smells differently when worn on the skin so it’s best not to rely on the whiff from a bottle. Skin acidity (affected by skin type, age and hormones) also affects the smell of a fragrance once applied. What smells nice on a mate might not smell nice on you and vice versa. A fragrance takes almost an hour to develop fully so don’t go on first impressions. There are no rules to follow here – if you like a scent, apply it to the outside of your hand and see what it’s like after an hour. Don’t try more than 2 at once – your nasal senses will get confused.
• Oily versus dry skin – dry skin does not absorb perfume as well as oily skin does. Perfume therefore lasts longer on skin that is not dry. Fragrances are absorbed like moisturizer because they contain oil. If you have dry skin, you might want to reapply your scent half way through the day.
• Cold versus hot – fragrances will last longer in hotter weather because of the moisture in the air and on you skin. You’ll need to wear more scent in colder weather.
• Correct application – a fragrance will last it’s longest when applied to pulse points such as the wrists, folds of the elbow, base of the neck and cleavage. Experts have suggested that the back of the knees and ankles are also good areas. I like to apply my perfume at the back of if my hairline. This is especially effective if you have long hair that you keep down because the scent travels through your hair, giving off a whiff every time you move your head.
• Rubbing your wrists together – do not rub your wrists together after you’ve sprayed your fragrance as this will flatten the scent.
• Mixing scents – scents should not compete. When you wear deodorant and body lotion, make sure that the scents are either the same as that of your fragrance, or wear odourless options.
• Sealing in your scent – using scented soaps and lotions that are the same as your perfume will make it last twice as long. Spray your scent first and then follow with the scented moisturizer.
• Spraying your clothes and jewelry – good quality perfumes will not stain your clothes but may ruin costume jewelry (the alcohol content can strip a layer off your pearls as well).   It’s a good idea to spray your clothes instead of your skin if you are sensitive. If I’m wearing a collared shirt or girly top – I like to spray the collar instead of my neck.

You can either invest in an assortment of fragrances that you like to wear depending on your mood and the climate; or you can stick to one that you wear all the time. If you haven’t managed to find a fragrance that you love – take yourself to the fine fragrance counter of any department store as soon as possible!

Caring for your shoes will not only preserve them, but will contribute to your overall “polish“. Different types of shoes require different types of care. Over the years, I’ve learnt a few tricks:

• Tidy storage – putting shoes away neatly in your closet helps to maintain them. It’s when we fling them into a cupboard or forget about them outside that they suffer.
• Leather – leather shoes are best waterproofed with a waxed leather protector and then polished from time to time. If you can’t find polish to match your shoe colour, opt for colourless shoe shine – this will also do the trick.
• Suede – suede shoes are the most difficult to maintain. No matter what they tell you when you buy them, they will never look the same again despite what you do to them.  However, prevention is better then cure. Start off by spraying suede shoes with a suede protector. If they get scuffed after that, try rubbing the mark out with an eraser, or brushing it off with a relatively hard bristle brush. Never wear suede shoes in the rain – you will ruin them.
• Canvas and vinyl – sneakers are easier to clean than you might expect. Wash the laces like you would launder your clothes. There are a variety of athletic shoe shampoos on the market these days that work really well. I’ve also found that scrubbing with washing detergent and a dishwashing brush works wonders too.
• Metallic and patent – metallic and patent shoes will unfortunately not clean well. Soapy water works if the dirt is removable. Colourless shoe shine will work up to a point on metallic leather, but not as well as you would have hoped. I have been disappointed with gold sandals that I have not been able to maintain. However, it does take a lot for then to get scuffed in the first place.
• Boots – long boots need to be kept upright. If you can’t find proper upright supporters, then rolled up newspaper secured with a few rubber bands will work just as well at a fraction of the price.
• Odour – “tissue sheets” (scented tissue sheets that you pop into the dryer with your washing for extra sweet smelling laundry) will help eliminate shoes with unsavoury odours. Scrunch a scented sheet or two up and pop them into your shoes when you’re not wearing them. I recently received this tip from a friend – thank you Joey for sharing!
• Share the wear – you need to have enough shoes in your closet to “share their wear”. The more we wear our shoes, the shabbier they become. This is especially a point to consider for gents and elderly people who often do not have enough shoes.    

If you give your shoes the attention that they deserve, there is no doubt that they will look nicer for longer.

Suede and leather care products from Kiwi (available at HealingTouch.com).

Accessorizing with style isn’t easy, especially when it comes to wearing necklaces and earrings. It used to be simple – when you saw a necklace with matching earrings (or vice versa), you assumed that they were to be worn together. This is not always the case. Here are a few guidelines:

• One or the other – chunky necklaces should not be worn together with chunky earrings.
• Dangly, chandelier style earrings are enough of a statement of their own. Refrain from wearing anything around your neck when you wear these.
• Chunky neck pieces look best with dainty studs, delicate drop styles or extremely small hoops.
• Matching sets – matching earring and necklace sets are pretty but have a tendency to look dowdy if you are not over 55. By all means buy them as a set and then separate them when you wear them. 
• Adding your spectacles – don’t wear dangly chunky earrings if you wear glasses. Wear small studs or nothing at all. Wearing a chunky necklace with specs is absolutely fine.

There are exceptions to every rule. But if you adhere to the tips above, chances are high that you’ll be accessorized correctly.

It seems ridiculous to think about winter woolies, coats and boots in sweltering summer temperatures; yet it’s the perfect time to contemplate the season that lies ahead. Retail stores in the northern hemisphere offer their fullest and finest autumn and winter collections from August to October. It’s therefore best to dive in while selections are abundant.

Before decisions can be made as to which trends will work for you, it’s imperative to understand what they are:

• Black, black, black - is this season’s most important fashion colour.
• Black, white, grey and red combinations – will liven up the somberness of a very dark palette.
• Menswear suiting - is ultra feminine when tailored to perfection and worn with the highest of heels.
• Horizontal jailbird striping – in jersey and knitwear is most effective in two tones.
• Romantic blouses or “girly tops” – are still one of the prettiest and most versatile items of the season.
• Waistcoats and vests – are especially androgynous in grey and black pinstripe suiting.
• Brocade outerwear - is rich and luxurious in a season of black.
• Oversized welted knitwear – is flattering in delicate fabrics that show off the contour of your pretty shoulders.
• Grandpa sweaters – are best when belted at the waist.
• Military coats and jackets – are serious yet sophisticated when combined with shiny metallic buttons.
• Biker jackets – can be “cool” when contrasted with ladylike blouses.
• Nylon body warmers (sleeveless jackets) – add an urban edge to any outfit.
• Bell or bubble knee length skirts – are elegant in drapy fabrics that lie flat against the body.
• Tartan and hounds tooth checks (plaids) - are funky when styled in cropped peplum jackets, walk shorts, pencil skirts, bags and shoes.
• Sack dresses – are best when worn over jeans, skinny pants or leggings like a school uniform.
• Leggings – are more like footless opaque tights and worn most stylishly underneath skirts and dresses.
• Skinny jeans and pants – are a good idea if you want to tuck then into your boots.
• Cheetah and zebra printed anything – is a classy statement if you limit it to one item in your outfit at once.
• Wide waisted belts – will instantly pop anything that you had last season into this one.
• Army boots – are back for comfort and contrast.
• Ankle booties – make their debut as the “shoe of the season”.

There is lots of newness to absorb because Autumn 2006 marks a watershed change in fashion. Changes in silhouette as dramatic as these are only seen every decade. Stay tuned on how to best adopt the above trends for your body type and lifestyle. Keep those fashion feet moving!

Having done your closet cleanup, it is now time for some re-organization. You should have been left with 4 piles of clothes:

• A pile to donate – consider donating to non-profit organizations like Dress for Success or the Salvation Army. Pass clothing that is the incorrect size or colour to family and friends who you feel might benefit.
• A pile to have altered – get these items off to a tailor quickly.
• A pile to store away – all outdated designer and vintage pieces should be kept because fashion repeats itself. You might not be able to wear them now, but you will again at some point. Store away items like your wedding dress, and other sentimental garments that you can’t bear to part with but cannot wear. Box them to protect them from moths.
• A pile to keep – these are the “cherries” that made it into your new, regimented closet system.

The first step to creating a happy, efficient and comfortable personal dressing environment is to arrange the appropriate storage space and invest in the correct storage aids. Most of us are not blessed with lavish walk in wardrobes and have to make do with the cupboards we have. Not to worry – there are storage solutions for everything! The most important aspect to create in your closet is visibility – you cannot shop in your closet if you cannot see and access things easily. This goes for underwear, socks, shoes, belts, hats, scarves, gloves and handbags as well.

Before we can slot our wardrobe into a system, we’ll need the right tools:

• Hanging space
• Different types of hangers
• Shelving space
• Drawers and drawer dividers
• Shoe racks or shoe files
• A belt rack, necklace rack
• Transparent boxes
• Jewelry storage vessels (a very personal choice)
• A full length mirror

The above items are inexpensive to buy and can make the world of difference to your daily dressing ritual. Once you have the correct supplies, you’ll be able to follow a simple system. Stay tuned for how an efficient clothing system can positively influence the way you dress!

Hangers (30 for $17) and shoe rack ($24.99) from Target.

Drawer dividers ($14.99 a pair) and tie, belt, cap, or necklace rack ($19.99) from Bed Bath & Beyond.

Fragrances are part of the fashion industry. Their use suggests glamour, sophistication, romance and ultra-femininity. Applying a fragrance can be considered the final touch to perfect polish. If I don’t put on my perfume, or have unexpectedly run out – I feel incompletely dressed.

Fine fragrances can be categorized according to type and scent.

While some prefer fragrances to be strong, others prefer them to be subtle.  Perfume is made up of denatured ethyl alcohol and essential oils – the higher the percentage of the latter, the stronger, longer lasting, and more expensive the scent. Opinions differ on the exact quantities of essential oils that define the different types of fragrances, but here are the big categories:

• Perfume (most essential oils - more than 20%)
• Eau de Parfum
• Eau de Toilette
• Eau de Cologne (least essential oils - less than 5%)

Different scents work for different people, matching their personality, fashion persona and skin chemistry. I find that the following are useful categories for narrowing down personal preferences:

• Fresh – citrus fruits and green leaves
• Floral – jasmine, roses and white flower scents
• Oriental – vanilla and spices
• Woody – musk and moss

Fragrances are offered at an assortment of price points – most of which are on the pricey side. Why? Because rose oil is the basis of all perfume and it takes over a ton of rose petals to produce a pound of this essential oil, which can cost between $3000 and $4000!

I strongly recommend using a fragrance every day. It is one of the most personal messages that you send to those with whom you come into contact, and it will increase your sense of well being. Stay tuned for tips on which fragrances to select and how to apply them.

Coco Chanel invented what is probably the most famous and successful perfume to date. It was the 5th bottle of scent in an assortment that her design house created, so for lack of a better name she called it “Chanel number 5″. It stuck, and the product was marketed under this name.

Devoid of glamour and with an emphasis on unstructured comfort, the 80’s is sometimes referred to as the “death of fashion” and “the tasteless decade”. Twenty five years later, fashion trends are inspired by the 80’s – but with added glamour this time around. For those of us who are old enough, cruise or cringe down memory lane as you peruse the list of items below that have made a comeback this autumn season:

• Broad, two-toned striped knit tops
• Skinny pants
• Longer length T’s
• Leggings
• Micro minis
• Broad waist belts
• Mélange grey knit
• Grey jeans
• Deep V–neck tops with welted waist bands
• Red and black tartan checks (plaid)
• Red, black and white colour combinations
• Hounds tooth (black and white micro check)
• Bubble or bell skirts
• Patent accessories
• Membership jackets
• Plastic jewelry
• Ankle boots
• Leg warmers
• Punk chic t-shirts and studded belts

Fortunately, electric blue eye shadow, fuchsia lipstick, oversized shirts, shoulder pads and big hair never made the revival. Apart from skinny pants and leggings, retailers have ensured that their 80’s inspired punk and gothic collections are feminine and flattering. We’ll therefore be wearing the clothes that we once loathed again – only this time with style!