As a longtime shopping enthusiast, I've pretty much always had a closet full of clothes.
Now that I've reached middle age, I've amassed some pretty nice things among my own racks. Over the years, I've scored some designer-consignment finds, collected a bunch of high-end samples through my job as a lifestyle journalist, and splurged on some higher-end pieces.
Somehow, though, I came up empty every time I opened my closet to get dressed for any particular occasion — from my kids' sporting activities to lunch meetings and date nights. It always seemed that I was staring down a full closet full of absolutely nothing to wear.
For help, I reached out to Chellie Carlson, a stylist based in my own Los Angeles neighborhood, whose philosophy is all about helping regular people put together a wardrobe that lights them up.
Carlson started by evaluating each piece of clothing I owned.She hung all of my clothing on a rack to evaluate each piece separately.
Alesandra Dubin
Carlson arrived at my house with an assistant and a portable rolling rack. They got to work pulling everything out of my closet by category — tops, pants, dresses — and hanging one group at a time on the rack to evaluate each.
Carlson said it's hard to analyze your own inventory when you're staring at the same hodgepodge you see every day. So, to see your clothing with fresh eyes, you have to bring each piece into the light separately.
Right away, she was able to identify the pieces I should donate.She suggested donating my peplum tops.
Alesandra Dubin
Right off the bat, she identified one factor keeping me from a successful wardrobe: I had a few viable tops, but too many unbecoming ones muddying my choices.
So, we chucked the peplums and cap sleeves, both unflattering styles, into the donation pile.
She gave me some tips on how to make my clothes look and fit better.Carlson cut off the bottom of a sweater that was too long on me.
Alesandra Dubin
Next, Carlson showed me how to reinvent some of my existing tops to make them feel current and tailored to my body — no professional tailor (or big expense) required.
She showed me methods like cutting off the bottom of a too-long sweater with scissors and cinching the back of a T-shirt using a clear ponytail band to create a custom fit.
I finally parted with my skinny jeans and other dated pieces.I learned that the wider-cut pants in my existing wardrobe can look sleek and polished.
Alesandra Dubin
I'm a Xennial, and an affinity for skinny jeans is in my generation's DNA. So, I was holding onto a lot of them.
However, Carlson recommended donating my skinny pants and showed me how the wider-cut options in my existing wardrobe can look sleek and polished. She said that by pairing these pants with more fitted shirts, I'll get that same overall shapely silhouette I'd associated with skinny jeans.
In addition to my pants, it turns out my shoe collection was also standing between me and a chic and current capsule wardrobe. I love espadrilles for all my tropical travels, and I had a closet full of chunky wedges, platforms, and stilettos.
However, these aren't the most effective or modern options. For a more streamlined and on-trend look, she said I should lean into some of my kitten heels and flats and bump some of those stilettos into the giveaway pile.
Carlson helped me create new outfits using my existing clothes.She showed me how to update the look of a slip dress by pairing it with an oversize blazer and cowboy boots.
Alesandra Dubin
Carlson helped me see that I had plenty of dresses — so I can hold off on that category whenever I get the shopping bug.
She showed me how to update the look of a cute slip dress I had in my closet by pairing it with an oversize blazer and cowboy boots.
This approach also provided more body coverage, giving me the confidence to reach for the slinkier styles I already owned but didn't often muster the confidence to wear.
With a much emptier closet, my "new" capsule wardrobe took shape.After my appointment, I felt like I had more options than ever.
Alesandra Dubin
With far fewer pieces of clothing in my closet, my new wardrobe took shape. Suddenly I felt like I had more options, not less.
At a glance, I could now see everything that fit right and was a viable option amid a less-cluttered closet landscape. I also knew how to pair these remaining pieces together as a cohesive capsule that's right on trend.
It turns out that process of curation and guidance — not more clothes — was actually the piece my closet had been missing all along.
