Karen La Corte
Your Life, Your Style
The Wardrobe Challenge:
H
ello 2020! We’ve seen a lot of
changes in the last twenty years.
Changes in world affairs, the housing
market, diets and nutrition, fashion
trends, and our own body image. None
of us are getting any younger, but if you
let yourself, you can be even better!
Never feel bad about getting older. It is
a privilege that should be embraced.
With this new decade of hopes,
dreams and promises of “doing better,”
comes my new column. It is designed
to help you present your best possible
version of yourself to others and to
help you develop a positive attitude
and energy about yourself. I’m still all
about good manners of course. That
never goes out of style! But I’m going
to incorporate good manners with good
taste, good looks, and a good, healthy
well-being for you.
Let’s begin by focusing on the “new
you.” Are you ready to accept my
“Wardrobe Challenge?” It begins with
your closet. I have a few questions for
you that came up in a conversation I
had with a group of friends recently.
How much is enough? Do you still have
tags on unworn clothes in your closet?
Ladies: How many pairs of black pants
do you own? (Not counting leggings.)
Does anybody wear nylons anymore?
And men, do you always have to wear
a tie with your suit? Here’s the most
important question for everyone: With
all the clothes you have, do you ever
feel like you have nothing to wear?
When nothing mixes or matches you’re
stuck in chaos and conflict.
I’m going to try to break this all
down for you. I say try because I don’t
even want to tell you how many clothes
I have. I guess you could say I’m a fash-
ionista, a clothes horse or maybe if I’m
really honest, a shopaholic. (Okay, so
maybe I need a twelve-step program.)
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Karen La Corte is an etiquette and manners expert trained and
certified by the Emily Post Institute in Vermont. Karen is happy to
answer your questions — email her at [email protected]
“How Much is Enough”
I told my friends that I could probably
go on at least twenty trips and no one
would know I left by looking in my
closet! And after talking to some of you,
I am not alone.
So, let’s clean out your closet. Some
questions about yourself need to be
answered honestly. Do your clothes
reflect your age and lifestyle? Do you
work in an office environment, go to
a gym, enjoy going out socially? Do
you frequent events for the arts, attend
fundraisers, enjoy travel? Think about
the activities that make you happy. Do
you love your jeans but still like to look
polished, classy and well-put together?
You get what I mean here.
Next you need to take everything
out of your closet (or if it’s closets,
tackle one at a time). Drawers should
follow. I know—this is a lot of work.
You’ll thank me later. Carefully go
through and purge what you really
don’t like anymore or what doesn’t fit
the “person you are now.” This is the
biggie here. You are now identifying the
look you want to present to the world.
You can sell the clothes you don’t want,
give them to a charity, or simply throw
them out if they’re showing their wear.
Now start hanging up the items you
want to keep. You’re in trouble if you
have nothing left to hang up! (Call me
and we’ll deal with this together!) I use
the Joy Mangano slim hangers. You
get why, I’m sure! Try, I said try, not
to overstuff when putting your items
back. I like to color code pants, tops
and skirts. I separate those out as well
as dresses, suits, coats and evening
wear. (I know you must have one or
two dressy pieces, come on!) Put your
sweaters and knits in drawers or place
them folded on shelves so they won’t
lose their shape. If you have a small
closet, put them in containers under
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
WINTER 2020
your bed. Shoes can be put under your
clothes or up on shelves depending on
your space. Turn dead wall space into
racks for accessories like belts, hats
and scarves.
Some things to NEVER give away are
accessories. Accessories like belts and
scarves along with jewelry (costume or
real) can be used over and over with
different outfits and looks. It’s okay
to be undecided about some clothing
items, but don’t hesitate to get rid of
that piece you hate just because it was
expensive. KEEP all the classic pieces as
they never go out of style—that camel
skirt, the basic black dress, the navy
blazer. If you’re worried about getting
rid of too much, box it up in a plastic
bin or two and put them up in the
garage or shed. Think on them awhile.
If you haven’t gotten that bin down in a
year or two, then you know what to do.
So, I’d love to hear your results
from your “Wardrobe Challenge.” How
much clothing you cram into that closet
of yours is subjective. Is downsizing
really the answer, or is it just organiz-
ing and filtering out that matters? Be
honest with yourself. Are you going
for the minimalistic approach of mix-
ing and matching or do you like the
idea that you have many choices? The
bottom line is I’m not going to tell you
how many black pants you need or if
you should wear a suit or a sport coat
to a wedding. I can only make sugges-
tions. Remember, it’s not WHAT you
wear, but HOW you wear it! Buy for
the lifestyle you have—not your fantasy
lifestyle. Know that clothing is a means
of expression and not a uniform. Start
wearing the clothes you are saving for
“one day.”
My mantra for 2020 is a quote off a
plaque I saw in a novelty store: “Get Up,
Dress Up, Show Up but Never Give Up!”
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