Why You Should Be Playing in Your Closet

I admit it.  I play in my closet, and I do it often.  I used to hide the fact that I have these “Closet Play Dates”.  I didn’t even want my husband to know, and would only do it when he was away from the house.  Not anymore. I’m putting it out in the open, and letting you know why you should be playing in your closet too.

I believe we all desire to look effortlessly stylish. You know, like those chic people photographed on the streets of major world cities during every fashion week.  We see them and wonder how they knew to combine that shirt and jacket, and top it with that beautiful scarf to create an amazing look.  You may think they were just born with a stylish gene that predisposes them to making great fashion choices.  That’s nonsense!  Either they, or their stylist has been playing in the closet.  Here are reasons you should do the same:

Because effortless style requires effort

When dressing yourself, like most any activity, practice provides a better outcome.  When I practice styling an item, I try it with different combinations to learn what works well and what does not.  I also take photos of the final looks for later reference.  The photos provide an opportunity to objectively edit the look, and are an easy reference for getting dressed later. When showtime comes, you know what pieces go to together and you are confident that you look great.

Saves time

Knowing what items to pull from your closet, prevents that moment when you’re aimlessly staring into the closet hoping that an amazing outfit jumps out and places itself on you.  You will also avoid being late to work, or an event, because you’re desperately trying to create an outfit that makes you feel good.  Lack of planning often ends with a with a pile of rejected choices on your bed (or floor), or wearing the same thing you always wear.

Prevents wardrobe boredom.

I notice that most people wear their clothing items the same way every time they wear them (see reason #2); styling the same pants, with the same shirt and jacket time and time again.  No wonder there is no excitement about getting dressed every day.  If they were playing in their closets, they would have many ways to mix those items up, creating unique looks.

Maximizes the wearability of your items.

You can use your closet play time to figure out how to style that item you say you love, but continue to push further back in the closet for lack of knowing how to wear it.  On a recent Closet Play Date, I styled a pair of trousers I recently purchased form the Target x La Ligne collaboration.  I was able to create about 20 different looks during my hour-long Closet Play Date.

My typical personal Closet Play Date is one hour (unless I lose focus and start pulling other items), and two hours when styling a client.  Not only do I photograph my final looks, I record them too. You can find them on my Instagram page @mystyleismybrand.  Talk about coming out of the closet!

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