Articles about the “Pareto 80/20 Principle” have been popping up in my mailbox lately. If you aren’t familiar, it states that about 80 percent of consequences occur due to 20 percent of causes. For example, 80 percent of your income comes from 20 percent of your investments, or 80 percent of a store’s sales come from only 20 percent of its product.
Does that theory apply to our closets? Probably. When I think about it, I guess that I only wear about 20 percent of my clothing 80 percent of the time.
I won’t go so far as to say that clothes make the woman, but I do know that when I feel good in what I’m wearing, well — I just feel good, and that’s a little addictive.
To get more of that in 2022, I went to the experts. Here’s what I learned.
Step One: Clean the Closet
First, I had to make room in my closet and clean out some of that 80 percent that I don’t wear.
Like so many of you, I am totally subjective when it comes to my stuff. I can’t see it without being nostalgic (“I wore this dress to that special birthday party; how could I ever get rid of it?”) or hopeful (“I will need that too-tight, strapless number for a gala event someday; how could I ever get rid of it?”).
Enter Kelly Flores New (@stylevagabond).
Kelly is a stylist and personal shopper, and she came to my closet to help me with some hard choices. She doesn’t make you get rid of anything. Instead, she somehow magically enables you to do it yourself.
That special birthday dress? As soon as I questioned Kelly about it being too youthful, I had an epiphany. I was never, ever going to wear that dress again. No matter how great I felt in it or how much I paid for it.
B.K. (Before Kelly), I kept that dress for 14 years. I pulled out the hanger every year and thought, “Well, maybe?” But A.K. (you get it), I was happy to move on from it. Really happy.
I got rid of bags and bags full of clothing that can go on to another home where they will be loved again. Now I need to decide what to do with all of these still great clothes, so I would love to hear from you in the comments below about where you take your donations!
Step Two: Update the Closet
After freeing up tons of space in my closet, I wanted to make calculated choices about what I should add to my wardrobe for 2022. Who else would I consult but my dear friend and the most stylish person I know, Fady Armanious, the creative director of chic boutique, Tootsies?
This year, Fady recommends that you dive deep into flounce, fringe and feathers because “sassy drama” will be huge. This fringed number seems like the perfect party dress update.
I am so excited that “go big or go home” is another Fady fave. He says that “boy-meets-girl tailoring with oversized jackets, shorts and pants” (think 1980s) will be, dare I say it, huge. I loved it then, and I am going to love it now.
Fady also really likes black and white for 2022. According to him, “It’s always a classic, but this season has more of a fun take like stripes, polkadots, hearts, stars and prints.”
I love this top by Cinq a Sept. Seems like an understated way to bring some fun into my work wardrobe.
Step Three: Decide What to Keep
A quick thought on what will stay in my closet: lavish patterns and hues. According to Fady, it will be “a happy spring with clashing prints and all of the fun bright colors of Candy Land.” Yay!
That means that this Marie Oliver dress, which I currently adore, will be perfect. Check back with me in another fourteen years to see if I have gotten rid of it!
