Category — Get Dressed

Gap Inc. just launched a great new redesign to how they are selling their brands online. Launched last week, you can now shop all four Gap Inc brands (Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Piperlime) and go thru online check out only ONCE. You shop each store by navigating the tabs at the top of the page and all your items go to one shopping bag. Crazy right? I think it’s a fabulous idea. On top of that, all shipping is a flat $7. Flat rates are in place for 2-day and overnight shipping as well.

All your items will ship in one box. Piperlime items are the only ones that ship in separate boxes. Returns are now free and you can return items to physical stores. If you’re a cardmember you get some shipping benefits as well. Check out those details here.

All in all it’s a great new re-organization to the online shopping experience for it’s customers. With new head designers and embracing forward thinking online technology, seems like they’re headed in the right direction.

The following tip is for your closet.  If you frequently read many of those “10 best clutter control tips for you closet” columns then you’ve heard this one over and over but it’s seriously one of the best de-cluttering rules and I use it frequently.  

If you haven’t worn an item in a year then get rid of it!

Apply this rule to clothes, shoes, accessories, any item that you wear.  You’ll really start to examine your shopping habits when you go through this exercise. You’ll be mad at yourself for the money wasted but it’s such a good lesson learned.  Little by little you’ll be a smarter shopper, purchasing items that work for your everyday life, fit you well, and suit your personal style.  

Some additional questions I run through my head when purging from my closet are:

• Is the fit good now or do I need to lose weight to feel comfortable wearing it. Gone!
• Would I take this item with me on vacation.  (Love this test, you usually take your favorite, most versatile items on a trip.  If you don’t like it enough to take on a trip then consider getting rid of it). 
• Do I have at least 2 or 3 other items I can pair with this item.  How often do you have that one weird colored shirt that you bought on sale at Loehmann’s, fits fine but you have absolutely nothing to wear it with…bye!

If there are some items you’ve been eyeing at Container Store, check out their website because they have a Spring Sale happening.

My recomendation for 2 smart purchases are their clear shoe boxes and drawer dividers.  I bought a set of 24 women’s shoe boxes years ago and have used them ever since.  Not only do I use them for shoes but also for storing extra computer cords, office supplies, craft supplies, you name it and they stack perfectly.  In my new apartment I’m able to keep my shoes up on shelves above my clothes and I just love the clear floor of my closet.  I can see what’s in each box which is very useful.  See my shoes above.  I don’t want to ever advocate spending lots of money to get yourself organized but some well priced items can go a long way.  

My second favorite organizational item on sale are drawer dividers. I’ve been using these just as long as shoe boxes.  They maximize your drawer space and keep everything grouped together.  I have the Malm dresser from IKEA and the drawers are very long so for me to have a dedicated sock drawer or underwear drawer would be a waste of space.  The drawer dividers allow me to keep my underwear, socks, tights, bras all in the same drawer.  I love it!  But even if you have small drawers these are great so that your items don’t become a tangled mess (bras, ladies!)  I also use drawer dividers to keep all my small accessories and jewelry organized in my bottom drawer.  

I tuned into Oprah last week when she was having one of her makeover shows and one item that was highlighted was a fabulous Brooks Brothers “non-iron” white shirt. The classic white shirt is consistently on every “10 items everyone needs to have in their closet” lists and it really can be quite versatile if you find the right one.  I, for one, had given up the search, never finding the right fit, but I may have to try this one out.

As Oprah was leading into the segment before the commercial break I was thinking it HAD to be made of synthetic material for it to not wrinkle but I was wrong. It’s 100% cotton too! Crazy I know. Not sure how they did it, but a guest fashion editor from the Chicago Tribune wrote an article on the item and swore it was the real deal.

Now I know Brooks Brothers is on the pricier side but they do make quality products and 1) you don’t have to spend money on laundering and 2) you don’t have to spend time ironing. So either way it seems to be a good investment for the price. They cost $89.00 dollars and the store is offering a “buy 2 for $149.00.” Also, there is a longer length tunic style ($128.00).

This item will also make a great travel item. I usually end up hand washing some items  along the way when traveling so this shirt is a perfect piece.

Check out the Brooks Brothers site for all the available options and colors. It comes in more than just white and in different shapes, from classic to fitted.

I came across this article last week featured in nymag.com on another blog but can’t remember exactly where. The photos of her closet are what caught my eye. They were stuffed to capacity but perfectly organized by color. Makes for some great photos. It’s a fun article about her life of fashion, featuring little stories from people who knew her best. Her fashion collection is currently exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in NYC.

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