Hello everyone! I wanted to start this blog with a post that was both helpful and relatable for anyone who may be looking to overhaul their closet, or build a wardrobe from scratch. Refined was built with a mission of helping you save time and money when it comes to your closet. I also hope to make looking and feeling stylish as easy as possible. We’ve all been there: staring at our closet thinking, “I have nothing to wear.” Well the good news is I can help you to avoid having that terrible feeling ever again! What do you think?

Do any of these sound like you?

• You put way too many hours into finding the perfect outfit only to wear it one time.
• You put no thought into a look only to leave the house feel self-conscious.
• You try at least three different outfits before you settle on what to wear.
• You are a clothing hoarder, with dozens of clothes you haven’t worn in years.
• You have clothes in your closet don’t fit quite right. (“I can only wear these jeans with loose fitting shirts.” or “Those are my skinny pants.”)
• You have damaged pieces you can’t seem to say goodbye to.
• You just don’t want to think about clothes!

Do not worry! I am here…

First stop: Sales!

It can be tempting to buy a blouse off the discount rack, simply because it’s $10 and might work with these jeans, or it’s the perfect color for those shoes. But then when you get home and it doesn’t look quite right, at $10 is it worth the drive back to the store, or the shipping cost it would take to return it? Now what? Hang it up! You might find the perfect occasion to wear it…. Someday.

No! No! NO!

It’s the mistake we’ve all made. I know I have. I’ve reluctantly donated clothes with the tags still on. Too often we waste our valuable time spinning circles in our closet trying to decide what to wear. This is because our closet is filled with items just like that discount blouse. Believe me, I GET IT! f you’ve ever stubbornly held on to something just to try to get your money’s worth, I can help.

It Just Doesn’t Fit

Everyone goes through phases of losing and gaining weight. In fact, that could be the primary reason you’re considering a personal stylist to begin with. But a lot of us are holding onto those “skinny pants” with the hopes of being inspired to lose the weight. While it seems logical, believe me, it’s only hurting you. You dressers and closets being flooded with items you can’t wear just makes it that much hard to select an outfit each day. It’s a waste of your time, time that could be spent earning money or doing things you love. Not to mention the depression that settles in when you try to squeeze into something that is just too small.

Some of you may have the opposite problem. You’ve just lost weight and you feel and look great, but you’re reluctant to invest the money in all new clothes because, well, it’s just so expensive! Those jeans may have been your favorites, but they’re not doing you any favors being belted up to look like a lunch bag. A major component of style, and in my opinion the primary one, is to make you feel confident! When you feel good, good things happen. So if you’ve recently shed some pounds, reward yourself with a few pieces that fit you well and make you feel good.

Damaged Goods

I once had a very stylish friend who had a talent for combining all the right styles and colors to look 100%. However, one day she showed up to our dinner date wearing a boot with a dime sized hole in the toe! Don’t get me wrong, the boots were cute (or at least had been) but all I could do was stare at her purple sock peeping through. The moral of the story: no matter how fashion savvy you may be, a rip or hole in your clothes NEVER looks good. 

In conclusion…

Wouldn’t it nice to just close your eyes, reach into your closet, and pull out the perfect outfit? While that might not be completely possible, I can help get you close. Learning how to shop takes time. Whether you’re looking to buy new, or trying to shop your own closet, there are many factors to consider. Hopefully this post shed a little light and will help you get started on your transformation. If you have questions, or you have a problem I didn’t address here, please let me know!

I’m here to help!