Shop your friend's closet

<warning: utterly trite and self-indulgent post about outfits and one's wardrobe.>

Lucky magazine had an interesting editorial note about two months ago where the editor described having some of her other specialty editors (fashion editor, beauty editor, etc) come over and "shop her closet." The idea was that to bring in someone whose taste you admire, but who has notably different taste in clothing than your own. Then, you have them "shop your closet." As best I could figure out, they go into your closet as if it was a boutique and pick out items they like and try to make outfits with the other items in your closet.

There are a few goals to the exercise: 1. to give you a fresh perspective on your wardrobe, 2. to expand your outfit options, and 3. to give you a fresh perspective on specific items (perhaps you have always won the same skirt the same way for years), and 4. to see what someone else would find note-worthy in your closet that you might have been over-looking for years.

A very indulgent friend did this for me over the weekend (I'm hoping I can return the favor some weekend when laundry is not a gating factor) and it was amazing. I would give the effort an A+ on all four goals.

Right off the bat what blew me away were the pieces she was drawn to. She built numerous outfits from basics I haven't touched in years (if ever) and was fawning over a shirt I bought as, bascially, a costume and felt guilty about giving away so soon after it had served its purpose. The things in my closet that I just adore (and therefore wear eight ways of Sunday) she summarily passed over. The things languishing in my closet, pleading for their own fifteen minutes of fame, she picked up and combined with wild abandon.

Perhaps the thing that amazed me the most is how she "summer-fied" and "casualized" what I had. I am extremely fond of winter, and will put anything I can get my hands on with tights and knee high boots - so to see someone pick up my camisoles (which never see the light of day) and make them the stars of my wardrobe (and suggest wearing flip flops instead of boots as my default) was really eye-opening. On top of that, there was a casualness to the things she pulled together which was mind boggling. I have never goten a true casual look that I like, and she pulled about 25 looks together with ease over the course of an hour.

Net net, I hope to return some small fraction of the favor and for any of the fashion conscious that are out there, I highly recommend the exercise. Beyond all the other things it did (friendship, fun, the like) it really helped quell the shopping lust - because I feel like I got a whole new wardrobe in the process.