Add some colour to last year’s togs
Sara Hollamby
Style Counsel
DESPITE the chilly wind, it’s time to do your spring-wear change-over. Say cheerio to your clothes for six months or so, and bring out your spring and summer colours – it’s uplifting. I know when it’s sunny outside, the last thing you want to do is sort out your clothes, but if you don’t do it soon you’ll find yourself spending a fortune on new stuff when you have some great summer-wear tucked away. Look and see what you’ve got first, and build on that.
SURPRISE YOURSELF
To change over properly, get all your winter clothes out first. And I mean all. Is there anything you haven’t worn this winter? I bet there is, in which case save yourself the trouble of storing it, and take it to charity – the chances of you wearing it next year are minimal unless it’s designer or a real classic, in which case put it away carefully.
Now check whether any buttons need sewing on, check collars and cuffs for wear and tear, and look for shiny areas on trousers and jackets. If there are any, get rid of the item. Send your winter suits to the dry cleaners, and carefully wash everything else – sweaters by hand.
When dry and pressed, wrap them in plenty of tissue paper just like they do in posh shops; you can re-use it year after year. Place tidily in sealed plastic bags out of sight, keep the dry cleaning in its plastic but change the hanger – and store under the bed, in the loft, anywhere as long as it’s clean and dry. And don’t forget your unscented moth sachet. Colibri is good, from John Lewis.
If you did this last October, now unpack your summer stuff and hang it on wooden or plastic hangers. It will all be clean, fresh and crease-free thanks to the tissue. Surprise yourself with the great things you already have, and work out what key things you need to give your wardrobe that 2010 boost. Your quality skinny jeans and that lovely jacket that you splashed out on last year will work again this summer, so use your spare cash on something exciting, daring and soooo this season.?See right for easy ways to add sparkle.
Sara Hollamby is a business image consultant at WorkingVoices.com. Email: [email protected]