Fashion stylists Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo know their Chanel suits, but they also can help you clean up your closet.
The duo, co-founders of New York-based Visual Therapy, an image consulting firm that provides style and wardrobe services to individual and corporate clients at a premium price, dispenses closets-full of common sense in their new book, “Nothing to Wear? A 5-Step Cure for the Common Closet.”
First up, women need to know their style. According to Garza and Lupo, every woman belongs to one or a combination of five style types–classic, chic, whimsical, Bohemian and avant-garde.
“What you need is to define your style,” Garza says.
Once you do that, the authors say, it’s time to edit your wardrobe. The pair’s advice: Purge your closets of all that is inappropriate to the style you’ve defined. Organize the space to make those items accessible, then streamline your wardrobe so you can easily pull your style together.
Step 3 involves filling in the gaps. Focus on the basics first. “Don’t be consumed by the latest trends,” Lupo said. “Do touch on them, choose with care and your selection will stay modern. And, put your money into clothes you are going to get a lot of wear from, such as a black dress or a leather blazer.”
Next, pull it all together. Start with articles of flattering clothing that you use as a base, then dress your formula up or down with accessories, as needed. Use a camera to record outfits you’ve pulled together. Then you can determine whether the look is just right or needs adjustments.
The final step is to nurture the new you. “That involves keeping yourself up-to-date and taking proper care of your wardrobe,” Lupo said. “We need to be kind to ourselves. So get out there and have some fun.”
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What’s your style type?
According to fashion stylists Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo, every woman belongs to one or a combination of five style types.
[ AJC, REDEYE ]Classic
Style: Simple, clean, ladylike look. A timeless style because the silhouette and colors rarely change.
Examples: Reese Witherspoon, Renee Zellweger, Jennifer Aniston, Natalie Portman
What to wear for an evening out: A ladylike little black wool dress with high-heel pumps.
Chic
Style: Defined by a powerful look and sharp lines that come together in an effortless way. Often monochromatic, combined with bold colors
Examples: Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Alba, Uma Thurman.
What to wear for an evening out: A long black dress with sequin trim and a train, topped with a white fox or faux fox jacket.
Whimsical
Style: It’s playful with a thoughtful combination of colors and patterns. The look is sometimes ethereal and romantic.
Examples: Gwen Stefani, Kirsten Dunst, Mischa Barton, Sofia Coppola
What to wear for an evening out: A hand-embroidered, off-white dress. To jazz it up, add a tan fur jacket, gold sandals and small rhinestone clutch.
Bohemian
Style: Relaxed, hippie or funky. Incorporates offbeat accessories and a lot of denim and suede. Also, the look emphasizes natural fabrics and earth tones.
Examples: Kate Hudson, Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Joss Stone
What to wear for an evening out: Dark skinny jeans worn with a lace camisole, silver metallic trench coat and black patent sandals.
Avant-garde
Style: Ultramodern, using fashion as an extension of one’s creativity. Black is typically used as a foundation and to make dramatic statement.
Examples: Cate Blanchett, Laura Bennett from “Project Runway,” Chloe Sevigny, Beyonce Knowles
What to wear for an evening out: A sleeveless sequin black dress worn over leggings and accessorized with high-heel black patent sandals.
