I will be traveling a lot this summer, for business and pleasure, and I’ve been spending some time standing in my closet trying to decide what exactly I should pack for all these trips. I’m looking for pieces that are easy to wear and easy to care for and versatile. I need things that can go to a meeting and go sightseeing, and I need outfits that will work for hot and cold weather. I am trying to steer clear of dry clean only anything, because I want to have the option to wash things out in the hotel sink, rather than wearing it once and stuffing it back in the suitcase.

That’s not too much to ask, is it? Nooo of course not! Not if you have the right strategies.

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On a normal day, I carry all of the following in my handbag: wallet, iPhone, ear buds for iPhone, iPod, Kleenex, hand wipes, contact lens drops, eye cream, nail file, tampons, Tide to Go stain remover pen, fancy hand cream from L’Occitane, face powder, breath mints, EnviroSax tote, Canon Power Shot A430 camera, three lip glosses, two lipsticks, and a tube of Aquaphor.

Seriously.

I also occasionally need to toss my laptop or my big camera or both into the bag, depending on where I’m going. And sometimes, it’s nice to have a sweater, just in case.

And you wonder why I have such a hard time finding a bag I adore.
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Maximizing the pieces in your wardrobe means wearing everything with everything else. But eventually, you will come to a point where you can’t possibly pair two things — a print blouse, say, and a different print skirt. Or CAN you?

Blouse available at Talbots

I love the idea of mixing prints; it gives depth and visual interest to an outfit. But you can’t mix things willy-nilly; you need to have a strategy, otherwise you will look like your kindergartener. Or MY kindergartener (he’s not the snappiest dresser).

When you think about mixing prints, think about three things: color, scale and style.

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So, I have a bit of a dicey question. How much do you spend on clothes? Or on shoes? I’ve been inspired by your columns and am starting to upgrade my wardrobe, but it seems to involve such major investments of cash. I don’t have thousands to spend- I might not even have hundreds to spend during one season. I’m just not sure what the range of reasonable is.

I love this question, because it gets right to the heart of what I believe about having a really functional wardrobe — a working closet, if you will. Having the right clothes isn’t about how much you spend, it’s about how you shop, but shopping costs money, and in this economy, having a strategy for your spending is crucial.

I am hesitant to put a dollar amount on my shopping, or to say that I spend X each month or year. I don’t have a specific shopping budget, nor do I track what I have spent. Instead, I constantly assess and reassess my closet, looking to see what is and isn’t working, and I don’t buy anything that I can’t easily incorporate into my current closet. I keep a running list of pieces I could really use (honestly, I only rarely NEED anything, but there are always gaps) and I shop off that list.

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