By Gretta Monahan
In my last column, I looked at the best tactics for cleaning out and organizing your spring closet to get it ready for this spring season. Now that it’s all cleaned out and you have some more room, we have a few final touches we need to add to get everything shipshape. So let’s walk through the last touches you’ll need to have the most fun, most easy and most stylish time possible getting dressed all spring:
Take every piece of clothing that you kept last week, hold each one up to the light and look it over. See any moth-eaten holes in that cashmere tank? If they’re small enough, they may be repairable, so set it aside. (And invest in some inexpensive cedar clips and sachets — which smell a lot better than mothballs and are more effective.) Find any stains? Locate any missing buttons? Flag all these things with a safety pin and a sticky, and bring it in person to your dry cleaner, point them out and explain what you want done and see what they can do.
Then there are the all-important tailoring fixes: Time to clear out an hour or two and try everything on. Yes, really. It’s the only way to know how things are fitting on your body right now, so you don’t get any unpleasant surprises when it’s time to actually wear them. Set aside anything that is too big, any pants that are too long, any skirts or dresses that you want to raise the hem on, as well as anything you want to adjust the sleeves on.
Now for the fun part — some smart shopping, to fill any holes in your wardrobe that need to be filled with the season’s biggest current trends:
- A relaxed trench: Slouchier and less structured than the classic trench, it looks cool over an evening dress on an early spring night, or at home over daytime trousers. There’s a great and completely versatile one for $110 at Topshop.
- A teensy tiny bag: Size matters this spring — but in the opposite direction you’d expect. Zac Posen and Rebecca Minkoff are great bets on this front right now. Check out Posen’s Eartha Iconic Top Handle Mini Militia ($295 at Amazon) and Minkoff’s Mini M.A.C. in a bright tangerine ($195 at rebeccaminkoff.com) — both great for daytime and beyond.
- Sky-high espadrilles: The classic, quiet preppy staple has officially grown up. They started getting higher and cooler last year, and at this point, they’re beating most stilettos for height and stylishness. The kicker? They’re also far more comfy, thanks to the platforms and wedges. I know one bride who’s even planning wearing Chloe’s gorgeous light periwinkle suede Lauren Sandal ($660 at Nordstrom.com) — complete with a 4-inch heel on 2-inch platforms — as the “something blue” at her beach wedding.
- Lace-up everything: From dresses and blouses to lightweight sweaters, laced-up details are making their way onto tons of designs now. Think of it as a Victorian-meets-American-Southwest statement — an unexpected pairing, but it works. Go romantic with silk floral and paisley blouses from Lucky Brand ($89.50 at luckybrand.com) or minimalist with creamy rib-striped crepe Joie blouses ($89 at neimanmarcus.com) that complement just about any bottom, from flirty skirts to shorts.
