One of the things I emphasize to my friends and clients is that it is crucial that you love each and every item in your wardrobe. How can you love your wardrobe if you don’t love everything in it?

If “love” seems a little extreme and you’d rather save it for your husband, family and friends, how about replacing “love” with “thrilled”? Can you imagine getting ready for work every morning, (or wherever you’re going,) and opening your closet and instead of groaning, you looked inside and were thrilled as all get out at what was inside? What would it be like to want to wear everything rather than sifting through piece after piece that you either begrudge or simply settle on?

Even if you don’t consider yourself a “clothes horse” or you don’t enjoy fashion all that much, it’s essential that you’re completely satisfied with everything you wear, so you’re able to communicate who you really are through how you look.

Once you decide what you want to convey for the day and get dressed accordingly, a magical thing happens. Your image starts working for you, and perhaps even more importantly; you then get to forget about it! You know you’re dressed as your best self and any concerns about how you look simply vanish.

What? You want me to get rid of everything?

If you are worried that I want you to ditch everything in your closet and go shopping, you can rest easy. Nothing could be further from the truth! Chances are quite good that you’ve got some amazing gems in your wardrobe, but you never see them hidden among all of the things you either can’t wear or are simply settling on. It’s also quite possible that you’ve got some amazing outfit combinations in your closet that you can’t see, because of the overwhelm of so many “wrong” things in there.

To begin to get your closet to a place that you can love, you’ve got to get in there and go through every single item. And I want you to be absolutely BRUTAL! As you look at (and try on) each item, ask yourself, “Do I love it?” Or as Marie Kondo, the author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” puts it, “does it bring you joy?”

The phrases “it’s okay” or “it’ll do” make me cringe! It makes me so sad to see women settling for clothing that’s not thrilling them. It is perfectly fine to have a small wardrobe that makes you look and feel like a million bucks! If chosen with care, this wardrobe can often yield far more mix and match outfits than a closet bursting at the seams.

Should you need to go shopping after your wardrobe is edited, remember to be just as selective about what you buy as you were when you edited your wardrobe.

Big Impact!

If you still have doubts that a well-edited wardrobe can make a big difference in your life, read on to see what kind of impact going through the process had for these women. (And read here for even more success stories.)

“I first approached Dana after losing weight and needing to replace most of my wardrobe. I wanted to intentionally build a wardrobe that fit me–both literally and figuratively. Dana has given me that and so much more, including understanding what to look for in a good fit. I feel more polished and confident when working with clients and speaking in front of groups. I also have more fun with my wardrobe, seeing fresh combinations of clothes that I already owned!” 

–Carol Ross, career coach, speaker, writer

“It has been such a relief to have knowledgeable assistance with my wardrobe that needed major overhauling to achieve the professional woman’s look that I was after. We went through my closet for my work wardrobe and kept only those items that fit in with the new image I wanted to project.   I now receive many compliments from others in the office and have also noticed some of the younger women beginning to imitate me by dressing more professionally than they have in the past. I can get dressed in the morning with confidence and ready to face my day knowing that when it comes to appearance, I am projecting the image of a well-dressed professional businesswoman.”

–Sandy Purdy, CPA

I encourage you to start challenging your choices in your closet. If your interest is peaked, stay connected (at the top right of this page) and get these style tips in delivered to your in box twice a month. You’ll also and receive my  e-book, 12 Secrets for Looking More Polished at the Office and Beyond…

AND you can look for an exciting announcement in your mailbox very soon!