64 Arts

Heading Back Into the Closet

64 Arts

Continuing to muse about the Art of Dressing, I’ve hit a snag of closet proportions…

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Back when we started this art, I showed you a picture of my closet. Nice, organized, everything in it’s place. Getting dressed was simple and easy, each day, because I could find what I was looking for with ease.

Before we moved, I knew I was going to need to reorganize things as I went back to a standard single-pole closet–at least for a while. The plan was thin the herd before it was time to pack it up but, well, with the chaos that surrounded the move itself, that plan fell by the wayside.

For the last three weeks, getting dressed has been a chore. A third of my close are stacked on the dresser or piled into 2 suitcases. The stuff that does (barely) fit in the closet is packed so tight that finding anything is impossible. Garments fall off the hangers but don’t fall to the floor because they’re sandwiched so tightly together. Skirts and slacks are interspersed with tops and dresses, and nothing is in color order anymore.

Chaos reigns.

The chaotic new closet

I'm embarrassed to show you this mess. (In fact, I'm not even showing you the bottom half because it is just. that. bad.)

Sure, I could take everything out, install new closet shelving, put things back in order but… is that really the best way to handle is?

Could it be, instead, that I have way too many clothes (as evidenced by the fact that I haven’t had to do laundry in the 3 1/2 weeks we’ve lived here)? Could it be, honestly, that I could stand to downsize my closet contents considerably? Could I, to be so bold, get rid of 1/3 of my clothes and still have plenty to wear?

That’s what I’m going to try, this weekend.

Of course, with a task like this, having some parameters will make the culling process go more smoothly.

Here’s what I propose as criteria for keeping an article of clothing:

  1. Fit and Flatter
  2. Wearability
  3. Do I love it?

Fit and flatter is pretty obvious: does it fit and, just because it fits does it actually flatter my coloring, figure, personality, etc.? While certain items might be a little snug here or there, we all know the exceptions we make for things we think look great on us. Wearability is the  catch: if, when I wear it, I’m constantly adjusting it, pulling at it or having to adjust my posture to make the item less pinchy (a very scientific term).

If I love it, though, I’m going to keep it. I’m not going to use the 6- or 12-month rule (as in, haven’t worn it in x months, ditch it) because some things are special occasion wear and those occasions don’t happen every 6 months. Some things are waiting for the next cruise-ship formal night for an excuse to leave their garment bag, you know? Also, items with sentimental value, even if they no longer fit, don’t have to go into the Goodwill pile. But they also don’t have to stay in the closet with the other wearables, either.

So. That’s my mission this weekend. Anyone feel up to taking on the challenge with me? What’s your keep versus toss list look like?

Maybe your closet is fine, maybe it’s your kids’ toys that have overgrown their bins, the stacks of magazines that need to be read or tossed, or even (dare I say it) craft supplies that need paring down.

I’ll let you know Tuesday how it went.

How Do You Walk in Those?

64 Arts

As we’ve continued to explore the Art of Dressing, we’ve discussed both shoe obsessions and storage options and are moving onto the simple (yet daunting to some) matter of navigating in them.

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Even though I don’t specialize in skyscraper heels, I’ve got my fair share of high-enough ones that prompt the question from time to time.

A Selection of my Higher Heels

A Selection of my Higher Heels

Fact is, I walk in them the way anyone walks in any shoes: with a heel-toe motion and by not losing my balance.

But, for the curious let’s look at a few things that will greatly improve your chances of strutting your stuff without becoming a moving violation:

Posture

To All the Shoes I've Worn Before

from my comic, to the tune of To All the Girls I've Loved

Wearing heels is like standing on tippy-toes: your weight shifts forward. Unlike being on tippy-toes, though, high heels give you a kick-stand and you need to take advantage of that kick stand or you’ll just wear yourself out.

The natural inclination is to walk on the balls of your feet and–don’t get me wrong–that’s going to happen, but using both parts of the shoe (the toe and the heel) will give you more to work with. Stand straight in your heels and you should feel your calves and thighs tightening a bit and your butt lifting. Your shoulders, though, need to relax back a bit to counter-balance that lean-forward feeling.

One more note: bend your knees a bit as you walk, it’ll make the mechanics of the steps easier and get you to a smooth stride that much sooner.

Stride

The biggest problem I’ve ever had, walking in heels, is remembering to shorted my stride. The higher the heel, the shorter the step. Don’t try to be a supermodel stomping it down the runway. Even if your blessed with legs up to your neck, it’s best to take shorter steps and more of them. Think of it as a great workout!

Also, as I said before, it’s a heel-toe step just like you do in tennis shoes. Unlike being in tennis shoes it’s not a smooth roll across the sole, but keeping in mind the heel-to-toe movement will help you avoid stomping, clomping and wrecking yourself down life’s hallways.

Speed

All About the Shoes Illustration

A quick shoe sketch from a 2010 convention.

Three words: Slow. Your. Roll.

Along with the shorter step, take your time with each–especially when you’re learning–to prevent a stumble. If you’ve really got to be somewhere quickly: wear flats and switch into your heels when you get there. When you’ve acclimated to higher altitudes, then you can hustle where you need to without worrying about spraining an ankle.

Hazards

Okay, you’ve practiced in the hallway enough and now you’re ready for a real-world road test. Before you head out with your head held high, look down to see if any of these potential pitfalls await:

  • Slick, high-shine tiles, most often found in shopping malls and banks. The loss of traction is worse than that fourth turn in a race track–this is the one time I advocate not using the kick-stand and concentrating your steps on the balls of your feet to prevent the heel from sliding out from under you. Wear lower heels if you must have height for your shopping expedition.
  • Uneven brick or asphalt found on sidewalks and parking lots. These have been the only places I’ve actually fallen off my stilts (skinning my knees in the process). The trick to looking stable in these unstable surroundings is to slow to a measured stroll and test each step before you commit to it.
  • Grass and sand are no friend to high-heels, either, I’m afraid. Not only will your heels sink in softer versions of each, but dirt and grime will discolor and damage the finish of the covered-to-match heels that are so common (and pretty) these days.

A Few More Tips

If you’re new to heels, don’t start with stilettos! Going straight from flat to four inches is a recipe for disaster. Start, instead, with a 2-inch stacked heel and get used to the posture and stride changes before moving to taller and thinner heels.

If you’re going to be wearing heels one evening and you’ll be on your feet more than not, go easy on your feet and wear your comfiest shoes during the day so your feet won’t be worn out before your evening starts.

Heel Liners

Heel Liners

If the fit isn’t perfect, there’s something you can do about it. While I’ve never had great experiences with the stick-in foot pads that go under the balls of your feet or under your heel (they always shift on me, making things worse) there’s one insert that I swear by: heel liners. A major pit-fall is stepping out of your shoe and the steeper the arch of the sole the more possible it is that your heel might be a little loose in the shoe (yes, even with ankle-straps buckled). Heel inserts add padding inside the heel cup as well as narrowing the fit and grabbing your heel before it slips out and causes a spill.

And, one more lesson from my own personal experience file:

One of the few pedicures I’ve ever received, I thought it made perfect sense to have sandals ready to wear out of the salon. Preferring heels as I do, I have this great pear of strappy sandals with a low, stacked heel that seemed imminently sensible.

Nope.

I slipped and slid nearly out of the shoes on the way to the car and, when I got to my next stop and was trying to walk around a local craft fair I was having to fight to keep my footing on the hilly paved paths (it was held at a local park).

Sure, my toes looked great but I nearly fell a couple of times. Lesson: take the flip-flops to the salon and wait a few hours before trying any to-die-for shoes.

All the world may be a stage, but breaking a leg for luck is only a figure of speech.

~~~oOo~~~

Now that we’ve thoroughly covered the shoe ground, let’s walk back into to the closet and tackle the never-ending battle of clothing clutter…

The Good, Bad and Ugly of Shoe Storage

64 Arts

If you’re going to indulge in a lot of anything, you’ve got to be able to store it so you can use it and not waste your time or money. The Art of Dressing continues, below…

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Remember the opening scenes from Overboard (start about the 9:00 mark if you’re in a hurry), where Kurt Russell builds Goldie Hahn an amazing shoe closet? I love that shoe closet (more than I loved the movie) and I absolutely lust after the walk-in closets with the wall-o-shoes feature that are in so many movies and television shows. Oh, to have the space for that!

Instead, this girl’s gotta economize on space just like she does her shoes.

The Good

Did you know the best container (in my mind) for shoes is the box they came in? It’s true! Not only is it perfectly sized for the style of shoe, it even has the color, description and (sometimes) drawing on the outside to let us find them when they’re stacked up neat and pretty. I keep as many shoes as possible in their original boxes stacked no more than 4-boxes-high to avoid an avalanche when I want that one particular pair on the bottom.

Slippers and Tennis Shoes in a Basket

Soft shoes in a soft spot

But, wait, what about shoes whose boxes become damaged or, worse, bought at an outlet center without a box of any kind?

For boxless pairs I prefer modular racks or shelves. The ones from most big-box home stores work fine but usually need some extra shoring-up as the connections will fail without much effort. Some poster putty or hot glue in the wells will help keep the metal rods in place. Cubbies are great if you prefer flats or flip-flops but large shoes can get scrunched in such a confined space, wearing them out and damaging their structure.

For slippers and other soft, seldom-worn shoes (for me, this includes tennis shoes) I like a big basket that can comfortably contain them and looks prettier than a jumble of soft shoes in the bottom corner of the closet.

The Bad

Shoes Under Storage

Shoes Under Storage Unit

A thousand curses upon the As Seen on TV Shoes Under Space-Saving Shoe Organizer. Oh, it looks great on that commercial, sliding out from under the bed with no problems whatsoever. Admire the strong, sturdy-looking sides and dividers.

Bull.

First, it comes in a very small box (relative to it’s unfolded size). Second, there’s nothing sturdy or stiff about it: it’s a floppy box that takes ever ounce of it’s structure from the shoes placed inside it. Third, while you can certainly pull it out from under the bed, pushing it under to begin with involved much shoving and smashing–espcially if you use a basic metal bed-frame that isn’t quite as tall as the Shoes Under would prefer.

I, being an optimistic fool, bought two of these “gems” when Todd and I moved in together and I lost my walk-in closet. Imagine my disappointment.

And, yet, I didn’t return them (for one thing, I hate returning purchases). With all their faults, they are better than nothing and I had a lot of shoes that were sans box and not a lot of space in the new closet. So I made do. The interior dividers are flimsy but that does take care of the pesky squish-factor for larger-than-flats pairs, you can just slip the tops of ankle boots under the divider. It now occurs to me that sheets of plastic canvas cut to fit the bottom and sides of the organizer, tacked with a few stitches along the edges, could provide the needed support.

I’ll let you know if that works.

The Ugly

Now, this last one is a bit controversial because I know a lot of people use it and some big names had promoted it as a very good solution to shoe clutter:

Clear plastic shoe boxes.

First, the good points: clear plastic means you can see the shoes inside and their uniform size means they will stack well on shelves.

Unfortunately, all I can see are the down sides.

Uniform size is not ideal for women’s shoes that can range from ballerina flats to ankle boots with varying heel heights. One size does not fit all.

Plastic doesn’t breathe. Getting uncomfortably real for a minute, here: feet sweat. In shoes all day an unpleasant odor can develop. Yes, there are sprays and powders and sachets and perfumes, but all a plastic container is going to do is lock all that inside until you open it again and, well, it’s not going to be pleasant. Not only that, the moisture that gets trapped in the box with the shoes (whether from sweat or rain) could damage the shoe’s materials.

    IF you choose to go this route, save those little packages of desiccants that come with new shoes, purses and other goods of this ilk. Those little packets will absorb any moisture in the plastic shoe boxes for quite some time (you can also find the material in bulk at the hardware store in the dehumidifiers section). Pieces of (clean!) panty hose filled with baking soda or activated charcoal and tied up tight can help alleviate odors.

    I prefer to save the plastic boxes of any sort for organizing my craft supplies.

    (Dis)Honorable Mention

    Hanging Shoe Organizer

    Hanging Shoe Organizer

    Hanging shoe organizers can be useful when you’ve got a bit of spare closet space but no ready shelf space, true. But a few caveats when looking at these for your shoe-organization salvation:

    • Look for canvas or mesh pockets over clear plastic–what you lose in a bit of visibility you’ll gain in breathablity.
    • The sturdier the hook, the better–especially when you’re holding 2 sides worth of shoes. A single hook may stretch out over time and you’ll find your shoes slipped out and scattered on the floor. Look for a double hook, a sturdy sleeve or reinforce that single hook with some extra bungee-cord support.
    • Load it carefully and only once it’s hanging up in the spot you intend for it to stay. These pouch-style organizers depend on gravity and balance to keep the shoes in place and when that’s tampered with the shoes tend to go flying. (As we experienced most recently during the move.)

    And if you have one of those stellar shoe closets you see in movies and model homes?

    I’m totally jealous.

    ~~~oOo~~~

    Next week we’ll be tackling how to walk in heels and revisiting closet issues in our search for a stylish and creative life.

    *Disclaimer: If you purchase anything from the Amazon.com links in this post or any other on the site I get a whopping $0.04 on the dollar (or something like that). Can’t blame a girl for trying!

    Don’t Let Having Only 2 Feet Stop You

    64 Arts

    We’re picking up our discussion of the 16th Art: The Art of Dressing with some sole-ful discussions on stylish footwear.

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    “Ugh, you haven’t moved your shoes, yet?”

    That was Mom, about 2 weeks ago.

    It was 3-something in the afternoon and we’d been loading and unloading trucks and cars and schlepping boxes and bins since just before 10 that morning. One week before Christmas, the old house was emptying out and the new one was filling up (at a much quicker rate) with furniture and all. those. boxes.

    And, no, I hadn’t moved my shoes, yet.

    See, Mom knows how many pairs of shoes I have. 85 to be exact (87 now, actually, if you count the 2 new pair of slippers I added this winter, and I do).

    174 Shoes. 2 Feet.

    I’m no Imelda (not by a long shot!) but even I realize that it’s kind of a ridiculous number.

    Not for the usual reasons other people give or ask:

    • You only have 2 feet.
    • Why do you need a dozen (or more) pairs of shoes all the same color?
    • You hardly wear this pair (or that pair, or a handful of specialty shoes).

    But because it’s an awful lot of shoes. And moving then requires my entire trunk and then some.

    In fact, when I was getting ready to write this post ages ago (aforementioned move = delay reason and then some) I took out all the shoes I owned just to see if they’d take up the entire hallway.

    85 Pairs of Shoes

    All 85 Pairs

    They did.

    (Arranging all those shoes, by the way? I did it twice to get the best arrangement. Best thigh workout ever.)

    But I’m no Carrie Bradshaw–my shoe collection wouldn’t even cover the down-payment of an economy car, much less a condo in NYC. They’re not big brands, most of them cost $20 a pair or less (I love shopping sales!). But they’re mine and I like them just as much as if they’d cost hundreds each (maybe more since, should something happen to one it’s not the end of the world).

    And a lot of them? Are 5 years old or more. Some even go back to 1999 and one pair in particular goes back to 1995!

    That’s right. For the investment-minded (regardless of the initial outlay), having 50+ pairs of shoes and wearing most on a regular basis means that each individual pair sees much less wear and tear than those residing in merely a 3-shoe-closet.

    Granted, my microfiber stretch black boots with the faux-patent dominatrix-style straps along the back and toe ($22, Marshalls, at least 4 years ago) get a lot of wear and have had the heels replaced once (best $11 ever spent). Other shoes need a trip to the cobbler for some minor repairs along the same lines and I do have some favorites that could stand to be swapped out when the right ones come along (or the old ones just give up).

    But 85 87* pairs of shoes seems just about right to me.

    Unlike clothes shopping, shoe shopping is great.

    There’s less in the way of awkward size moments and, pretty much, what you see is what you get. A good heel can make your calves and butt look amazing. A good flat can keep you running errands all day while feeling fab instead of frumpy.

    One day, perusing the shoe section of the local Bealls Outlet I came across a pair of black leather, platform ankle-strap heels by Sketchers. I didn’t even know such a thing existed at the time but there they were, outlet priced and on sale even more. Would you believe that they rung up at $0.49? Seriously. And those shoes have served me well for 3 years, at least.

    A couple of years ago a local boutique had the unfortunate need to go out of business. Polka Dot Shoes will be sorely missed–their demise a product of the crashing economy and a force of nature that flooded their Lake Ella shop–but I’ve got 9 pairs of their inventory (purchased for under $100 total) to remember them by. Todd and I swung by their sale that morning, I pulled everything that looked remotely interesting and was in my size and in 15 minutes had the stack down to the ones I wanted and we went to brunch. That day or the next it was Todd’s turn: he needed a new pair of all-purpose black work shoes and it took 3 stores and a couple of hours for him to finally decide.

    And women get the bad rap as shoppers 😉

    My criteria for new shoes:

    1. Will I wear them? Ever. It doesn’t have to be every day or even every week, but I have to know at least one outfit or one occasion where they would be perfect. Keep in mind: a colorful shoe looks amazing with an all-black or contrasting color ensemble.
    2. Is the price right? When you’re on a budget (and aren’t we all?) it helps to know your comfort zone as far as cost goes. For me the upper limit is now in the $40 range, though if I find a sale I’m a happy camper. But just because it’s on sale, doesn’t mean it’s automatically coming home with me, which brings me to…
    3. Does it fill a need? This is a big one, for me, because I already have so many shoes. If it’s another pair of black heels, for instance, it needs to stand out from the rest in a couple of ways to justify the expense and the storage space it’ll take up in my closet. But I also keep a mental list of shoes to be on the lookout for: right now it’s a good pair of gray heels and black and brown stacked-heel loafers to replace a couple of pairs that are wearing out.

    Notice I didn’t say anything about comfort–it’s a secondary consideration for a really great pair of shoes. Fit is important, sure, but a little pinch here or there can be worked around if you play your shoe cards right.

    *Soon to be 88 when my next Shoe Dazzle order comes in. Just like the Haunted Mansion… there’s always room for one more!

    ~~~oOo~~~

    Up Next on the 64 Arts? Our Style Discussion takes a practical turn as I share my shoe storage tips (for both home and away) as well as tips for walking in heels without becoming a moving violation.

    We’re Walking and We’re Drawing

    64 Arts, Everyday Adventures

    Making Strides Against Breast Cancer paraphenaliaFirst a little recap of my weekend: Holy cats but I’ve been more social in the last week than I’ve ever been while at home (vacations are different, of course, they seem to be 100% social… or at least a good 85%).

    It started with Thursday night at the Mary Brogan MoAS for VideoCon, followed by Friday night at the Greek Food Festival (there’s a full write-up over on Nibbles) and, finally, the Making Strides Walk Against Breast Cancer Walk on Sunday. Whew!

    Not that I’m complaining, mind you! Thursday night I hung out with new friends and reconnected with an old friend I hadn’t talked to in 10 years. Friday night was a fantastic date night with Todd with amazing food (we’ve still got pastries left). And Sunday may have been tiring but it was oh-so-rewarding. Our team, tWINs, raised over $2500 and the entire event is up to $120,000 and still climbing! Didn’t get a chance to donate before the walk? Donations for this year’s campaign are being accepted through this week so you still have time. (And I’ll be happy to send you a cocktail print, as a thank you!)

    ~~~oOo~~~

    Of course, we have some other business to take care of today… the drawing for the What’s in Your Purse prize!

    After extending the entry period throughout the weekend I was so excited to see each of the four entries roll in. We have:

    Purse collage

    1- Tammy from Not Just Paper and Glue

    2- Qedrin from Beautifully You: Makeup by Qedrin

    3- Jenny from Kerrfect

    4- Tori from The Circus Serene

    Now, how to pick the winner? I considered going old-school and placing everyone’s name in a spare purse and drawing the winner. Then I considered going more high-tech and using the dice roller on my cell phone. Neither one really seemed right to me, though. So I split it down the middle–I used my personal random number generator: Todd.

    His instructions were to pick a number from 1 to 4 (inclusive), without knowing what he was even picking it for.

    And he chose….

    Jenny!

    Congratulations, Jenny, email me your address and I’ll get your prize out to you, soon. (It’s still being put together–both literally and figuratively!)