Experts agree that consumer confidence bolsters the economy. So, what bolsters consumer confidence? Well, great fashion has as good a chance as any.
At this point in the season, your closet probably could benefit from its own stimulus package. Unlike what Congress might be doing, you can help along your fashion even while lowering spending. You don't have to wait for pesky indicators such as the Dow Jones industrial average to inform you of success. You'll know you've reached your goal when you hear the compliments and approve of what you see in that full-length mirror.
Begin by tracking the trends. No money for a splurge on a fashion magazine at the checkout? For serious savings, consider a subscription to your favorite or go to the library for the current issue of many of the major titles. The Internet also provides a way to track trends from official (but free) forecasting sites such as www.style.com and www.pantone.com (look for the fashion color report) to the sites of upscale retailers summarizing the latest looks (www.neimanmarcus.com, for example).
Then, leaving your wallet at home, walk through a mall to capture the zeitgeist of the season, noting dominant colors, styles and themes. Be sure to look for specific coordinating and accessorizing ideas that will flatter your body type and fit your personality.
Audit your closet. Once you're inspired by the season, shop in your closet (and drawers and under-bed storage). Inspect potential wardrobe pieces for how well they fit, flatter and feel, and discard anything that doesn't make the grade. The last thing you need is to have a few toxic pieces bringing down the quality of your entire wardrobe. And besides, unlike bank accounts, the best wardrobes are often the smallest ones.
Then, reflecting on your travels through retail, decide what one, two or three pieces will fill in the gaps of your wardrobe so that your pieces will coordinate for all the activities of your life. For example, could you use a belt to update those lightweight cardigans from last season? Or, a black pencil skirt for all the romantic blouses you've collected? Perhaps you only need the "it" pair of shoes to breathe new life into your work wear.
Shop strategically. Once you have a plan in mind, you can be methodical about getting what you need. For starters, don't assume that discount stores provide the most fiscally sound options. A trip to Wal-Mart for a pile of disposable clothing isn't the smartest way to buy. Be more eclectic in your shopping. Watch for deep discount sales at local venues, consider private label lines at the end of fashion cycles of good department stores, and use the Internet to find hard-working name-brand basics that can be purchased without in-person inspection.
Britton Domer of Patricia Shoppe, 403 E. Silver Spring Drive, Whitefish Bay, suggests that consumers rethink their notions regarding clothing boutiques. "I think most would be surprised to find an array of price points and even sale racks."
And, as boutique customers know, the individual attention is outstanding. "We know our customers' individual style and can offer them assistance in choosing the best new trend mixed with a staple piece that can take their wardrobe further for less," Domer says.
Diversify your retail portfolio. Remember the best dressers from your carefree days? They weren't necessarily the girls with a lot of money, but the ones who could giggle that their chic handbags were from Goodwill and their oversize belts were from Amvets. Nowadays, your best-dressed friends may still do this, just not readily admit it.
Good finds do take persistence, but a regular swing by your local thrift store may enhance your wardrobe in ways your creativity never guessed.
Another route for resale is the consignment shop, where you can find a higher quality of merchandise and make money from your own closet castoffs. Maria Cook Collins, owner of Elite Repeat, 2205 N. Calhoun Road, Brookfield, recommends visiting a resale shop "regularly and often" to find high-quality pieces at amazingly reasonable prices. "You are more apt to find that special piece in a consignment shop because trends come and go so quickly." That could mean that the one perennial cornerstone piece that would snap together this season's wardrobe may be completely missing from regular retail, but waiting patiently right there at your local resale shop.
Kay Bergemann of Another Look, 1916 E. Capitol Drive., Shorewood, suggests that "department stores have items with unknown success." She adds, "Consignment items are more certain because you know that at some point in an item's history it had appealed to someone enough to actually buy." If the item is also a timeless piece that can be applied to any fashion season, then the bargain of bargain shopping is ensured.
Add value to your holdings. Visit venues such as vintage shops or estate sales to find those treasures that distinguish your look from the crowd's. Sarah Ban Breathnach, in her now-classic series "Simple Abundance," praises secondhand retail but adds that vintage shopping "can be intoxicating, rather like drinking port in the middle of the afternoon." She's correct to imply that a vintage venue can be a bit overwhelming, so it's important to determine a specific mission for your foray into Vintage Land, such as the search for a curiosity piece of jewelry or a colorful statement bag.
Original pieces can also be found at less fashion-oriented venues such as museum stores, or online auctions. I know women who swear by the Pabst Mansion's gift store and others who go online for sales at www.smithsonianstore.com and www.metmuseum.org/store to find one-of-a-kind pieces that come in a variety of natural materials.
Outsource the stress. We all know that an accountant is valuable for getting tax deductions that save you a heap of money. The fashion or "image" consultant is no different. Usually, for the cost of one medium-sized fashion mistake (like that bubble skirt from Chez Snot) you can learn a lifetime of shopping skill that might save you enough money to make up for the lost funds in your 401(k).
A good place to find a consultant is through the Association of Image Consultants International (www.aici.org). Nancy Plummer, president of the Chicago chapter, suggests that real savings can be found with a personal shopping session, offered by most fashion consultants. "We know what looks best on you and what works for your body and your coloring. And, not only do we save you time, but we pick out the right things for you."
Prepare for brisk trading. Hold a swap party at your home and invite a large number of friends with all their shapes, sizes and styles. (Your friends who have met with a fashion consultant may be the pickiest of potential traders, but they will also have the most to contribute if they've recently met with their consultant.) Instruct all your guests to bring the castoffs from their closets and jewelry boxes for a brisk session of fashion fun. The site www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Fashion-Swap-Party is one place to get step-by-step instructions on hosting, including advice on wording for the invitation, swap logistics and appropriate music. Be sure to provide a private place for guests to try on clothing, and give your home a boutique feel for those two or three hours of swapping.
Mary Sheehan Warren is the author of "It's So You! Fitting Fashion to Your Life" and a local fashion consultant. Her Web site: www.marysheehanwarren.com.
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