1. Think about pant length. While it is fun to pick up pairs of brightly patterned shorts that you can imagine lounging in on the beach, cropped or ankle pants are much more practical for the transition to warmer temperatures. You'll be able to wear them from late-March to early-November so invest in the basics, like denim and chino. 

2. Take an inventory of your tanks and tees. Chances are that you picked up a stack of basic tops during the end of summer sales last September. Now is the time to remind yourself of those purchases so that you don't spend your entire clothing budget on $8 t-shirts when you already have one in every color imaginable. 

3. Explore the trends. If there is something new and interesting in the window of your favorite store, try it on now! You don't want to wait until the end of the summer to try out a trend because then you will have fewer opportunities to wear it. By browsing the new styles early in the season, you can focus in on what you want your summer look to be.

4. Check your calendar. It may seem early to start worrying about an outfit for a May wedding or beach wear for your June vacation, but by adding those pieces to your shopping list now you will be able to keep your eyes out for great deals and avoid overspending later.

5. Embrace color. We are moving into the part of the year where clothes get bright! Refresh your wardrobe by choosing a bold, new color. Who knows, maybe it will become your favorite this season!

Why do people wear clothes that they don't like and that don't fit? Is it because A.) they don't want to spend the money on new pieces, B.) they are unhappy with their body, or C.) they find the whole shopping process exhausting and exasperating? Based on a very biased sample of people who talk to me about this issue, the answer is far and away C. Shopping feels like a chore for many people and one that doesn't always end with a positive or successful outcome. If it is going to be an unpleasant waste of time, it is easy to throw up your hands and give up. But I promise that shopping doesn't have to be that way. By changing how you approach the process it can actually be a fun experience and one that ends with your closet full of pieces that you love and feel great wearing.

While that example is extreme, many people wait until an old piece completely wears out before looking for a replacement or wait for a special occasion to buy fancy clothes. It is actually less stressful to always shop than to rarely shop. When you see pieces that you like, you should buy them even if there isn't an immediate need for them. That way you never are in the position where you have nothing to wear. Earlier this summer Boden had all of their dresses on sale for 50% off. I didn't specifically need new dresses, but I really liked two of them and the price was right so I bought them. That was back in June and one is the perfect piece to wear to a wedding early next month.

When you do find a great piece, there is always the temptation to buy multiples of it so that you never run out. While this inclination isn't entirely bad, it does need to be tamed. For example, if you find a pair of jeans that fit and then buy five pairs, those will be your only options when you want to wear jeans. If your weight or mood fluctuates and you no longer feel like amazing in those jeans, there is not another alternative in your closet. But if you buy only two pairs of that style and then continue shopping and find another style or two that you also like, you now have insurance against those fluctuations. The easiest way to keep a varied wardrobe is to shop in multiple stores. A long sleeved, crew neck cardigan from Ann Taylor will fit differently than one from Banana Republic. Even better would to get a crew neck cardigan from one store and a v-neck cardigan from another. Basically you want to avoid having any category of clothing dominated by a single style.

When you are shopping, don't be afraid to try on new things. Take an adventurous friend with you or enlist the help of the sales associates and have them pick out pieces for you. Commit to trying on everything they bring you, even if you are sure that you won't like it. If you don't pre-judge the items, you will open yourself up to discovering new styles that look incredible on you! Some of it will probably look not so great on you, but that's also okay. That's the reason that we try on clothes before we buy them.

If trying on clothes in a store is discouraging for you, try online shopping. I personally hate bra shopping, so I recently ordered several styles from Nordstrom. They offer free shipping and returns so there wasn't any pressure for me to keep the pieces if I hated them. I could try them on in the privacy of my home and see how they looked with various tops. If you often get pieces home from a store and find you don't love them as much as you did in the fitting room, then this is your solution. Zappos also offers free shipping both ways and except during big sales, so does Boden.

By adjusting how you shop, you can avoid long and exhausting days hunting for an elusive item. When you need something, you will be able to head to your closet, not the mall, and find exactly what you need. Popping into the shops on a regular basis to window shop or browsing through inventory online lets you find the pieces you love without all the added stress-and I promise that it might even be fun.

The after-Christmas sales get all the glory, but there are still plenty of opportunities to snag a great deal on winter clothes in mid-January. My inbox has been full of emails promoting 40%, 60%, and even 70% off of already reduced items! It's like they are giving it away for free. But just because it is a great deal, doesn't mean that it should come home and live in your closet. Here are the questions you should ask yourself before purchasing winter sale pieces:

1. How many more weeks can I wear this item? I know that it can be difficult to pass by a cashmere turtleneck that is marked down to $20, but is that something you are really going to reach for when the weather warms up? If you live in the Midwest, you probably have at least two more months of wearing winter clothes, but my Southern readers should be wary of buying clothes that won't be able to be worn until next winter. Although there are some basics that you should always have around, I don't suggest buying an entire season's wardrobe many months ahead. Styles change, new items come out that you like better, and your size can fluctuate. Save your clothing budget to get some fun spring pieces that you can enjoy in the nearer future. 

2. Can this transition into spring? Long sleeve shirts are great to stock up on because they can be worn now with sweaters and also on their own for spring. Patterned scarves and brightly colored belts are also perfect to pick up on sale because they are mostly season-less.

3. Would I have liked it enough to pick it off the rack when it was full price? This is different than being willing to pay the full price. Too often people buy sale items because it fits and is a good price, but they don't actually have any positive feelings about the item. If you feel ambivalent about an item, don't buy it! You might have to go into multiple stores to find what you are looking for, but shopping the sale rack does not mean having to settle for the leftovers.

Good luck with your shopping and be sure to let me know in the comments if you find anything especially wonderful on sale!

It is the third day of the new year and the time to start putting together action plans for all the resolutions you made after a few glasses of champagne. If you're like most people, you resolved to lose weight, eat better, or exercise more. Those are all great goals but there is one pesky side effect: while your body is in transition, few of your clothes will fit, but you won't want to invest in a whole new wardrobe for what is expected to be a temporary period. Here are a few tips for looking great without breaking the bank:

1. Get a great fitting pair of pants for the middle of your journey. Very few people actually enjoy trying on pants so it is tempting to just "make do" with belts and long shirts to cover ill-fitting bottoms. Don't do it. In a workplace, ill-fitting pants make you look unprofessional and in your personal life, they make you look sloppy. All you need is one pair of black work trousers and one pair of denim to get you through a transitional phase. 

2. To subsist on just a few basic pieces of clothing, accessorize and pair pieces in creative ways.  For example, one day you can wear a black knit sheath dress with a cardigan and a bright scarf. The next day you can wear that  same dress layered over your white oxford shirt and with a belt defining your waist. Then you pair the belt, oxford, and cardigan with your black pants for work and then again on with denim for a weekend look. 

3. Don't give away/throw away all your clothes the second your body shape/weight changes. Less tailored blouses and sweaters will probably still be wearable for a longer time than your pants, so make sure to try everything on before it heads for the door. Also, keep in mind that there will often be unforeseen fluctuations. So while you may be tempted to purge everything in a now-too-big side, I would suggest keeping a couple basics folded away on the top shelf of your closet.

4. Shop for lower quality pieces. This is the time to head to Old Navy and H&M instead of to Banana Republic and J. Crew. Although the pieces won't last as long, you won't feel bad about retiring them after you get to your final goal size. 

5. During a transition phase you will probably be able to wear the same size for several weeks, if not months, at a time so you want to make sure that you can still put together appropriate outfits for all your professional and personal obligations. Here is my list of "the basics" that will keep you looking stylish:
          -1 pair black work pants
          -1 pair dark wash denim in your favorite cut
          -1 black sheath dress
          -1 patterned skirt
          -1 button front oxford shirt
          -1 cardigan in a solid (not neutral) color
          -1 blouse
          -1 long sleeve tee (not black)
          -1 patterned scarf
          -1 neutral belt

Don't think you can look stylish with only 10 pieces in your closet? I will be posting all the outfit combos later this week!