The Official Fashion Fairy Thread

[Lord Pmann]

Ok, so sit down. This is an honest to goodness, not bust your nards, fashion question.

For the first time in my life, I have a walk-in closet (unless you count my bedroom as a kid which was not quite big enough to fit an entire child in.)

Oh great and terrible fashion fairy--I've seen the pic of your closet and it is glorious. So how does one arrange a walk in closet where there is enough room to put ALL my clothes? Plus I have a great big wardrobe I'm going to custom make via wire shelving into a sweater/folded stuff/shoe closet.

Where does one even start such a project? How does one organize ones clothing?

Minxy Potter

I have not forgotten this question. I have been on the seas and I've been working up drawings and schematics for your closet.

Here is how I organize clothing:

I have one closet for pants only. It is organized from light to dark, left to right, respectively. So, seersucker and summers on the left all the way to
Corduroys and dark wools on the right. Now, there are some overlappers a in the middle. I mean, khakis are all seasons. Black and navy slacks, all seasons. But, it's typically left side as summer.

Closet two is shirts. Or, shuhts as my beloved Rainshine would call them. I have them separated into long and short sleeves, though I don't have many short sleeves. Less than 25. So, that closet is organized with my ties on the far left. Then suits. Then dress shirts.

(To be continued...)

 

[Que]

Keep what you like at hand, bury the rest. Shop through your clothes for a new favorite occasionally. Don't fret if you wore something you wore something that you look fabulous in the last party. Old people do that for a reason it is called style. Personal style.

Catch it warm, hang it up.

I am surprised no one listed their organize by couch cushion method. I had a friend who built custom houses..He swore the next one would have a laundry-room with a space for a couch.

When I was a wee lad, my mother (a proto-feminist) did not believe in "women's work. SO I learned to cook, clean, sew, launder, and especially iron. At first I took to ironing like a duck to water.

By about 4th grade I was over my infatuation with the chore, but stuck with the duty. Natural competency is a tough taskmaster.

The family was either eight or nine by then. That's a LOT of 1970's polyester. I discovered if I got them warm from the dryer I could get by with maybe freshening a sleeve crease. Eventually, I dispensed with ironing at all when I could get away with it..."It must've gotten rumpled in that overstuffed closet of Dad's. Honest."

So, I don't like the couch cushion filing system much. You either have to iron (and I won't) or you have to crank up the dryer, fling water droplets on the offending garment and give it a tumble.

Whilst married I used to hide my dirty clothes to keep them out of the ironically (and aptly) named "Mount Washmore". Often clean clothes were left proximate to dirty and found their way down the slopes and back to the wash-rinse and repeat cycle.

I would do my own laundry on the sly, and stand before the dryer and pluck the clothes out during the dry cycle...there's and art to it...you know your clothes and the weight thereof. You lung into the still turning dryer and grab them out in the order of lightest to heaviest fabric. If you master the art you can grab a shirt and slam the door in time to not have to re-start the dryer after each piece.

Jeans I never dry...I shake them out and hang them on hangers so they dont shrink..I like a roomy crotch...~adjusts self seductively~

So, everything with a collar is already on a hanger...I just toss them in the closet. I tend to group button-downs together, slacks separately. I recently packed everything I own and put it in deep storage with altogether too many mothballs. I try to only buy moth-friendly fabrics. (70's polyester remember?)

I have about four wardrobe boxes of clothing I have had no actual call to wear the last 5-6 years. I have from time to time thrown on my sunday-go-to-meetin' boots and a double breasted wool blazer, perhaps a festive silk tie, often a cashmere greatcoat and walked into one of the local Shit-Kicker/Cumbia bars. Given my relatively modest stature, it is assumed by the locals I am merely mad and I haven't had my ass kicked for my sartorial choices as yet.

the average year-round temperature for my entire grazing range is pretty much short-sleeves weather, so overcoats are had on the cheap..I own about 8 of them. My favorite is a vintage John Weitz in forest green, It appears to be styled somewhat after a Wehrmacht great coat from the 40's.

All of that stuff was in a son's closet over his strenuous objections. "But son, one day, all this will be YOURS!"

Mostly, I figure out what is in my rotation to actually wear in season and those are placed by default in the closet dead center as you access it.

By the age of 14 I had to buy all of my own clothes from my work mowing lawns. So my wardrobe was not very deep. I cringed that I had just enough to make it through the week...My older sister noticed I always began the week in a particular favored red and blue terry cloth shirt. SHe called it my "Monday Shirt". I tied myself in knots for a while trying to achieve entropy with my select sort of my dbase that was my clothing. Eventually I figured out that no one notices what you wore yesterday and even if you repeat, they surely assume you did laundry.

I now see see virtually no one unless I travel. My travel bag holds my favorite pieces like my black pearl snap, and a blue and white striped shirt that fits me awkwardly but like the country song says, "she (whoever that happens to be) looks good in my shirt..."...lately I worry that since I haven't hit my storage units in a while, my travel bag choices have been seen by anyone that matters...I add to it with more thrift purches...probably time to retire a few to storage.

 

[Emerson40]

Pixie of Pantaloons,

Thoughts, comments?

 

[Lord Pmann]

Pixie of Pantaloons,

Thoughts, comments?

Well, that jackass has both buttons on a two button suit buttoned. Can we really trust a man like that to offer fashion advice?

 

[Que]

I miss suits.

Men AND women have decided to forgo the very sort of clothing that shows themselves to the best advantage.

 

[Emerson40]

Fail FYI

 

[Aquagal]

Mugshot fail.

 

[shiny5437]

Hello Mr pmann!

I have 2 fashion questions.

1. What advice would you give for a gentleman with unusually narrow shoulders yet arms long enough to virtually drag his knuckles on the floor?

2. What tips for accessories for the man who doesn't normally accessorise?

Ta !

 

[Lord Pmann]

Hello Mr pmann!

I have 2 fashion questions.

1. What advice would you give for a gentleman with unusually narrow shoulders yet arms long enough to virtually drag his knuckles on the floor?

2. What tips for accessories for the man who doesn't normally accessorise?

Ta !

Hello all!!!! It has been too long since the Fashion Fairy has updated this thread. What better way to dive back into it than to answer a fellow fashionisto's question?!

1. Hmmmmm. If it was 1986 and you were female, I would suggest shoulder pads. I'm sure Rainshine is about to defend shoulder pads, saying it's an awesome way to fancy up a denim jacket.

Obviously, suit jackets do this. But I presume you don't want to wear a suit every single day. Sports coats will help. They can be worn with jeans or slacks.

Avoid dark coloured shirts, as they are slimming. Perhaps wear a thicker undershirt with your clothes. No vertical stripes. Horizontals are good.

2. Accessories? Like bracelets and jewelry? Well, I don't own any of that. I don't prefer the look of jewelry or any of that. I have several watches. I have a dressy one (with a metal band), that is predominantly silver with gold accents. I have two brown ones, which coordinate with shoe colours. Two black ones, one dressier, one sporty. All of them have leather bands except the dressy one I first mentioned.

The only other thing I would use that's an accessory would maybe be cuff links. I like them. But, they are a necessity with French Cuffed shirts.

I'm just not a huge fan of jewelry or other kinds of stuff like that.

Ta!!!!

 

[shiny5437]

Hello all!!!! It has been too long since the Fashion Fairy has updated this thread. What better way to dive back into it than to answer a fellow fashionisto's question?!

1. Hmmmmm. If it was 1986 and you were female, I would suggest shoulder pads. I'm sure Rainshine is about to defend shoulder pads, saying it's an awesome way to fancy up a denim jacket.

Obviously, suit jackets do this. But I presume you don't want to wear a suit every single day. Sports coats will help. They can be worn with jeans or slacks.

Avoid dark coloured shirts, as they are slimming. Perhaps wear a thicker undershirt with your clothes. No vertical stripes. Horizontals are good.

2. Accessories? Like bracelets and jewelry? Well, I don't own any of that. I don't prefer the look of jewelry or any of that. I have several watches. I have a dressy one (with a metal band), that is predominantly silver with gold accents. I have two brown ones, which coordinate with shoe colours. Two black ones, one dressier, one sporty. All of them have leather bands except the dressy one I first mentioned.

The only other thing I would use that's an accessory would maybe be cuff links. I like them. But, they are a necessity with French Cuffed shirts.

I'm just not a huge fan of jewelry or other kinds of stuff like that.

Ta!!!!

Why, thank you sir for your sartorial wisdom!

I've been toying with the idea of a sports coat too. Maybe even heading down the 'vintage' route. My only reservation is I don't want to risk being too 'Clarkson' (Jeremy, not Kelly). Especially if matching up the jacket with jeans.

I'm a little unsure about the accessories side of things. Maybe I'm thinking that I need some sort of 'accent' feature or something to 'complete' my outfit.

I've never thought much about fashion until recently so I'm bit of a late starter.

 

[Lord Pmann]

Why didn't you mention your decorate kerchiefs, pmann?? Oh that's right, because this isn't 19 fucking 20.

I don't have kerchiefs! Fuckeh!!!!

 

[rod43]

Has pmann stopped doing his arty sketches?

 

[GrrlFriday]

Dear Fashion Fairy,

I'm trying to wear a knitted cotton tank top (red) under a lighter-weight white V-neck blouse where the V is just too deep for my comfort. I'm also wearing a zippered jacket over the top. Every time I look down, I see that my layers have shifted and that my bra is exposed (despite it being generally covered by both shirts). The bra in question is a sports bra. How can I make my clothes stay put just a little more when I'm basically just standing or sitting? (besides doing something drastic like not breathing....)

Thanks,
Wrapped in Layers

 

[Lord Pmann]

Dear Fashion Fairy,

I'm trying to wear a knitted cotton tank top (red) under a lighter-weight white V-neck blouse where the V is just too deep for my comfort. I'm also wearing a zippered jacket over the top. Every time I look down, I see that my layers have shifted and that my bra is exposed (despite it being generally covered by both shirts). The bra in question is a sports bra. How can I make my clothes stay put just a little more when I'm basically just standing or sitting? (besides doing something drastic like not breathing....)

Thanks,
Wrapped in Layers

Hmmmmm. This is a little out of my expertise. I'm not sure that I have a grand solution for this. Maybe Rainshine can tell us how she manages to keep her denim shirt, denim vest and denim jacket from bunching up. She calls that The Holy Trinity of Denim and wears it on a daily basis. If she's really going Teen Wolf she'll throw on her jeans and just make you feel like you hopped in a Delorean and traveled back to 1985.

Every day I wear two shirts. I wear an undershirt (a plain white tee, not a wife beater) and a long sleeved dress shirt on top. I find that wearing a tighter undershirt keeps any bunching from happening.

 

[GrrlFriday]

Thanks Pmann and Rainshine!

 

[Lord Pmann]

Has pmann stopped doing his arty sketches?

You are welcome!!!!

I would like to point out that my wicked awesome fashion advice came first and Rainshine just basically echoed what I said.

 

[Lord Pmann]

Yeah, but I have boobs so it's clearly more reliable coming from me.

Do you? Let's see them. (Not here, they are for my eyes only)

 

[Lord Pmann]

I have a fashion confession to make, a confashion, if you will. Today I readied myself in such a hurry that I neglected to put in my collar stays or "bones" as I've heard them called.

Consequences? My collar is sitting less than perfect today and I feel like a complete tool. This is sad, because I look delightful otherwise, with my salmon pants and baby blue shirt with faint salmon stripes.

 

[Aquagal]

Salmon pants? Like in pink salmon?

I didn't know collars had a stay, couldn't you just leave the cardboard in?

 

[Lord Pmann]

Clacking away at his junk and such.

I call those my Rainshine pants.

 

[Aquagal]

Pmann, do you golf? I think if you don't, that's a fashion arena that could use your flair.

Lobsters?

 

[Lord Pmann]

*laughs* Poor pmann, lucky he can play the guitar like my ex-boyfriend John Mayer.

Luckily he's also sexier and funnier.

 

[Lord Pmann]

John Mayer is pretty sexy, though he always struck me as a bit mopey and self-involved rather than funny.

He's funny. Did you ever see his TV show?

 

[NightL]

John Mayer is

not John Mayall.
One poor unfortunate soul I know (not referring to myself) eagerly attended a John Mayall concert. Was a little curious as to the venue (very large) and even more surprised at the resurgence in popularity, particularly with a younger generation, as he took his seat.

Silly person

 

[shiny5437]

I have a pair of cotton maroon coloured trousers that I never wear. Was foolishly talked into them by the shop assistant. Would it be worth (?possible) having them taken up and turned into a pair of shorts?