Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Nov 2, 2011, 9:00 am
This week’s outfit post is a demonstration of Level 2 of the 5 Levels of Working Mom Outfits–also known as Weekend Chic. (What’s Level 2, you may ask? Just check out yesterday’s post for details.) As I mentioned yesterday, Level 2 is really just a variation on Level 1. A lot of your weekend...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Nov 1, 2011, 9:00 am
The 5 Levels of Working Mom Outfits: Level 2 weekend chic by closetcoach Last week we talked about the basic Level 1 outfit pieces for any busy mom’s weekend warrior armor: your boot cut denim, your T-shirt, your hoodie, your cute flat. These are the clothes that’ll take you from the Saturday m...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 26, 2011, 9:00 am
This week’s outfit post is a demonstration of Level 1 of the 5 Levels of Working Mom Outfits–also known as Weekend Casual. (What’s Level 1, you may ask? Just check out yesterday’s post for details.) I started with a super versatile base piece of casual wear, the V-neck T-shirt. This one is ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 25, 2011, 9:00 am
5 Levels of Working Mom Outfits: Level 1: weekend casual by closetcoach Saturday morning, 10 a.m. You’re enjoying your travel mug of coffee while your kids (hopefully) wear themselves out at the playground. Next you’ll pack them up in the car with their snack boxes of Cheerios and run errands: ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 21, 2011, 3:44 pm
My Halloween costume, circa 1977. Except picture it made from a sheet by my grandma. And I was about 4 years older. Boo! For today’s Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, we’re talking about Halloween and all things costume and dress-up. 1. Do you have plans for Halloween? What will you dress up as th...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 20, 2011, 2:00 am
This month in the Site Spotlight is Une Femme d’Un Certain Âge, the fabulous blogger behind the blog of the same name–which, translated from French, means “a woman of a certain age.” If you’re of a certain age (or fast approaching it!) and you love all things French and fashionable, this ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 19, 2011, 5:00 am
If only I could have every one of my outfit photos taken on a beautiful Indian summer afternoon in a lovely park in Philadelphia, in front of a picturesque fountain … But I guess I’ll just have to settle for this one. For this little weekend getaway I wanted to wear something flexible (layers),...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 18, 2011, 2:00 am
If you’re a working mom like me, you know that no two days are alike. On Monday you’ve got a report to put together. Tuesday is the big client meeting. And Friday is a day of wrapping up and ramping down. On Saturday you’re running errands or taking the kids to a play date or getting the lau...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 14, 2011, 2:00 am
  Favorite items for Fall by closetcoach This week for Friend Friday, we’re mixing it up a bit and doing a visual post, hosted by Iris of 260 Days No Repeats. Today’s theme is The Quintessential Fall Outfit containing the items we consider our perfect fall look. For me, “quintessential” ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 12, 2011, 2:00 am
I wore this outfit last Friday, the day after I learned the news that Steve Jobs had passed. This was my little tribute to him: his uniform of black mock turtleneck, Levi’s 501 jeans and sneakers. (The photo? Shot on an iPhone, of course.) In August I wrote a post about what Steve Jobs can teach ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 11, 2011, 2:00 am
I have a fantasy. Maybe you have it, too. In this fantasy, I know what size I wear. I can go into any store, or shop at any clothing website and buy clothes in that size. And they will always fit. This is how you know it’s a fantasy. The reality, of course, is that there’s no such thing as on...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 7, 2011, 10:32 am
For today’s Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, we’re talking about fads, trends and being part of the “in” crowd, inspired by the wild popularity of the Missoni x Target line. 1. Do you ever see a fad hit the stores and immediately dislike it? Has that fad ever began to grow on you? On a regula...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 5, 2011, 2:00 am
... and love, you can buy with more confidence. So when Swirl* had a sale on Habitual, I pounced. I like the brand’s fit, and I know they have higher rise ... styles. Shirt: JCPenney Worthington bias tiered ruffle top, $30 (on sale for $15). Denim: Habitual Cinch Hi Rise Skinny. (Similar Hab...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Oct 4, 2011, 2:00 am
The amazing blazer set on Polyvore In a recent edition of Ask the Closet Coach, I answered a reader question about the best blazer styles for the pear shape. This week, let’s talk about how to choose and find a jacket that looks amazing on you, regardless of your body silhouette. How to choose ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 28, 2011, 2:00 am
... with the shoes. Back in August, Jennine of The Coveted wrote about finding a pair of walkable, animal print Pencey booties–at half off. To die shoes, on sale. One of the last sizes left was mine. ... H&M. ($45, orange pussy bow blouse at ASOS) Pants: Sanctuary Peace bootcut. ($70, Piperlim...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 27, 2011, 12:00 am
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPPomfv0jiU Foulard 101: Two Twists on a Classic A reader writes, “I found a bunch of funky scarves with graphic prints, and I also have a gorgeous Hermes scarf that I never wear. How and when do I accessorize with scarves? (Mine are either large square, or long rectangul...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 21, 2011, 1:00 am
Unlike some (if not most) personal style bloggers, I don’t post daily outfit posts. As a result, I don’t feel particularly compelled to post my outfit photos immediately after they’re taken. Thus it is that today’s photo is a longing look back at an outfit I wore just a couple of weeks ago ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 20, 2011, 2:00 am
This messy closet clearly needs a wardrobe edit. Read any style advice book or blog (why, you’re reading one right now), particularly the advice focusing on style makeovers, and one of the first steps we’ll recommend is editing your wardrobe. And by “editing,” we mean “getting rid of stu...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 15, 2011, 1:00 am
Amy of BiblioMOMia This month in the Site Spotlight is Amy L. of BiblioMOMia, a style blog that proves that fashion, motherhood and academia are not mutually exclusive. (Smart girls love shoes, too!) About Amy L. I am a 29-year-old perpetual student raising an adventurous toddler.  I live in a h...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 14, 2011, 2:00 am
Another week, another retro look! When I hit the Calvin Klein outlet this summer, I picked up two swirly skirt dresses, the one you’ve already seen, and this one in denim. This is one of my favorite silhouettes; it doesn’t really get more flattering than a fitted top with an A-line pleated skir...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 13, 2011, 3:00 am
A reader writes to ask where she can find a good, all-purpose black blazer. You know the kind: you can wear it with jeans, to work, or on a date night. My reader has a silhouette with narrow shoulders, so she especially needs a blazer that will balance out the widest part of her body, through the h...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 6, 2011, 11:00 pm
If you’ve paid any attention to fashion news last month, you heard that Banana Republic introduced a new collection in collaboration with “Mad Men” costume designer Janie Bryant containing pieces inspired by the show and the era in which it’s set. They even held a contest in conjunction wit...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 6, 2011, 1:00 am
On Friday I wrote about my 5 favorite trends for Fall 2011. Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite trends this season? Vote for one of my 5 picks … or add your own! View This Poll   Related posts:Friend Fridays: How I’m wearing my favorite fall trends for 2011 Fall fashion: What to s...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Sep 2, 2011, 1:58 pm
This week for Friend Friday we’re talking fall trends 2011: Name your five favorite fall trends and how you plan to wear them this season. Although I like to stay current, I don’t usually go out of my way to work a bevy of trends into my wardrobe. Instead, I try to play up pieces I already have...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 31, 2011, 9:00 am
One of the great things about the July DC Fashion and Beauty Bloggers meet-up at the Carbon boutique in DC was getting to meet many of its featured green and locally based designers and to see their work up close. I fell in love with this skirt from Kim Schalk; it evokes a kilt with its shaping and ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 30, 2011, 9:00 am
Sheer long-sleeve tops are a great way to transition your summer wardrobe to fall Although summer doesn’t officially end until Sept. 22, the start of the new school year and the approach of Labor Day means it’s time to think about the transition to fall. For this topic, I decided to do somethi...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 24, 2011, 9:00 am
As you read this, I’m at the beach, enjoying the last gasp of summer. Literally. School starts the Monday after we get back. I’m in denial about it. I’m a warm weather girl and summer always passes too quickly and winter too slowly. What better way to dress like summer than in white linen pa...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 23, 2011, 9:00 am
8 bags for Back to School (and everywhere else) by closetcoach Can you believe school is starting up again already? (I can’t, she says, just 3 days after the end of her beach vacation. Sigh.) That means it’s backpack–and tote bag–shopping time. What better time to look for some fun variati...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 19, 2011, 9:00 am
This week’s Friend Friday is about aspirations: dreams, goals and wishes. Katy was inspired by two separate blog posts in which the blogger quit her day job and started on the path to self-employment, and her own sister who decided to quit her job and start her own business. As Katy correctly not...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 18, 2011, 9:00 am
This month in the Site Spotlight is Alison Gary of Wardrobe Oxygen, the first Spotlight member I’ve ever met in person! We both attended the DC FABB meet-up at Carbon in July. I like Wardrobe Oxygen for its straightforward approach to real-world dressing for working women and moms. About Alison G...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 17, 2011, 9:00 am
Or: The dress that made me buy Spanx. I bought this cute little dress at H&M a couple of summers ago. Maybe it was my recently developed “Mad Men” fixation, but I liked the mod ‘60s look of it. One wear convinced me, however, that it would require equally vintage undergarments. Or the modern...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 16, 2011, 9:00 am
This week we’re doing something a little different. I’m turning the advice over to you! So take my poll and tell us: What’s your number-one wardrobe must have, the one garment or accessory the well-dressed woman shouldn’t go without? View This Poll P.S. Don’t tell anyone, but my vote is...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 12, 2011, 9:01 am
This week for Friend Friday, Kendra from Thrifty and Shameless is hosting a visual edition and we’re sharing our creative manicures–the things we’re doing to spice up our nails. I’ll start with a confession: my nails are usually short, so my manicures are typically very straightforward. “...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 10, 2011, 3:00 am
Last week, I wrote about my attempt to emulate the second of the four outfits Erin styled for me as part of the style blogger S.W.A.P. This week, it’s time to wrap it up with a bit of cheating. You see, I had some of the elements for look #3 (Client Meeting) and some for look #4 (Date Night), so ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 9, 2011, 3:15 am
Steve Jobs had to dress like this ... before he could dress like this. Have you seen “Crazy, Stupid, Love” yet?* (If you’re a member of the Style List, you already heard me rave about it.) One of the many funny scenes involves a manly makeover administered by Ryan Gosling’s ladykiller char...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 5, 2011, 9:36 am
This week for Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, we’re talking about locational influences–does where you live affect the way you dress? To put it another way, do you wear where you live? (And can you tell where someone’s from by the way they dress?) 1. What part of the world do you blog from? I...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 3, 2011, 3:00 am
Last week, I showed you how I tried to emulate the first of the four outfits Erin styled for me as part of the style blogger S.W.A.P. This week, it’s time for look #2. I’ll tell you, I never in a million years would’ve picked out a goldenrod-colored pussy bow blouse for myself, but in the spi...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Aug 2, 2011, 3:00 am
I spent some time over the weekend cleaning through tubs of storage in my basement. I’m a bit of a pack rat, so I had way too much stuff saved over the years, most of it tchotchkes, scrapbooks and other mementos–including photos from my ’80s youth. The photos above are from 1987 and 1988, aro...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 28, 2011, 3:00 am
Have you discovered Pinterest yet? It’s a site that allows you to clip interesting photos together into boards, similar to the mood boards that designers use. It’s a great way to collect inspiring images. Which is how I wound up using it to change my hair. I’d already booked an appointment fo...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 27, 2011, 3:00 am
This past Friday, the 15th, I had the fun of participating in Kenzi’s S.W.A.P. post where style bloggers were matched up and we got to give each other advice. I was lucky enough to get not one but four cool outfit ideas from Erin of Pretty, Polished, Perfect who was helping me funkify a lil’ bi...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 26, 2011, 3:00 am
It can pay to stray from your favorite mall shops. Do you have favorite stores you shop at all the time? I know I do. In fact, it makes your shopping runs more efficient if you have a few favorites that carry the kinds of garments you know will flatter you and work with your wardrobe. (I even talk...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 20, 2011, 5:00 am
On this cool early summer day, I wound up standing in the shadows of our yard. Maybe not the best photography choice, given that the cooler weather led me to wear shades of grey and dark wash (as it tends to do). Squint through the shadows and you’ll see a dark grey CK shirt I’ve had forever. I...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 19, 2011, 8:00 am
Katharine, Audrey and Grace: All 3 were different, but each was ideal just as she was. All too often when we step in front of the mirror, we’re seeing what is “wrong” with our bodies: too big, too small, too much of this, not enough of that. Where is that internal critic coming from? How do w...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 15, 2011, 11:40 am
For this week’s Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, we’re talking about labeling and whether and why it can be detrimental. 1. As a someone who writes/blogs about fashion, have you placed yourself into some sort of blogging category? I don’t know that I’ve put myself in a blogging category as mu...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 15, 2011, 2:00 am
the Cardi Queen’s blogger stylist swap by closetcoach featuring wedge sandals Today we’re having some fun with Kenzi of the Cardi Queen’s idea for a blogger stylist swap. She matched us up with another blogger and the pair had the task of styling one another. I wound up in a group with Kenzi...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 14, 2011, 2:00 am
Adrien and Marianne of Looks Good from the Back This week in the Site Spotlight are Adrien and Marianne of Looks Good From the Back. I discovered their blog through Beautifully Invisible’s Link Love and they’ve been must-reads ever since. They bring a welcome dose of humor to fashion, whether ...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 13, 2011, 2:00 am
It was an unseasonably cool summer day, so I paired together this Sam + Lavi top in a thicker knit with these black Sanctuary pants. I love this top because it’s soft and grey like a sweatshirt, but nice enough to be worn outside of the house and gym :) It was yet another great find on Swirl. (Ha...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 12, 2011, 2:00 am
This is the closet in our master bedroom. The house was built in 1948, a time when wardrobes were much smaller than they are today. As much as I try to keep my (seemingly all black) clothing wardrobe tightly edited, I still have a 2011 library of clothes and a small closet to fit it in. How do I d...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 6, 2011, 8:05 am
Or: experiments in self-photography. When you’re taking a photo of yourself with a camera set on a timer, you have about 2 seconds between shots to change poses. Which is how I wound up in this pose–or, as I like to call it, the WERQ! position. Well, a facsimile thereof, anyway. I’m also fi...
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Closet Coach posted an article on The Closet Coach - Jul 5, 2011, 5:00 am
Reader L.M. writes, “I’ve lost a lot of weight but I’m still planning to lose more. I’m afraid to buy new clothes now since I’ll (hopefully) just have to turn around and buy more clothes later. In the meantime, I feel frumpy in my baggy clothes. What should I do?” First of all, con...
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