My Chic Life

Part two in the MCL series on organization…

Out of the Closet

We’re movin’ on up… to the closet! There is just NOTHING that makes me feel more fabulous, pulled together, and in control of my life than an organized closet (no, seriously, I’m not even kidding). Reorganizing my clothes reminds me of all of my favorite pieces: that great vintage bolero I bought when I first moved to LA, the funky fuscia skinny jeans I keep meaning to rock out, or that to-die-for sweater I splurged on from Free People… getting them in order and in the right “department” keeps them fresh in my mind. It also reminds me how blessed I am to have all of these gorgeous clothes since I spent a good part of my life in hand-me-downs and Goodwill specials.

First of all, go through your closet once a quarter. A closet filled with t-shirts that make you feel frumpy and pants that are two sizes to big/small are going to hide the great stuff you should be wearing. Remember, you can’t receive anything in life if your arms are full. And if your closet is full of stuff you never use, you wont really know what you have or what you need. Ask yourself… have I worn this in the last 6 months? Does this make me feel great?? Is this piece timeless, and well-made? Don’t allow yourself to hold on to crap simply because it was sooo expensive when you bought it in 11th grade, or you’re positive you’ll fit into a size 2 again some day. Be honest with yourself, and ruthless with your decisions… chances are, once that clutter is gone, you wont even miss it.

Ah-Shoooo

Secondly, categorize. Everything in my closet is organized by style… dresses with dresses, pants with pants, and within that are subcategories: silk long sleeve blouses, silk short sleeve blouses, etc. I’ve heard that some people organize by color but I can’t even comprehend this: when I get dressed I think “I want to wear a tank” not “gee, I want to wear yellow today”. But I guess if that’s your deal, then go with whatever works for you. The same goes for shoes, bras, panties, pj’s whatever. Get it together and keep it together.

Thirdly , just like Mommy Dearest I believe in NO WIRE HANGERS!! Seriously, if you’re old enough to drive a car you’re old enough to scrape of the money for matching hangers. Target or Walmart could hook you up with nice plastic ones (please use all the same color for the love of God!) for pocket change

Colorful Closet

Lastly, can I just say that your closet is a “room” just like any other. I took great care in picking out this peacocky teal paint for my closet walls. It’s fun and sassy (but still masculine enough for my husband) and it makes me happy when I see the bright happy colors of my dresses bouncing off it. Plus it’s a room that only you see, so go crazy!! Hot Pink, Jet Black… make it as unique as your clothes!

Today starts an MCL series on organization.

Behind Closed Drawers

I realize that not everyone out there shares my particular affinity for a well organized closet or pantry, but I beleive that might be becuase you don’t realize how much being organized could change your life. No seriously… when pieces of your life are in chaos, it becomes symptom of a greater issue. The clutter grows and multiplies and only causes more mess (be it physical, emotional, financial what have you). On the contrary, getting a handle on the clutter can do WONDERS for your disposition.

We’re going to start with the closet… the essence of your sartorial persona. Specifically, the jewelry drawer. Ladies (and gents) listen up…  YOU WILL NOT WEAR IT, IF YOU CAN’T FIND IT!! And in this economy, you’d be shocked out how organizing, categorizing, and taking stock of what you have already can make you feel like you’ve doubled your wardrobe without spending any cash.

Chain Gang

I’m lucky enough to have two drawers specifically devoted to my jewelry, a luxury for an accessory whore like me! (special thanks to my uber-talented carpenter father-in-law) but today’s re-org project was all about necklaces. I HATE when my necklaces get tangled… I hear my mother’s chiding voice in my head “you don’t deserve nice things if you don’t take care of them” so I finagled my own set up here. I lined my drawer with cork (a whole roll from target was maybe $7) and this allowed me to put in sweet notes from my husband or that tear-out of the Versace shoes I covet, or an inspiring quote (“well-behaved women seldom make history”). Though the real reason behind the cork is that it works so well to hold everything in place… I simply organized by style, color, etc and laid each piece out neatly and then pinned them in place with thumbtacks (otherwise every time I close the drawer they slide all over hell and Georgia!).

Having a place for everything (and everything in it’s place) means less time searching for the perfect pendant and more freedom to mix and match and pair things you might not have thought of before. Also, it’s amazing how getting just a small piece of your life in order makes you feel so accomplished and in control.

What about you Chic Readers, any of you rocking well-organized (aka OCD) jewelry drawers like me??

Great American Smokeout

My dear friend and confidant Erika Kurtz got my the most thoughtful Christmas gift this year… the Smoke out Kit from Urban Decay. You see, Erika knows of my deep passionate love for a smokey eye… and more than that she knows my even deeper love for not having to deal with things that require too much time or energy.

The Smoke Out Kit is everything one requires for the perfect smokey eye AND turn-by-turn directions on how to pull it off. The shadow, the liner, the mascara, the mirror and the handy carrying case for it all complete with a small drawer to hold your directions.

My peepers have never looked so good!

Season's Greenings

Now that Turkey day has trotted, let’s talk Christmas. While Thanksgiving is notorious for overcooking, Christmas is the holiday for overspending. On Thanksgiving we waste food. On Christmas we waste, well, EVERYTHING. This year, Chic Readers, let’s each try to find one area where we can cut back and NOT WASTE ANYTHING. I have 3 ways to do this.

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas...

1. Make your own wrapping paper. Get a few brown paper bags, cut open the seams so that you have one big flat piece. Flip to the blank side that has no writing or logos. Cut a kitchen sponge into the shape of a star. Dip in gold/red/green paint. Stamp sponge on paper. Repeat. Allow to dry. Voila! Beautiful and Eco-Friendly wrapping paper.
2. Decorate your tree using only found objects. Take a walk through the park. Collect sticks, pine cones, dried leaves, and sprigs of berries (preferably non-poisonous if you have kids, pets, or curious significant others). Take your goods home and spray paint a few items gold or red for some color. Use wire ornament hooks to hang your eco-ornaments on your tree.
3. Buy charity gifts. Visit Charity Choice and choose from over 100 Charities to donate to. Put the donation under your receiver’s name and they will receive monthly updates about the progress of their cause. Make sure to tailor the cause to the gift receiver. For example, Ivan likes cats so I would donate to Alley Cat Allies in his name. Prrrrowww…

Happy Green Holidays Chic Readers!

It’s finally Friday and that means the weekend is about to begin! What better way to start your much deserved time off than with some delicious cocktail recipes. Although I’m a huge fan of a simple Jack and Coke, I also like to switch it up and try fun fruity cocktails. I never use specific measurements because everyone likes their cocktail a little bit different, but here are a few of my favorite mixtures:

yummy!

Vodka
Triple Sec
A splash of grapefruit juice
Top it off with cranberry juice
Pour over ice in a cocktail glass

Vodka
Half Cranberry juice
Half Pineapple juice
Best over cubed ice

Best Face Forward

Learn it.

Know it.

Love it.

Even people who aren’t obsessed with Oprah like I am, still have appreciation for Oprah’s Favorite Things! I do have to say, even though Oprah clues me in on a ton of new things… I actually knew all about the Clarsonic Brush BEFORE she gave it away to loads of adoring guests on her Favorite Things episode.

The Clarsonic Brush (the first of it’s kind) is kind of like a tooth brush for your FACE. It only takes a minute (you hear a little beep every 15 seconds to remind you to move to a new location on your skin) and afterwards your face is GLOWING like a pregnant woman. It’s amazing! Ooooh, also they have different types of brushes so you can use it on your, ahem, “rougher” areas, like elbows or knees and scrub everything to a shiny hue.

They’re not exactly cheap, but I use mine every day (just keep it in the shower) and I think it was TOTALLY worth the expense. If you want more info, call my friends at Skin Haven (who use these brushes during every facial and turned me on to them) and hear how great they are, book a facial to try one out, or purchase one from them directly.

Happy Scrubbing!

This Saturday starts off college football season and I am so excited! I look forward to game days like a little kid looks forward to Christmas or their birthday. What’s not to love? Tailgating with friends, eating, drinking, and cheering on your favorite team!

Although I love watching the game, one of my favorite parts of game day is getting decked out and showing my school spirit. Whether this means painting my face, altering a t-shirt, or painting my nails, I can’t wait for this season and the many different styles it will bring.

Sparkling Eye-Black!

One of my favorite things to do on game day is paint on eye-black. I don’t leave it simply as eye-black, though. Instead, I paint on my school’s name and then cover this in glitter, to make a unique, but spirited addition to my game day outfit. This works best for school’s with shorter names. I recommend wearing lots of sunscreen to avoid humiliating eye-black tan lines (I know from experience), or sticking to only wearing it for night games. Do you have any other creative game day style to share? I’m always looking so please share!