Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

My husband is in the military and I've tried taking him shopping for updated casual clothing but he won't budge. Any ideas how I can get him to at least open up to the idea of new clothes?

Signed,

Wife of a Drill Sergeant

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Dear W.O.A.D.S.,

A similar question was posed not long ago by a girl looking to revamp her boyfriend's wardrobe and the same advice applies: proceed with caution. Your husband probably wears army issued attire more than not, undoubtedly leading him to believe his civilian-wear is so under worn he doesn't need anything new, even if you believe the contrary.

So you'll have to initiate revamping his wardrobe. Start out by looking at the brands, sizes and even material composition of what he already owns and looks the best in. Take this information with you as you start to look at adding, and eventually subtracting by way of replacing, out-of-date pieces in his wardrobe.

Just be sure to keep him involved in the process. Although he may grimace at the idea of you spending money on new clothing for him, once you've done the choosing and the charging he'll warm up to the new wears. Most men don't have that much of an invested interest in their appearance due to women taking on the task of keeping their closets current. Without your assistance - or that of his mom, past girlfriends and current girl friends - he would probably be in worse sartorial shape than he is now. With that said, be sure not to throw out anything before consulting him first. Men can become very territorial - and sentimental - when it comes down to the incoming and outgoing of their wardrobes.

For the next phase of operation: closet overhaul, you'll want to try to get him to spend more time in the men's department browsing than you currently do. You want him to take an interest in shopping for himself. Ask him to try on everything you've recently purchased for him and solicit his honest feedback. You may notice after a a few rounds of retail therapy in his honor that he becomes more invested in his casual appearance. The ultimate goal is to not only turn around his wardrobe but his overall approach to shopping for himself. There's no such thing as a clothing commendation but if there was, you would be up for it after you are done with him. Consider your service for the greater clothing good complete: at ease shopper.

On a special note: To your husband, and to all the men and women who serve our great country, thank you.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com

Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

I'm looking to start the year off with a healthy closet cleaning. Any idea what I should do with the clothing I no longer want?

Signed,

Cleaning out my Closet

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Dear C.O.M.C.,

Cleaning out the closet is a great way to start off the year. But before you get lured into the temptation of the "retail write-off", there are a few other alternative solutions to consider before bidding your unwanted wears good-bye, that could be just as rewarding.

Once you've separated out what you're planning to donate its always a good idea to consider consignment shops for parting with some of your bigger ticket in-season items. Of course, said profit is based on a sliding scale set by the slippery slope of the economy and retail resale so don't expect too much. You will only earn back a fraction of what you originally paid, but since it was already set to be donated then a cash exchange of any amount is an added bonus. And since its money earned outside of your normal budget you can spend it or save it however you like.

Another idea is to consider organizing a clothing exchange party with a group of friends. Choose friends closest to you (in terms of size and clothing taste) and ask them to clean out their closets and bring over their best pieces they want to part with. Set a limit of how much to bring and what condition is to be considered acceptable for the exchange and you're all set. Within the time it takes to sift through the mall, you and your recessionista fashionista friends could create a new-to-you wardrobe out of each other's discards. One friend's trash is another's thrifty trend.

However, if the idea of cashing in on your clothing in one way or another seems more like a hassle than helpful, then taking the altruistic road may just be the answer for you. Any local charity, such as red cross or goodwill, will be more than happy to take your donation to assist someone in need.

There are many directions to consider and no matter whether you decide to go for retail resale, redistribution amongst friends or contributing to a charity, you have done something much larger than give away old clothing. You've either helped stimulate the economy, helped a budgeting friend shop without spending or supplied someone with not only a new outlook, but a new outfit, for the new year.

Now that you've got your closet cleaned out, use tips from this previous post to ensure it's also cleaned up.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com

Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

I have a friend who's constantly borrowing my clothing. If she returns them at all they come back in dire need of care. How can I politely tell her to launder my things before she returns them or really, how do I get her to stop borrowing from me altogether?

Signed,

Best Fashion Friend

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Dear B.F.F.,

You sound like a nice person. So nice in fact that your friend is either knowingly walking all over you, or blissfully unaware of the damage she's doing to your friendship - and not to mention your wardrobe.

The next time she asks to borrow something (assuming she does in fact ask) you need to seize that moment to remind her of how one-sided this business of borrowing has been. Make sure you relay to her how inconvenient - and costly! - her obsession with your closet is, and that a few boundaries need to be set.

First, she is not allowed to wear anything before you've had the opportunity to do so. Next, make her aware of anything that is completely off limits including jewelry - sentimental or otherwise, shoes, intimates and personal products (e.g. perfumes, lotions, makeup, etc.). If she does borrow something, she has to return it in the same, or better, condition than when she acquired it. This also means holding her accountable for replacing anything that she ruins. Lastly, she must borrow and return things in a timely manner. You can negotiate on how large a window of time she has but it would be wise to keep track of the things she borrows just to make sure everything you loan out is indeed returned.

As said before, you sound like a nice person. A nice person who doesn't deserve to have a friend walk all over you, quite possibly in your shoes no less. If you confront her and set forth ground rules she'll either agree or disagree, but let her answer surprise you. You don't want to go into a situation like this with preconceived notions. If your friendship is as strong as you would like to believe, she shouldn't have a problem respecting your wardrobe wishes and you'll get your clothing back without losing your friend. But on the off chance she decides that the new rules are for the birds, then let her fly. Life's too short for fair-weathered fashion friends.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com

Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

I have a standard-size walk-in closet but it seems like every time I buy something new I have to throw two things out just to make room! I donate old clothing regularly and I'm pretty good about making smart choices when I do buy something so I don't believe I'm a closeted hoarder (pun intended).

I want to try out a closet organization system, but I don't want it so organized that I can't get to things when I need them! What do you suggest?

Signed,

Woman on the Verge of a Closet Breakdown

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Dear W.V.C.B.,

A few years back I reorganized my closet and it made a WORLD of difference. Not just organization wise, but also aesthetically. I replaced all of the plastic "thank you" bags I would store my shoes in - I was convinced they helped saved space and made the shoes easier to stack! - and started using sterilite storage shoe boxes instead. I then took all of the dry cleaning bags, wire hangers and mismatched plastic hangers and tossed them. I opted to go with all white hangers - thinner ones for hanging collared shirts and light weight jackets, thicker ones for winter coats and jeans (denim seems to warp thinner hangers by making them sag in the middle) and those with clips for dress and casual pants. Everything else is folded down into organized color-coordinated stacks. With visibility and reachability not an issue, I can get dressed without making (too much of) a mess.

As the weather changes, so does my closet. Seasonal clothing is cleaned and then stored in clear containers until they are reintroduced into the closet as the now out-of-season clothing goes though the same "clean-and-store" process. This saves me from having to sift through impractical clothing options and makes for better use of my closet space.

I also found that the shoe boxes I use are great for storing accessories that can't be hung (bowtie's, gloves, wallets, some hats, etc.) which makes them easy to find and keeps my closet looking that much more organized and contained.

This approach to closet organization works well for me. Try to use my system as your guide but modify what doesn't work for you. For example, if you're the type of person that would want to try on several pairs of shoes before deciding on one, then individual shoe boxes may not work for you, but this might.

If you want to test your hand at reorganizing any other part of your abode, I found this site helpful.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com