The Curated Closet

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

I just got this book (Kindle version) from the library. I don't know how far I'll get with it this weekend, but I thought I would share the details for those who might want to check it out.

"The Curated Closet" is now available for pre-order

Table of contents

Introduction: A tale of bargains, impulse buys, and seasonal must-haves

Closet Diagnostics: Why you don’t have anything to wear

PART I: THE BASICS

1. The Curated Closet philosophy
2. Getting started: Define the status quo and set style goals

PART II: DISCOVER YOUR PERSONAL STYLE

3. What your clothes say about you
4. Discover your style, phase I: Get inspired
5. Discover your style, phase II: Experiment and fine-tune
6. Putting it all together: Your style profile

PART III: BUILD YOUR DREAM WARDROBE

7. Closet detox: The complete guide
8. How to build a wardrobe that fits your life (not your fantasy life)
9. Closet composition 101

10. Selecting a versatile color palette
11. Working with outfit formulas
12. Business hours: Tweaking your wardrobe for work
13. Overhauling your wardrobe: A step-by-step roadmap
14. How (and when) to build a capsule wardrobe
15. Become your own best stylist

PART IV: THE ART OF SHOPPING

16. How to shop like a conscious consumer
17. Decision time: When to buy and when to keep looking
18. How to stop overspending and make the most of your budget
19. Assessing garment quality: A beginner’s guide
20. Practical pointers for finding clothes that fit well
21. Maintaining and updating your wardrobe throughout the year: A timeline

willdob3 · ‎11-01-2010

If sounds interesting - and helpful!

Please let let us know how it goes for you & your closet.

I just had a sample sent to my Kindle.

peachesncream · ‎03-13-2010

Thanks for the heads up!

The author's blog has some good information, too. It's into-mind .com. I like the color palettes she has put together.

Cindy-QVC · ‎06-14-2015

Moved:

This post has been removed by QVC off topic

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

I finished the book. It was an easy read. So far my favorite chapters were 19 and 20. She walks you through tell tale signs of quality vs. low quality construction of different types of garments. She also talks about various fashion "problems" and how to fix them- (go up in size, have it tailored, etc. or just walk away as the garment will never fit quite right).

I read it in Kindle, from the library, so I missed out on a lot of the "checklist" items because of the format of reading digitally. My Kindle is also black and white, so I missed out on the color swatches for creating a capsule wardrobe with accent colors.

Some of the information was brand new to me, like chapters 19-20, and other information was familiar to me (creating a capsule, cost per wear, seasonal buys). I might try to see if the print edition is available at the library to check out the color photos/checklists, but I would probably gift this to someone who is fashion conscious or someone who likes my style.

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

@lolakimono wrote:
I finished the book. It was an easy read. So far my favorite chapters were 19 and 20. She walks you through tell tale signs of quality vs. low quality construction of different types of garments. She also talks about various fashion "problems" and how to fix them- (go up in size, have it tailored, etc. or just walk away as the garment will never fit quite right).

I read it in Kindle, from the library, so I missed out on a lot of the "checklist" items because of the format of reading digitally. My Kindle is also black and white, so I missed out on the color swatches for creating a capsule wardrobe with accent colors.

Some of the information was brand new to me, like chapters 19-20, and other information was familiar to me (creating a capsule, cost per wear, seasonal buys). I might try to see if the print edition is available at the library to check out the color photos/checklists, but I would probably gift this to someone who is fashion conscious or someone who likes my style.

there's another blog I read where the capsule concept is discussed, often.

It's not one that I understand or think I need to be

onboard with, the latest was 5 main items and building a wardrobe around that? seems draconian to me.

will take a look at the book

Squirrel Lover · ‎03-10-2010

I bought the book the day it came out from amazon. I have been following her on her website for two years and really have benefited from what she has to say.

This book is really helpful to those who have closet chaos and don't know how to create a workable wardrobe.

MacDUFF · ‎05-29-2015

@lolakimono wrote:
...tell tale signs of quality vs. low quality construction of different types of garments....

Hi @lolakimono

What are some of the tell tale signs?

~~~ I call dibs on the popcorn concession!! ~~~

libbyannE · ‎10-27-2010

It is the kind of thing I would have enjoyed in my teens and 20s. I might give it to a young niece of mine.

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

@MacDUFF wrote:
@lolakimono wrote:
...tell tale signs of quality vs. low quality construction of different types of garments....

Hi @lolakimono

What are some of the tell tale signs?

@MacDUFF

I could tell you to read the book...

Spoiler

1) Fabrics:

cotton-

Choose cottons with a long staple length for durability and softness.
Cotton that is not soft is not quality and is prone to pilling.
If you hold it up to the light and can see though it, pass on the garment.
It should have even and smooth rows in the weave.

linen-

Same as cotton- avoid roughness or scratchy garments.
Avoid linen with small permanent creases as those are points that will show wear quickly.
Check label instructions as a lot of linen must be dry cleaned to avoid shrinkage.

wool-

Check for loose or broken fibers from the coats of stressed/malnourished animals.
Choose dense, finely knitted and tightly woven garments to avoid pills.
Wool should bounce back immediately and not stay stretched out after you pull on it.
Cashmere is a softer fiber than mohair, so you can't use "scratchiness" to assess the quality- depends on the type of hair used.

denim-

High quality cotton in denim garments feels soft, as if it's moist.
Denim should be tightly woven, not flimsy or stiff.
On used pieces, check the inner thighs for signs of wear.
Stretch the denim along the seams to check for threads pulling apart.
Look for double rows of stitching or chain stitching on the seams.
Low quality manufacturing will leave a bump on the inner seam of the leg.

leather-

Look for "full grain" leather for highest quality.
Uniform marks in leather indicates machine processed pieces- "natural" leather has inconsistencies like those found in nature.
Avoid leather with scratches or creases- it will be brittle or high maintenance.
Avoid glued seams and search out pieces with stitches on the seams.
Follow the same guidelines for faux leather.

Avoid synthetics for "quality" pieces, but some blends are okay in small amounts:

cotton + Spandex
cotton + polyester
cotton + Lycra
wool + Spandex
wool + polyester
wool + Lycra

For fitted items, choose blends with 2-5% of a stretchy synthetic mixed in.

2) Seams:

Avoid stitching with multiple "track" marks, loose threads or loose stitches.
No needle holes should be visible.
Pull on the seam to see if it separates.
The garment needs to have seams that lie flat without puckering.
Patterns should line up at the seams.
Walk away from seams that have been serged, in "load bearing" areas. Instead, check for French seams or bound edges.
On heavier items, the outer seams should not be visible.

3) Tailoring:

Jackets should always have a back seam.
Darts should be placed in the front of shirts, blouses, jackets, etc. when they are non-stretchy items.
Shoulder seams should be reinforced in jackets and tailored tops.
Shoulder yokes on a garment = high quality.
Check for interfacing on places like the waistband, sleeves, neckline or collar.
Items that should be lined are ones that are tailored, difficult to clean, or delicate (jackets, structured dresses, suedes, leathers, etc.)
Skip "affordable" pieces with an acetate lining as those will shrink- they should be dry cleaned to avoid shrinkage, thus making the item less affordable in the long run.

4) Details:

Buttons and zippers should be spaced out evenly and secured by multiple threads. Items with buttons should include an extra button with the garment.
Buttonholes should be reinforced and "keyhole" shaped.
Zippers should slide easily, without puckering, and lock at the top (no slipping down as you move with the garment).

Pockets-

Pockets should actually be usable in high quality garments. They can be stitched close for you to open up if you want.

Labels should be printed and in a place where the wearer won't be uncomfortable.

1) Fabrics: cotton- Choose cottons with a long staple length for durability and softness.Cotton that is not soft is not quality and is prone to pilling.If you hold it up to the light and can see though it, pass on the garment.It should have even and smooth rows in the weave. linen- Same as cotton- avoid roughness or scratchy garments.Avoid linen with small permanent creases as those are points that will show wear quickly.Check label instructions as a lot of linen must be dry cleaned to avoid shrinkage. wool- Check for loose or broken fibers from the coats of stressed/malnourished animals.Choose dense, finely knitted and tightly woven garments to avoid pills.Wool should bounce back immediately and not stay stretched out after you pull on it.Cashmere is a softer fiber than mohair, so you can't use "scratchiness" to assess the quality- depends on the type of hair used. denim-High quality cotton in denim garments feels soft, as if it's moist.Denim should be tightly woven, not flimsy or stiff.On used pieces, check the inner thighs for signs of wear.Stretch the denim along the seams to check for threads pulling apart.Look for double rows of stitching or chain stitching on the seams.Low quality manufacturing will leave a bump on the inner seam of the leg. leather- Look for "full grain" leather for highest quality.Uniform marks in leather indicates machine processed pieces- "natural" leather has inconsistencies like those found in nature.Avoid leather with scratches or creases- it will be brittle or high maintenance.Avoid glued seams and search out pieces with stitches on the seams.Follow the same guidelines for faux leather. Avoid synthetics for "quality" pieces, but some blends are okay in small amounts:cotton + Spandexcotton + polyestercotton + Lycrawool + Spandexwool + polyesterwool + LycraFor fitted items, choose blends with 2-5% of a stretchy synthetic mixed in. 2) Seams: Avoid stitching with multiple "track" marks, loose threads or loose stitches.No needle holes should be visible.Pull on the seam to see if it separates.The garment needs to have seams that lie flat without puckering.Patterns should line up at the seams.Walk away from seams that have been serged, in "load bearing" areas. Instead, check for French seams or bound edges.On heavier items, the outer seams should not be visible. 3) Tailoring: Jackets should always have a back seam.Darts should be placed in the front of shirts, blouses, jackets, etc. when they are non-stretchy items.Shoulder seams should be reinforced in jackets and tailored tops.Shoulder yokes on a garment = high quality.Check for interfacing on places like the waistband, sleeves, neckline or collar.Items that should be lined are ones that are tailored, difficult to clean, or delicate (jackets, structured dresses, suedes, leathers, etc.)Skip "affordable" pieces with an acetate lining as those will shrink- they should be dry cleaned to avoid shrinkage, thus making the item less affordable in the long run. 4) Details: Buttons and zippers should be spaced out evenly and secured by multiple threads. Items with buttons should include an extra button with the garment.Buttonholes should be reinforced and "keyhole" shaped.Zippers should slide easily, without puckering, and lock at the top (no slipping down as you move with the garment). Pockets-Pockets should actually be usable in high quality garments. They can be stitched close for you to open up if you want.Labels should be printed and in a place where the wearer won't be uncomfortable.