STYLE BULLETIN

Breaking Out of a Rut

Getting dressed in the morning shouldn't cause us pain.You'd agree with that, right? Then why does it? It often stems from not feeling confident in how to put an outfit together so that it sparks joy and confidence. This is one of the most common requests I get when women finally pick up the phone and call me for an appointment:

"I'm tired of looking into my closet at all of the things hanging there, wishing I could

wear more of them (some with the tags still on them!) But I just can't 'see' how to

put the outfits together, so I end up wearing the same things over and over again."

Has this ever happened to you? Honestly, I think it has happened to everyone at one point or another. We just get 'stuck in a rut' with our clothes. And it's one of the things I most enjoy when I work with my clients - helping them put together new outfits with what they've got hanging in their closet. Yes, sometimes we do need to shop to fill in the 'gaps', but quite often I'm able to put together a number of outfits just by 'shopping the closet'.

This newsletter has a few ideas to get you moving in the right direction - ideas for pairings that you might not have tried before. Plus at the end, I'll share with you a new program I've put together that you might want to consider, along with a short video that briefly explains how I work (just in case you're feeling nervous about picking up the phone and calling me in to help.)

Are you ready to break out of your rut? Let's get started!

This time of year seems to be the time when we are ready for changes. Maybe it's the change in the weather - we're getting outdoors more and enjoying the fresh air, or maybe it's because as we make the transition from our heavier, winter clothes to our lightweight Spring/Summer clothes we realize that we've gotten into a rut in how we dress. We ask ourselves, "Why am I not wearing all these clothes?"

Certainly it can be because they don't fit us anymore, either in size or in style, but it can often be because we just don't feel confident in how to put new outfits together. We wear the same old combinations over and over again. Now, some people like having a 'uniform' - they don't have to make decisions about what to wear, and that's okay. They tend to be more minimalist in their style and their closets usually aren't overloaded.

But by far, the most common request I get is from clients who've got very full closets and who need help putting outfits together. And it's really such fun when we get to the end of a session and voila! You've got 10 new outfits you never thought of before.

To get you in the proper frame of mind, where you might try your hand at this, I've created some Spring Pairings to give you some ideas about where to start. These just touch the surface of what is possible, but I hope they'll inspire you to play around in your closet with some new combinations.

This is a great casual look that takes a top that you might ordinarily wear in a beach setting and makes it work for running errands or a lunch date. Cropped, slim-fitting pants contrast with the looser, flowing top to create a balance (you don't want to wear a loose top AND a wide-legged pant together - too much fabric creates bulk.)

Many women aren't sure they should/could wear this look - the shorter jacket with a longer top hanging out the bottom. But I always encourage them to give it a try - it's a very contemporary look, one that can go dressy or casual depending on how the items are combined. It allows your jackets to work harder for you, for example taking one that you usually wear in a dressier or more formal setting and putting it to work in a casual outfit. I especially like using a Chanel-like jacket in this way:

Another great combination is florals and denim. Personally, I'm not a floral kind of girl, but I do love this look and have worn it myself recently (thinking out of my own box!) The casual look of denim paired with a classic floral creates visual interest. (Maybe take it a step further and do a little pattern mixing with florals and stripes as I've shown below. If you're nervous about this part, I can help!)

Other ideas for pairings that I've written about before include Layer the Dress, and Dress Up Your Casual. You might want to check them out too.

Drop me an email or call me, 415-729-1008, if you're ready for some help. In the meantime, I encourage you to try some of the ideas I've laid out in this newsletter - and do let me know how it's going for you!

P.S.

To read about the new program I've started, scroll down to the Special Offer below.

This N'That

I came across a delightful video by Dominique Sachse, an anchorwoman on a Houston station, where she does a major cosmetic purge. (As someone who loves a 'free gift with purchase', this really spoke to me, and I suspect it might to you as well.) Enjoy!

As if you didn't already know the transformative power of the right makeup, hair color & style, and clothing, this article and its visuals will convince you.

Are you guilty of 'overdoing'? (Hand raised!) It seems that this is one of the most common maladies of our times. Take a few minutes, pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, take a deep breath and then read this article. It might help.

Special Offer

With this package you get:

*6 hours of making outfits from your closet. I recommend 2 hours for Spring/Summer, 2 for Fall/Winter, and 2 for pre-Holiday. If we've finished making outfits before the 2 hour sessions are done, we can use the remaining time to tackle other closet and/or wardrobe issues you'd like help with.

*A shopping list of any key items we notice are missing that you're in need of. If you'd like me to handle the personal shopping for you, we can set that up as needed.

*We'll take photos of the outfits so you won't forget what we've done. You can either keep them on-line to refer to or print them out - whichever is easier.

and most of all

Confidence and joy - you'll wear more things in your closet (no more closet-guilt), have more fun getting dressed in the morning, and relax because you know you'll have help throughout the year to keep your outfits looking fresh and current.

This special offer would normally be $750, but if you sign up

by May 31

you'll pay only $600.

Let's get it started so you can begin to feel that confidence and joy right away!

Let's Stay in Touch

Get regular style updates (not every day, I promise!) Sign up for my blog here.

A friend and colleague, Brenda Kinsel, recently wrote a blog post about mothers

and asked me to contribute some thoughts about my mother. (I do mention Brenda frequently in this newsletter - she's such a good writer and an accomplished author. I love sharing her writing with you.) I was happy to do so, and thought you might like to read the post. Our mothers are so influential in our lives, from beginning to end. I'm so very grateful for mine. I wish you a very happy Mother's Day!

All my best to all of you!

Adena DiTonno

415-729-1008

adena@adenadesigns.net

www.adenadesigns.net

VP Marketing - Social Media & Marketing

2014-2016

My Services

WARDROBE SERVICES

*Personal Style Analysis

*Closet Audit and Clean-up

*Special Occasion and Seasonal Shopping

*Travel Packing

*Speaker at your organization

All of my services are customized to your individual needs. If you have questions or need something that you don't see here, please email me or call me so we can chat!

Gift Certificates

A GIFT CERTIFICATE IS THE PERFECT GIFT TO GIVE AND TO RECEIVE.

I'm happy to provide gift certificates that can be used for closet clean-ups, wardrobe consultations, or personal shopping - whatever the recipient would like. Please keep this in mind for your loved ones (even if that loved one is you!)

Adena DiTonno | adenaDesigns| 415-729-1008 | adena@adenadesigns.net | www.adenadesigns.net

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