Hi. I’m Dani.

{Hi Dani.}

And I have a clothing addiction.

Yep, it’s true. I shamefully have 2 closets full at my mum’s, about 4 boxes still unopened at my mum’s, a closet here at my dad’s and a guest room turned closet because I had too much to fit into my little, sliding door closet. I know I need to purge, but I keep holding onto things because of sentiment, the whole “when I lose this much __ weight I’ll wear it” shtick, the addiction I have to formal dresses that I just can’t part with and my addiction to thinking if I see stuff that is super cheap and on sale that I will need it eventually, so I might as well buy it when it’s so cheap (but we all know I’m just going to end up buying it again when I do need it due to losing the thing in a heap of crap, size changing or out of sheer boredom and obsession with shopping).

I know. You’re probably thinking, “Why should I take closet advice from this crazy? She can barely keep her own crap together.”?

But oh, oh, oh. I promise I’ve gotten better.

Knowing that I’m moving out in a couple months, I’ve already got the mindset going that I need to purge and figure things out. So, I’m limiting myself to my little sliding door closet in my small bedroom at my dad’s. And wanna know something? It’s actually working out pretty well. I’m realizing that using basic, classic items, along with a couple trendy pieces, can up your style, help with budgeting and help with space, too! So, I wanted to share a few things I’ve added to my closet to help out my personal style and my poor closet; both trendy and classic.

the basics.

I am now a firm believer that with the right basics you can do anything. Even having an elegant tee vs a scoop neck can make a huge different.

1: The Denim Jacket
I’ve had the absolute hardest time finding the perfect denim jacket. Either the arms fit, but the torso was too big, or the wash was just hideous, or the jacket was $200 dollars out of price range. BUT. I finally hit the denim lottery and found one that works perfectly for me. And let me tell you, when you find the perfect denim jacket, you never want to take it off. My particular jacket came from Downeast Basics. It was a random brand and was a lone jacket on the clearance rack, but I love it!

2. The basic tee. Upgraded.
I just had a huge revelation the other day about plain tops. They do not have to be boring! This top from JC Penney is seriously my favorite right now. I’ve got it in maroon and black and it’s finding it’s way into my wardrobe like crazy. The neckline is a little reminiscent of a boatneck. The back and front both scoop, which is incredibly feminine and beautiful. I’ve already paired it with jeans and skirts; both are winners. And for $10? How could you say no? It definitely beats my old scoop necks and v-necks on the style scale.

3. The classic dress.
So, this piece from may look a little trendy to you, but think about it. Stripes? Neutrals? Classic. This is the silent film star dress from Modcloth and I am in love with it. Curvy girl alert! This dress looks fabulous on curvy girls, for sure! I think it’d look good on anyone! It’s just perfect! I’m impressed by how versatile it is and how easy it is to style it. That’s why it’s made it on my basics list; because it’s a staple!

4. The leather satchel.
To be completely honest, I still haven’t found the perfect leather bag, but how can this not be a staple? Versatile, beautiful and conventional; three wins in my mind. I’d love to tie a little scarf on it to change it up a little.

5. Leather riding boots.
I’m in love with these boots. I swear, they make any outfit look classier. Whenever I meet people, I unconsciously judge them by their shoes, so of course I want to make a good impression, myself! These look great with jeans and skirts. I got mine from Famous Footwear (so they were a great deal, especially with BOGO going on!) and I can’t wait to wear them more often!

6. Good jeans.
Every girl needs a good pair of jeans. Whether they been skinny, bell-bottom, straight leg, boot cut or boyfriend. My favorite are a pair of skinnies from Torrid that have ankle zippers; which are too cute! I like my #1 pair to be dark wash (more flattering) and they have to make my butt look good. If they don’t, it’s a total no go.

trendy things.

“Trendy things”- the supporting cast. The job of the TT is to make the basic look better and show off your personal style! You usually shouldn’t splurge on trendy things, because you might only wear it one season and then it’s out of style, but if it makes you feel good, then that makes all the difference. Express yourself here!

1: The scarf.
The oh so versatile scarf. I probably have about 30 scarves and I can honestly say I’ve worn all of them multiple times; I’ve got an obsession! In my head, scarves never go out of style, just season, so I don’t feel so guilty buying them; especially because they can really bring together an outfit. You can use it to keep yourself warm, just to add something to your look, as a shawl, as a headwrap to keep your hair from getting wonky on all of those open air convertible rides I’m sure you go on and they make a great addition to an outfit when going to the theatre in case you get chilly!

2. The cheap, trendy piece. (whatever it may be!)
This vest is from JC Penney. I’ve been seeing the military trend coming back in, so I decided I wanted to try it, but really didn’t want to blow the bank doing so! A blogger I follow posted a look with this vest and, seeing the price point ($15!) I decided that if it looked good, that it was the vest. So, I went into JC Penney yesterday to find it… And I did. For $2.79. I almost squealed. I love great deals and this was one. So, I ended up getting the vest in both the traditional green and the camouflage. If you didn’t think $2.79 was a great enough of deal? One of the vests rang up as $0.29. Best. Day. Ever.

3. The trendy piece that really says you.
Okay, so this bag was so worth it. Yes, it’s kind of trendy, but it really says me. I am a huge Disney fan and I like to express that, usually in discrete ways, through my style. A Disney Couture charm bracelet here, a Disneybound outfit there… But this bag. It is honestly like a piece of art to me. I treasure it and love wearing it, because it really speaks about who I am. Yes, it was a splurge, but I think it was totally worth it. Everybody needs something that screams “them” and even if it is a splurge, sometimes it’s just worth it to go for it.

4. The weird jewelry piece.
Coral necklace, dinosaur earrings, teapot and tea cup earrings… Whatever. Quirky jewelry is my thing, so I have a ton of pieces like this. The jewelry goes amazing with my favorite Custom Personalized T-Shirt! But if you don’t have any? Get one! Be it a statement necklace or an ear cuff; make it quirky! It’s always fun to have a little something out of the ordinary that cheers you up and can change an outfit completely.

So, that was my first set of tips on how to help out a confused closet! We could all use a little purging, editing and shopping; so why not get to it?

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