Travel Wardrobe-a reality?

I am a big believer in the Cluster concept that I wrote about in a past post, and I use it a lot with my clothing. The thing is that I have a few clusters along with stand alone outfits and various pieces that mix and match but aren't really part of a cluster. Okay, so it sounds like I have a huge wardrobe, but I don't have nearly as many clothes as I used to have before I started my business and was trained by a woman who lives and dies by clusters.

To get to my point...My husband and I are going to Europe for three weeks in May. Of course, I'm already thinking of the clothes I'll take. But I'm a little nervous. We've decided we're going to pack all of our clothes FOR THREE WEEKS in the largest carry on bags that the airlines allow. We've been told that it's easier for trains, too.

I'm sure I can come up with scads of outfits, but will I be able to find things that don't have to be dry cleaned? I don't know why, but the majority of my clothes go to the dry cleaners. Most of the time I even take things that don't absolutely have to be dry cleaned. They last longer, don't fade, and I don't have to worry about ironing.

Also, I'm thinking about creating a cluster with black and white as my neutral colors. I know the black will be easy, but what about spots on the white? (I guess I'm a little messy.) I may need to rethink the color scheme.

Buy accessories you love.

I usually give the advice to only buy complete outfits, and don't buy something unless you are absolutely certain you've got something at home to go with it. As I was getting dressed yesterday, I realized this doesn't hold true for accessories.

Here's my advice on accessories. When you're shopping and you see an accessory you absolutely, positively love, BUY IT! We all tend to gravitate towards our favorite colors or basic colors, so chances are very good that when you buy an accessory you fall in love with, it will work with several things in your closet. The thing I've come to love about accessories is that they don't have to be a 100% perfect match with your outfit, and in fact, it's usually better that everything isn't perfect. (Perfection tends to look too contrived and a bit old fashioned.)

Let me give some examples. Yesterday I decided to wear my new Chaiken, charcoal gray pencil skirt. I paired it with a black, ballet neck sweater, (a favorite that I've had at least 5 years.) I then added black patterned tights, (with an open weave,) and red, patent leather, peep toe platform shoes. I don't really wear a lot of red, but when I saw them, I knew they'd be perfect to pair with almost any black dress or skirt. It happened to be gray in this case.

The outfit still needed something. I was picturing a long, pearl necklace, but I'm truly not much of a pearl girl. So instead I added a grey and black, chiffon printed scarf with black tassels. It was amazing! I bought the scarf on a leap of faith, knowing it would always go with black. And it wasn't an exact match with the gray of the skirt, but that's what made it great.

Have fun with accessories in your favorite colors. They can even turn a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt into an outfit that turns heads!

SOL

If you have never been to SOL Lingerie in Cherry Creek North, you must go for a bra fitting. They are truly experts!

I had bought lingerie there in the past, a pretty nightie and my wedding panties. And I had heard they were great for bra fittings, but I had no idea how many bras they have. Thousands! You see them when you head into the fitting room area completely off of the sales floor. There are hang bars with bras practically floor to ceiling that go on for miles.

I worked with Lara, and here are a few things I learned.

-You get 85% of your support from the band, so the proper band size is crucial.

-Your bra will actually be more comfortable when it fits a little tighter. It prevents the bra from riding up in the back, which creates discomfort.

-When you buy the bra, you should fasten it on the loosest hook. As it stretches, as all bras will, you can tighten it and still have a proper fit.

-For the longest life, wash your bra every time you wear it. It's easiest to have 7 on hand, one for each day of the week, so you're not spending your life at the sink.

-When your bra straps feel like they're falling off, it's usually because the band doesn't fit. It's riding up in the back and making the straps loose.

-Don't tighten the straps when this happens. It destroys the integrity of the fit and support. (Run, don't walk, to SOL.)

-There are different bra styles for different garments:

T-Shirt bras with completely smooth cups are ideal for close fitting knits; however, they don't always allow for the best support.

A lacy seamed bra will give you the best support. Fine quality lace lies smooth and gets smoother with each washing. Most of SOL's lacy seamed bras are smooth enough to wear under most knits.

SOL carries a bra called the Chantelle Fete, which gives amazing support to larger busted women. It creates kind of a "pointy' breast silhouette, which seems a little strange at first, but it makes your rib cage and waist appear absolutely tiny!This is also a wonderful bra for blouses. It lines you up perfectly with the darts.

If you've always thought a bra, is a bra, is a bra, SOL will change your mind. A bra in the right size that's right for your body type, can make you look 10 years younger, not to mention thinner! (I am all about that. Bring on the chocolate!) By the way, SOL didn't pay me to write any of this. I was that impressed.

More Wardrobe Essentials

Here's a continuation of my recommended wardrobe "must-haves."

Black/Brown Pants: These are in addition to your suit pants. They'll be a real work horse for you, so they'll need to be dry cleaned more. It's important to dry clean all of the pieces of your suits at the same time, so that one piece won't become more faded than the others.

I actually wear my brown pants more than my black pants. They're my all time faves, and sadly are starting to wear out! I love brown with purple, teal green, turquoise, peacock blue, pink, and lime green. You can wear brown with just about anything you'd wear black with.

White blouse: White blouses are classics, but they're especially hot this year. You can wear it with your suit, jeans, layered under vests, jackets, sweaters, and to quote my friend Stacy, who owns Violet and Chromosome, "everything!"

It's worth your time to search for one that fits well and that you really love. However, I don't see spending tons of money on it, because, come on, it's a white shirt! Doesn't everyone spill on occasion?

Cute jacket: Ideally, you want one that you can wear with your suit pants, your basic pants (above) and your jeans. Tweed can be great-a real departure from the suit jacket. Depending on your budget and how often you like to shop, this jacket can be a trendy shape or a classic shape. Make sure either works well with your body type.

Sweater set: I know a lot of people don't like these, but hear me out. Cardigans are so much more versatile than pull over sweaters. I'm big on jackets for professional dress, but the reality is that there are days when most of us want to wear something more comfy and cozy! A matched sweater set is the closest thing to a jacket in terms of authority, credibility, etc.

As you're trying to get your head around wearing a sweater set, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. It doesn't have to be that cutesy, old lady style. Look for styling your really like, perhaps one with beautiful beading, a really long one or one with a belt. There are lots to choose from. Also, the shell doesn't have to be a jewel neck that is hard for most women to wear. Next, be sure to look for colors and fabrics that you're absolutely crazy about.

Of course, if you can't stand the idea of the sweater set, the cardigan can still be worn over blouses and other knit tops. And the shells are great under jackets or even by themselves in warm weather. (Don't wear it alone in the office, though.)

Dressy Pumps: I love sling backs, but if you were only buying one pair of shoes, I'd recommend a basic, high heeled pump with a semi-pointed toe in the neutral you wear the most, i.e. black. They can be worn with everything from the LBD, to the suit, to the jeans. Of course, if you can't wear heels, look for the most elegant leather or leather-like shoe you can find that's comfortable.

These all great basics to get you started with a wardrobe. Of course, as I mentioned before, there is a lot of room for personal style, but these items will all take you far in all but the most casual wardrobes.

Photos Courtesy of Nordstrom and Talbots