4 Ways to Style for Busy Bees

One conversation I often have with other working women is how to maintain a wardrobe that’s appropriate for work but that translates to a weekend with the kids, a girl’s night out or a special event all while being resistant to smudges, spills, various bodily fluids and the occasional melted ice-cream cone. This really isn’t a problem for only women with kids (I often spill ice-cream on me, even sans the children). I just think that more and more we have less and less time, which sometimes translates to those five-wardrobe-change mornings.  And who has time for that?

Here are some tips that work for me.

1. Get an App
When I first starting styling, I depended on the Stylebook Closet App. I’d used others but this one was great because I could save my entries to iCloud and virtually make outfits, similar paper dolls. When you first set it up, it takes some time to take pictures of your items, categorize them, edit and start putting looks together. But after the initial work is done, the rest is just maintenance. I used to pick what I wanted to wear the night before and never worried about making decisions while I was half-asleep in the morning. It also let me see my entire wardrobe at once so I could find and put outfits together that I wouldn’t have otherwise done. For example, in this outfit I added the red belt. It may seem like a small thing but the reality is that I’d otherwise be too rushed to think about it. I’ve since become more confident in putting together my looks but this app was definitely the first step I took to being more organized and knowing my closet. I recommend it to anyone who thinks they need help. And really? So much fun!

2. Clothes Shopping Should NOT be a Hit & Run
Twice a year, I go on a shopping trip with my sisters. It’s an opportunity for us to catch up and have girl-time but it’s also dedicated time to focus on the task at hand…. getting new outfits! There’s no reason to rush, I can think about my purchases (resulting in way less buyer’s remorse) and it’s a lot easier to put together pieces that work with each other. I know not everyone can get away for a whole day (or weekend if you’re really lucky!) but the concept is the same. Save your money and try to buy outfits rather than individual pieces. Make time to go and be prepared to spend a few hours if not a whole day, don’t try to buy yourself a new suit if you only have an hour between grocery shopping and gymnastics practice. Online shopping is a fantastic way to get what you want to try delivered to your house where you can take the time you need… just make sure the store has a good return policy. And finally, wear good underwear and I promise clothes will look nicer on!

3. Pick Your Pops
I’m pretty conservative in a lot of my fashion choices. I tend to stick with solid colours and will be the first to admit there’s more black in my wardrobe than I probably need. This just makes it easier for me to transition my outfits from day to night to weekend. But I try to add pops to my closet such as patterned scarves and interesting shoes. A good pair of shoes really does change an outfit. Who doesn’t love to be complemented on their shoes? And honestly, you could put a different scarf on the same basics every day and no one would notice. A simple black or white t-shirt is the perfect background for a fun, colourful scarf… there are so many different ways you can wear them and (hooray!) they are not very expensive, which makes buying a new scarf a great way to bring some life back into an outfit or add a boost to an old favourite.

4. Listen to Dini Petty
In the wise words of radio and television host Dini Petty, “If you love it, buy it. If you don’t love it, don’t buy it. You’ll save a lot of money that way.” I couldn’t say it better than that!! Pick what looks great on you and what makes you feel great. Then be great.

Do you have any tips or advice you’d like to share? Please leave a comment below.