Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Dani:

Many of us have a closet-ful of things we couldn't pass up, yet never figured out how to wear! The first thing to do is to stop buying anything that you can't return if you change your mind. Check the store's return policy before buying to make sure you can get your money back, not just a store credit. Try the item on when you get home to make sure you like it and that it fits into your wardrobe. Don't take the store tags off until you are wearing it for the first time!

Then, concentrate on only buying things that will go with what you already have in your existing wardrobe, or buying two or three items that will go together and make a whole outfit. Instead of buying a pair of green pants, say, when your whole wardrobe is pink, look for a pair of white or black pants that will fit more easily into a pink wardrobe.

Next, choose three colors and build your wardrobe around them, such as green, blue, and rust; or red, orange, and yellow. This is a way to ensure that newly bought items will coordinate with existing items.

It does take some resisting to"impulse"buying. Buying something just because you like it isn't enough -- it has to fit into your existing wardrobe, or you have to have a plan to buy something to wear with it. It's OK to return your mistakes. That's why stores with a 30-day return policy are so great!

Sincerely, Fashion Girl