A concern that I’ve heard from many clients is that they do not have anything to wear or that they have trouble figuring out what to wear. Many times life is so hectic that the last thing on your list is figuring out what to wear for work this week. Does this sound like you? Many feel like they were the same thing over and over and it’s become a uniform. Well, those days are over. As part of the dressing the body you have now series, we will explore the concept of cluster dressing.
Cluster dressing is simply a small group of coordinated clothing pieces brought together to meet most of the needs of the owner. We created a cluster due to losing weight and we want to maximize wear of those work pieces while we are working to reach our weight goals. I selected 13 pieces in which we will coordinate 30+ outfits. Everything is under $200, with most costing under $100. We still want to purchase the best quality we can afford and try to purchase pieces that can be worn over several seasons (The pieces shown are clearance, sale items,etc.).
Additionally, go with neutrals and classics as your core pieces and use accessories to show your personality. Please note that the easiest way to start is to go with a two-color combination and purchase 2 suits in the coordinated colors. This will become the base of your cluster. We added 1 dress and 2 cardigans, one in a print and one solid color. We then picked 5 blouses (I was supposed to have 4, but I wanted to included a tank in the selection because it is very versatile) and it would be good to have a print blouse, but I elected to go with a black/silver sparkle blouse as my color blouse. Please note that I selected clothing that gave stretch (this will allow you to wear for a couple sizes — See previous post) and the lines were strategically selected as well. (I chose A-line for the skirts and a straight leg for the suit pant). The previous post explained why this would be the better choice; please refer to it if you have questions, or drop me a line.
The outfits are coordinated from the core pieces. For the outfits, I included bags and other accessories. For the most part, you can use existing accessories to coordinate your outfits. Before you start out purchasing any new items, take a look at what you have first and see how you can extend your wardrobe by creating clusters. As you lose, you will most likely have to purchase clothing, but you will be able to integrate a few pieces before having to purchase a new wardrobe. Take a look at your closet and see how many color combinations you can come up. You will be amazed that your wardrobe is not as small as you think.
