What's left in my closet

I'd been telling DH that what I wanted for Christmas is a professional
closet organizer. He, in turn, grumbled that I should get rid of some
of my stuff. As usual, he was right.
So today I completed the first stage of purging. The garments that
survived are now hanging on nice matching wooden hangers, sorted by
type of garment. Skirts are on real skirt hangers instead of draped
over metal hangers. Dresses are protected in a garment bag with a
cedar stick. Nothing is doubled up on a hanger and it all fits
neatly.
One benefit of the reorganization is that I can identify what's
missing from my ideal wardrobe, and shop for those items. And I may
even have room for them!
So here's exactly what's left in the closet (pictures!), for those
with a voyeuristic streak. Go ahead and comment if you just KNOW what
needs to go in the second purge... :)
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~maribeth/fashion.html
–– maribeth

"Maribeth Mason" <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message
news:oo9lq0t4t7uv32ucg3vl55t3j65b47k...@4ax.com...
I love this page! The text reminds me of the Laurie Notaro book I just
read. Thanks for the smiles Maribeth :)
K

"Maribeth Mason" <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message
news:oo9lq0t4t7uv32ucg3vl55t3j65b47k...@4ax.com...
Maribeth
The most important question I have is Adam Brody totally hot in person?
Also I have absolutely no qualifications to give anyone advice about
anything so these random thoughts are simply mine and I hope they won't
offend you.Once we get past that please throw away the homeless nun
clothing as well as any that have negative comments such as the black
blazer. You said it sucks, so why keep it? Do the same with the black
boucle jacket with the tie. Perhaps you need to rethink the Ann Taylor
charcoal gray suit jacket. If it was good enough for the interview, it
is good enough for the job and if you keep it too long, it will be out
of style too. Would the Arden B jacket go with navy, black or gray
slacks? See what it looks like with the Ann Taylor slacks. You really,
really don't have to keep the Trevor Wright gray sweater. Donate it to
a thrift store and feel good that it will keep someone else warm. I'm a
real stick in the mud but I don't think the black blouse with the lace
or the pink crazy print blouse are work appropriate. When I am going
straight to dinner after work I bring my change of clothing with me and
then change in the rest room. Usually I wear something to work that has
the same colors so I don't have to change all the accessories too.
Audrey
Audrey

I so enjoyed looking at your closet :)
I'd get rid of anything else you have not worn in a set time period, say, 1
year? I had to chuckle about the Max Studio dress that went on sale for 50%
off. Virtually everything at Max Studio seems to go on sale for 50% off
about half way through the season. I love the store, but I've decided to
restrain myself from buying until it goes on sale.


"Maribeth Mason" <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message
news:oo9lq0t4t7uv32ucg3vl55t3j65b47k...@4ax.com...

Maribeth, I loved going through your closet! You have some great purchases,
but like Audrey there are probably some more things that you can eBay or
donate:
*the Guess Jeans blazer. You don't like it. Instead of keeping it there to
remind you to find one, just get rid of it. There are tons of black blazers
out there and one will fit you just right.
*The pink floral sundress...I love it, but you haven't worn it for four
years.
I loved the black and white zip up cardie...it can go with anything. The
dresses you have picked especially the first two are great and you have
gotten so much wear out of them. I would love to see the hat you wore.
So when are you going to post your shoes and bags and hats :)

Maribeth, our closet had the California Closet co. or the Classy closet co.
(one of those) built in, and I do love this concept!! Drawers and a laundry
pull out drawer, and two levels of rods, and then shelves for shoes and
handbags. I thank the previous owner for having this done.
Good luck with your project.
Carol

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 21:10:12 –0800, Maribeth Mason wrote:
Looking at the dresses: Is "Cheap" a real brand or are you insulting
part of your closet? <grin/duck>

Maribeth Mason wrote:
Your commentary is hilarious! :D
Priscilla
p.s. What about shoes, hmmmm?
–––
p...@midway.uchicago.edu "Here comes the most beautiful woman in
puppetland!"

"Trilby" <p...@LOVELYmidway.SPAMuchicago.edu> wrote in message
news:s4Iqd.9245$Ua.3...@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
I wish I could get my closed whittled down to something like this. (I'm
working on it, though.) It did make me laugh that you have so many sweaters
for a So Cal girl. All those zip front sweaters look like they'd be in MY
closet. It must be that you're so used to warm weather than you need to
really bundle up whenever you go anywhere else :)
Good job, Maribeth.
Claire

"Trilby" <p...@LOVELYmidway.SPAMuchicago.edu> wrote in message
news:s4Iqd.9245$Ua.3...@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
I am waiting for the accessory addition!
Will you have a makeup sequel? Pantry? FRIENDS??????
Work it girl, work it!
K

"Maribeth Mason" <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message
news:oo9lq0t4t7uv32ucg3vl55t3j65b47k...@4ax.com...
Just looked at the dresses... You gotta get rid of the one that has the
stalker connotation! And do not fret over the dress that is now 50% off.
You *know* that if you had waited for it to go on sale, they wouldn't have
had your size anymore.
Congratulations on the big clean–out. I wonder if DH anticipated the
benefit that you now know what is missing from your wardrobe.<g>
Happy acquiring,
cofarb

Maribeth Mason <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message news:<oo9lq0t4t7uv32ucg3vl55t3j65b47k...@4ax.com>...
Sell the clothes you don't like or never wear on eBay (that Carole
Little dress, for example, though cute, doesn't go with the rest of
your style, and you're never going to wear that black–and–yellow Max
Studio skirt, adorable as it is) and use that money for clothes you
will wear more often. Then you won't feel guilty.
Try H&M for cute, cheap pieces to go with your higher–quality basics.
I like the black–and–white theme and the fun stripey, argyle, and
other variations you've found on it. That DKNY black blouse with lace
is especially gorgeous. Who is Adam Brody?
T.

"TdN" <triannadun...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:314a4ba6.0411291128.4d10...@posting.google.com...
–––––––
TYou must not be a fan of the OC http://www.adam–brody.com/ I assume
he is also a student where Maribeth teaches. It's a relatively small
school so the odds of running into him would be quite good.
Audrey

<delurk>
um, I hate to be the one to tell you this (or love to. wait. this is
good!), but once you get the organizers installed, you will be AMAZED at
how much room you have left over. I was thinking you didn't have to purge,
but now I'm thinking . . . SHOPPING SPREE!
My husband and I installed them a few months ago, and we are so amazed at
how much larger the closet seems, and we had a few empty rods left! Oh, the
best thing is the shoe organizer! I left a shelf on top for my "special"
pair to display! LOL!
have you designed your layout yet?
––
–––––
Ruth Berry
Signature Images
http://www.berryimages.com
1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith
should not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God.


"Maribeth Mason" <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message
news:oo9lq0t4t7uv32ucg3vl55t3j65b47k...@4ax.com...

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 15:01:50 GMT, Charlie Perrin
<c.l.per...@SPAMBOTS_DIEatt.net> wrote:
Oh, you don't need to duck –– I don't mind if clothes are cheap if
they're cute! I was too lazy to open up the garment bag and look.
In fact, I wish there were a real "Cheap" clothing line, since the
closest cousin, "Cheap and Chic," is sometimes neither.
––maribeth

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 22:47:58 –0800, "ahmward"
<nospam.ahmw...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Sadly, I have to say he's not as cute in person as he is on the show.
You can read the details of my encounters with him here:
#1:
http://mbmason.blogspot.com/2004/07/slightly–unsatisfying–celebrity.html#comments
#2:
http://mbmason.blogspot.com/2004/10/my–second–encounter–with–adam–brody–as.html#comments
Yes, the homeless nun skirt, the black blazer, and the boucle jacket
are headed for ebay. I have to say, the typing really helped reveal
my true feelings about these clothes –– I recommend it to anyone
cleaning house!
I lied when I said I never wore the suit –– I wore it to my thesis
defense, and I probably would wear it to conference talks. I wouldn't
wear it as everyday workwear, unless I was giving a really important
briefing or something. My workplace is too casual and my boss would
think I was interviewing somewhere else! I'm loath to get rid of it
but willing to look for another suit in the meantime.
Good ideas. Wait until I post a picture of the Famous Yellow Sweater.
That one makes Trevor Wright look like Prada. :)
I can see your point. I certainly wouldn't wear them to work by
themselves. On the other hand, I wear tanks and plain camisoles as
layering pieces under sweaters and blazers, so why not these? I go
back and forth on that idea.
–– maribeth

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 09:22:47 –0800, "Claire in SF" <clairi...@aol.com>
wrote:
Whittled down? Wait until I start cleaning out the drawers. And the
boxes of clothes for when I'm a little smaller. And I'm sure there's
stuff under the bed or something.
Actually, I found another cardigan sweater in my car today! My office
is cold, so I wear sweaters indoors even in the summer. We haven't
even started on the pullovers.
–– maribeth

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 12:17:12 –0800, "ahmward"
<nospam.ahmw...@yahoo.com> wrote:
I wish he went there –– he'd be a delightful alternative to the nerd
population we girls have to select from. But I don't go there anymore
and don't teach there. (Don't tell them I'm still using their web
space...)
I work in the South Bay, near the high school where they film some
parts of the O.C., and happened upon Adam and Rachel Bilson at the
local bookstore. The second time I saw him was at a benefit party
where the cast of the O.C. was the star attraction, so maybe it
shouldn't count, but what the heck.
–– maribeth

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 20:23:35 –0800, Maribeth Mason wrote:
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 21:10:12 –0800, Maribeth Mason wrote:
So here's exactly what's left in the closet (pictures!), for those
with a voyeuristic streak. Go ahead and comment if you just KNOW what
needs to go in the second purge... :)
Looking at the dresses: Is "Cheap" a real brand or are you insulting
part of your closet? <grin/duck>
If they can describe computer hardware as "smart and friendly" (a
defunct brand for obvious reasons), then they should be able to have
"cheap."

Maribeth Mason <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message news:<oo9lq0t4t7uv32ucg3vl55t3j65b47k...@4ax.com>...
<snip>
Maribeth, I laughed all through your closet tour. That ice blue skirt
you wore the NYE with your "closest friends" in Edinburgh is gorgeous!
I'd suggest two things: getting rid of the clothes that have bad
memories tightly connected to them, no matter how "unworn" they might
be, and getting a great pair of chocolate–colored pants (or a skirt)
to wear with the plaid Urban Outfitters and the rose Arden B. jackets.
Thanks for the peek!......Laurie B.

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 21:21:08 –0600, "Ruth Berry"
<ruthbe...@comcast.netremovethis> wrote:
I'm still thinking about whether or not to go forward with the
organization.
First of all, we rent, but we plan to stay in the apartment for 4–5
more years, so I don't mind the investment.
The second consideration is that we have a weird closet. It is about
10 feet long, but does not have the sliding doors that you would
expect on a closet of that size. Instead, it is accessible by two
regular doors (like you would have on a normal room), one on each
side, with a space between them. A hanging rod and a shelf run across
the entire space. The rod isn't high enough for double hanging space.
So we might not even be able to make maximum use of the organization
system since the spaces in the corners and the space between the two
doors are difficult to access. I should really just take a picture
and post it with the next round of closet contents (shoes and
handbags, I guess!)
What did you do in your closet? How much did it cost (if you don't
mind my asking)? I'm interested in a testimonial!
–– maribeth

now *I* should take a picture! I cannot tell you how much I LOVE our closet
now!
we used the Closetmaid system at Lowes, and I think we spent around $500 or
so, and we installed it ourselves. It took a whole day though, so I only
recommend this if you have someone who is really handy.
It's so awesome to be able to add things to it when you are finished. I
went back and got a drawer for scarfs after. Let me see if I can find a
link to it....
we used two of these, one on each side of our closet:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?S2D4227E9
My husband has just the shelving on his side, and I put one drawer on my
side. On both sides, we used double rods on both sides of the shelving.
we used four of these:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y5F4127E9
we stacked these on top of each other to form a wider floor–to–top–shelf
unit. We put a wide drawer on my husband's side, and two shoe organizer
bins on my
side (my favorite part of the whole closet)
on my side of the closet, one side of that shelving supported one set of
double rods, and the other side supported a single rod which hung higher.
On my husband's side, he used double rods on both sides of the shelving.
I used two shoe organizers. this fits inside the wide shelving. here's a
pic that shows the shoe organizer and drawer. We didn't use any doors at
all, and we used maple instead of white:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?J345257E9
we had to buy a lot more of the top shelving than we accounted for. we
wanted a solid line of top shelving as opposed to the varying levels like
they show in the photos. I also bought clear plastic bins to store on the
top shelf so it wouldn't be so messy.
we had wire shelving before, and the hangers were forever getting caught
when slid over to hang or get something. now, since there's nothing to get
caught on, it's so much easier to get things out and put things in. Before,
when I'd need a pair of shoes, I'd have to either dig through the stacks on
the floor or try to shimmy a pair out of my hanging organizer.
––
–––––
Ruth Berry
Signature Images
http://www.berryimages.com
1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith
should not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God.