I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet

I just got this book, and although I haven't finished reading it, I love it! I have a lot of clothes, but most them I don't wear, and this book breaks down why that is! I'm really looking forward to downsizing my wardrobe while increasing the amount of things I love to wear!

I highly recommend this book! I'm a bit challenged when it comes to fashion and knowing what to pick for myself. I have always tended to go with the 'safe' goes-with-everything and classic choices. The book starts off with "The circle of your life game" where you make a pie chart according to your lifestyle, work and activities, then you evaluate your inventory of clothes to see how they fit into/correspond with your pie chart. -Then you work on fixing it. It also tells you to create a clothes diary. I don't know that I'd actually do that, or if I did, I'd probably modify it to make more of a list or outline of things I need to work on getting. I mean, how often do we go to the store without a list or plan or outline and look around hoping that some great outfit will call out to us? I found a lot of helpful advice all through this book! "Building a wardrobe from the bottoms up" was probably my favorite. There are quizzes throughout and some charts. The illustrations are hand-drawn with a wimsy-flair to them, and there's fashion quotes sprinkled throughout. I think this is a great book to have and to give as a gift!

This was the book that got me interested in style and taught me to invest in myself. I bought it when I was a confused college grad shopping for office clothes. The section on cleaning out your closet and getting rid of things that don't work anymore was priceless-I gave half of my clothes to charity and was much better off. It explains how to navigate stores and teaches a lot about proportion. It has been a wonderful addition to my (growing) collection of fashion books. However, it isn't particularly well organized and there isn't much detail about specific clothing categories (pants, skirts...) Overall, a great read that you will turn to again and again.

My closet was a mish mash of clothing. There you would find the Liz blouse and skirt I wore to celebrate my nephew's birth 20 years ago. A tiny DKNY white jumper and see through mesh top that is cute but maybe a wee bit young for me now. A wonderful, classic pair of Ann Taylor navy blue pants with tags attached. (I never did lose the 5 pounds needed to get into them). Too many other clothing items that are a bit snug here or there and too uncomfortable to wear. A soft white snap up sweater that looks cozy but on closer inspection reminds me of the onesie outfits my children once wore. A red vest that is boring. A sweater with little balls decorating it that is last years news. You get the idea. Yet it is hard to part with these things. You never know when the weight will drop off. The big shoulder pad look will come back in style. A fuzzy sweater will come in handy to lend to your mom when she vists. The red vest will cheer the residents of the nursing home up when you go there. The Smithsonian will want to display the first suit you ever wore.And despite having all these goodies in your wardrobe, its hard to find anything to wear! That was my dilemma till I lucked into finding the book, "I Don't Have A Thing To Wear".The book begins by having you describe your "circle of life". What activities do you do each day. I realized for example I had a dozen or so gorgeous beaded dresses hanging in my closet, but I hadn't gone to a very formal occasion in years.Yet for lunching out with friends which I do fairly frequently I didn't have many pairs of nice slacks and usually resorted to dressing up my jeans. Once you figure out what you do. You can then plan your closet so you have clothes to meet your needs. Judie and Jackie hold your hand as you clean your closet. Inspired by the pair, I was ruthless. Most of the beaded dresses set for the consignment shop, other garments for the women's shelter, some to charity, others earmarked for auction.They also recommend hanging slacks on clipped hangers not folded. This tip alone had my closet looking sleeker in seconds.By the time the dust had cleared, my closet had only wearable garments in it.I also started a box with thin clothes. Clothes I loved but just did not fit and I did not want to part with. If they dont fit in 6 months they are gone. After your closet purge, Judie and Jackie go on to tell you how to make a beeline for the clothes that will work for you in the stores by learning what clothes will suit your body proportions. Learning this will save you hours of time. They also teach you why you should shop from "the bottom up".The authors also describe dressing styles, shopping on the internet tips, master plans and more.Another excellent book on bringing your closet into harmony with your life is, "Simple Isn't Easy" by Amy Fine Collins and Olivia Goldsmith. But the Collins/Goldsmith book is out of print and pricey when you find it."I Don't Have A Thing To Wear" by Taggart and Walker is inexpensively

My girlfriend, Erin, just received a signed copy of this book and she can't put it down. From the colorful text to the helpful and funny information, she just raves about it constantly. Not too long after first buying it, she decided to buy a book for her best friend, Lindsay. Although I know very little about fashion as a guy, the illustrations are very nice and it was fun to pick up and see how she answered the quizzes inside. It was also helpful to know what kind of fashion type she is. At around 10 dollars, you really can't miss by giving this gift to just about any woman you know. And I wish I had a nickel for each time I've heard a woman shout out the title of this book. A great value!