A Wardrobe for a New You... (a new series)

If you are a regular reader of High Heeled Life, you already know Coco Chanel is one of my favourite women of inspiration. Mademoiselle Chanel was not only a brilliant designer and pioneer of women's fashion, she was a graduate of the "University of Life" and lived life much like a chameleon, adapting to the detours life threw at her ~ reinventing herself and creating a new life as required.

Her creations are still relevant in fashion today and will continue to be for decades to come. Style is more than just the clothes that meet today's "fashion (trends)", it is the sum of classic, timeless pieces, quality fabrics, well made garments which create one's personal Style and will continuously  feel in "fashion (trends)" year after year regardless of what is paraded on run ways or seen in magazines as the fashion du jour.

In Mademoiselle's time consumers thrived for quality not quantity and were willing to wait weeks for their coveted wardrobe pieces.The anticipation created by the time it took for a piece to be completed, made the garment that much more special and personal for the consumer. They also knew, with proper care their prized garments would last a life time. Well worth the investment of both time and money.

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In today's world of Instant Gratification, waiting for and investing in well made wardrobe pieces has almost become instinct. People are willing to pay for pieces that are constructed of lesser quality fabrics and often poor workmanship (made by computerized machines) to satisfy their "must have now" thinking.  This mentality contributes to a closet filled with pieces that are not only poor workmanship, the quality and longevity of the piece's fabric give the garment limited life span. These closets become over stuffed with a potpourri of pieces that do not relate to each other; leaving the closet owner screaming the famous phrase "I have nothing to wear" as they scurry to get to work or a social function or to little legal practice on time.

Another challenge that many face today is the their ever changing role in life; single gal, wife, mother, grandmother, career gal, stay at home mom, divorcee, widow, and the wardrobe requirements that change with each role.

Perhaps like me, once a career driven, fashionista ~ I found myself house bound and with my wardrobe consisting of mainly pieces required for a corporate career, not very practical for the physical therapy that now was my life. Maybe you have been a stay at home mom who is going back to work in an office - your husband's sweat shirts and fuzzy slippers you have been living in just won't cut it. Or you find yourself now single (single parent) after years of marriage and for the first time in a long time you are able to wear high heels ~ without worrying about towering over your ex.

No matter the change, or whether it was planned/anticipated or not ... we are all at a cross road. We know things are changing, we are changing ... but have no idea what this new life, or us is going to look like. Well let's start with our closets!

Over the next few weeks I'll be writing a post series called A Wardrobe for a New You, where I will share with you the strategies that I used to get a handle on the contents of my closet, making it easier to get dressed and letting the world think I had confidence (even when inside I am as lost as a person can be, at times).

Your life isn't pleasing you?

Let's take our cue from Mademoiselle Chanel...  

Let's create our New Self and Life one step and hanger at a time!

Join me next time for discovering your STYLE at this time in your life.

Sharing this post with: My Friday's Fancies * Fashion Friday * What Inspires Me Friday