Closet Karma by Kara Kurcz

4 R's + 1 T= ONE HAPPY CLOSET FOR ME

2010-03-10T11:41:21-08:00

So, now that I've bought my saucy new jeans, Kara's blog from yesterday made me think about what to wear with them. Can you take a basic wardrobe, and spice it up just with the clothes you've already got? Do I even know what spicy clothes look like? Probably not. But I'm going to work it anyway!

Me and my Solas bags. At least I know these bags are spicy...not pricey!

Basing it off Kara's 4 R's (Check it here in case you haven't read it yet and have no idea what I'm talking about), here's what I've got going for me:

1. REFUEL: I have indeed stocked up my closet with things I like. Check! I like jeans, tshirts, sweaters, and all things in the color of black. Go me! (Ummm...on second thought, something tells me KK is not going to let me get away with the all black Angelina Jolie wardrobe...)

2. RESELL: I looove Goodwill. I love giving away things to Goodwill! I've got a whole PILE to give to Goodwill. (The problem is the pile is just that, a pile... more on this later.)

3. RESUSCITATE: Hm. The ol' closet needs this. Do you ever buy a shirt and know it looks kickass on you, and then you get home and it never quite fits right? What the hell do you do with that freakin' waste of space? My general answer is truck it around with you until you your weight changes dramatically enough that wearing that shirt is no longer an option. (Probably not the greatest choice. But then...my closet karma is shamefully lame.)

4. REORGANIZE: Ugh, I NEED this. I need to reorganize. I always wonder what the best way to hang things is. Generally, I'll put skirts with skirts, pants with pants, "ugly old shirts I keep out of sentimental nostalgia" with "ugly old pants I can't bear to chuck" together...You know. My closet tends to turn into a bad episode of "Hoarders." But I love the idea of organizing it by feelings! How does this make me feel? Great? Hot? Super hot? Frisky?

I think the reason I really love the idea of organizing your closet by feelings is because we should ideally wear clothes & accessories based on our feelings. As in, "I feel like poo today. I'm going to wear the outfit that makes me happiest! Kicky tights, bright colors, and the shirt that makes me look like I have Kim Kardashian's hot mama curves!" And the clothes I ended up buying in the store were the ones that made me immediately have an emotional reaction. As in, "HOT DAMN. I LOOK LIKE A SUPERSTAR!"

Mmm. I'm going to work towards an entire closet of Superstar.

How to Prep Your Closet For Your Jeans: It's About What You Wear WITH Them!

2010-03-09T12:32:02-08:00

Sometimes, it's not just about what jeans you wear...its about what you wear WITH your jeans. And if you're going to take the time and money to find the perfect 'fit' of denim, I suggest making sure your closet is ready for what's coming its way. Here are 4 fabulous, easy steps to prep your closet!

1. REFUEL your closet. Stock your closet with (*gasp!*) things you like to wear.

MY SISTER ASHLEY SPORTS A GREAT SCARF WITH HER FAVORITE PAIR OF JEANS.

I LOVE SCARVES AND BLAZERS AND BRIGHT HANDBAGS (LIKE SOLAS) THEY DRESS ANY PAIR OF JEANS UP. AND CASSIE IS ALWAYS A GREAT ACCESSORY!

I GOT THESE JIMMY CHOO'S ON SALE FOR 100 BUCKS FOR AN END OF SEASON SALE. RED NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE AND THEY MAKE MY JEANS LOOK DRESSY!

If your budget is already busting, just "phone a friend." Clothing swap parties are a great way to do this! Throw a party with your gal pals, and ask everyone to bring items from their closet. Then...swap! My girlfriend Carol and I swap accessories all the time. Find your doppleganger in fashion and team up to expand your wardrobe.

2. RE-SELL! There are tons of ways to make money off your old clothes, whether it be Ebay or consignment stores in your area.

3. RESUSCITATE! Make time to give your closet CPR!

You need to find ways to recycle and reuse everything you decided to keep. Especially in a recession! Maybe there was a pair of jeans you just couldn't part with? So, find a way to make your denim dazzle. Fashion is cyclical, so it doesn't matter if it's trendy. What really matters is if your wardrobe make you feel fabulous!

BELOW IS A BASIC BLACK TOP WITH THREE DIFFERENT NECKLACES. SEE HOW EASY THE LOOKS ARE CHANGED? WE ALL HAVE ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THESE IN THE BACK OF OUR DRAWERS.

4. REORGANIZE! Treat your closet like a personal store.

Your closet should be a place where you can shop, and all the merchandise makes you feel marvelous! Try sectioning your closet by how you feel, not what color you wear. For example:

-"The I Feel Bloated Section": All of my wraps and shrugs live there so when I have a clothing emergency I know exactly where to go to cheer me up.

-"The Hot Mama Section": This section is for the mornings I wake up, and I think, "Hey Supermodel, you can wear that sleeveless dress."

-And on the days when I don't feel like Gisele, I have a section of clothes that make me feel and look thinner!

Finally, make your accessories accessible! Accessories are the key to feeling fabulous, no matter what your budget. A few tips:

-It's a Jewelry Box not a Litter Box! Don't just throw things in there.

-Don't let your necklace get tangled or things get lost. Believe me, the single earring look is not back in style.

Whether it be a scarf or a fabulous necklace, accessories are the key to Recycling your wardrobe. Good luck!

-KK

DO YOU THINK SOME CELEBS MAY HAVE HAD BETTER LUCK WEARING JEANS TO THE OSCARS?

2010-03-08T16:23:07-08:00

CASSIE, KK AND JESSICA PARTY OSCAR STYLE

Many of us are recovering from an Oscar hang over... The Fashion... The Speeches... The Food...Ok, maybe just my annual Oscar party is all about eating. This year we stuffed our faces in the honor of Julia and Julia.. that is Julia Child style... a lot of cream... a lot of beef... and A LOT OF champagne.

DISHING LOTS OF YUMMY FATTENING FOOD
WAS NOT VERY HOLLYWOOD OF US!

Now I am not a fan of fashion bashing.. I think everyone has a unique way of expressing who they are how they feel. BUT there was one choice that seemed to strike up quite a bit of conversation at my house... ironically it was one of the few starlets who did not succumb to the "hail the pale" theory...

What do YOU think of Miss Zoe Saldana?

One guest thought it was bold and daring... one thought it was a throw back to the "can-can era" and my husband said it reminded him of paper mache.. which got me thinking...

What's In? What's Not? Who the HECK CARES! I mean if it doesn't look good we should have the right to not wear it. I know that "nude" is all the rage in fashion right now.. the runaways are flooded with neutrals... but personal I think this Oscars made everyone look "washed out" which I know is better than "wash uped" but I am already extremely pale and I am not so sure I am ready to wear a color that makes me a walking bill board for "I NEED A TAN!"

Now on the contrary there are several women who look stunning in nudes and neutrals and I say "YOU GO GIRL!" but my theory is God made us all different and I think that ROCKS! So just like I won't force myself to wear "boy jeans" because I am short and they make me look like a took a dump in my pants.. I am going to pass on the pale dresses this season.. BUT I AM NOT negating the neutrals all together... I will most definitely be caught wearing accessories that celebrate this newest trend and I am totally supporting any woman who can rock out the newest hit on the runway! So my babbling point is... It is not about WHAT'S IN or WHAT'S NOT! IT IS WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL AND LOOK HOT!!! THAT IS THE CLOSET KARMA WAY!!!!

Teresa's Daily Lesson: Shopping is Better Than Dental Surgery

2010-03-05T10:21:38-08:00

Ok, so by now the pictures of my butt in Kara's last posts are all over the internet. Weeeell, I hope you all enjoyed it! Because this girl was not having a good time. No! I was not!

I was looking forward to going shopping for jeans like most people feel about their tri-annual trips to the dentist. NOT AT ALL.

I have several good reasons for this.

1. I have not been shopping for pleasure since grade school. I prefer the old tactic of "Oh my %*(@&# God, I have to have a black blazer for my interview in 2 hours, oh my @(*)#$ God where do they keep the black blazers?!!" Not like I've ever bought a black blazer. But you get my drift. I shop out of necessity only.

2. I have not been shopping with another girl since my sister went wedding dress browsing in 2005. No lie. To be fair, I'd just had my wisdom teeth out, and I was pretty hopped up on pain medications. So while the whole experience was mildly enjoyable, and fine, generally loving in a weepy family way, I'll chock it up to sisterly excitement and copioius amounts of dentist-approved drugs. And no, I don't know why I keep making references to dentists. Oh, no wait, scratch that. It's because SHOPPING = PAIN.

3. I'm not good at shopping. Kara gave me one simple task: Find 3 things you want to try on. Three. 1, 2, 3. I could only find 2. And I pretty much owned everything I'd just picked up.

4. Clothing stores confuse me. What size am I? What kind of pant is a 28? Why can you only try on one shoe at Nordstrom Rack?? Why do the dressing room doors not really close?! Ugh, the misery...

KK IS A LITTLE MORE EXCITED THEN ME TO SHOP!

I ended up bringing my two little items (plus the fifteen more Kara picked for me) into the dressing room and trying them all on. Maybe that's really the hardest part. Just picking it up, and putting it on your body. Giving yourself the chance to try something new. Because, really, I'll tell you, she picked some good stuff. Clothes I NEVER would have tried on. Clothes that felt good. Clothes that made me and Kara both ooh and aah.

KK SAYS IF I AM GOING TO CHOOSE NEUTRAL COLORS WHEN

I WEAR MY JEANS I NEED TO ADD A LITTLE COLOR TO MAKE IT POP!

I WOULD HAVE NEVER PICKED THIS TANGERINE, BUT IT'S SO FUN! I LOVE IT!

Oh. Is that why people go shopping? Huh. I gotta tell you, it was way better than having drooly chipmunk cheeks and watching my sister trying on poofy princess dresses while attempting to not pass out. This was definitely better.

ANYONE CAN FIND THEIR PERFECT DENIM I PROMISE... EVEN "T" FOUND HER PERFECT PAIR OF JEANS!!!

2010-03-04T11:37:35-08:00

Okay, people. So we all know February was brutally cold, unfairly frozen, and totally crazy. And these are the type of conditions that tend to help us "insulate" ourselves... (hey, the extra poundage helped keep me warm...right????)

I, for one, am ready for a little spring in my step. And what better way to bridge the winter world with the spring season than DENIM! After I took my favorite little closet-bomb, Teresa, shopping I knew it was my duty to dedicate a whole month to jeans! And, let’s be honest…Teresa needs Jeans Month. She needed Jeans Month last March. Really, she needed it in March 2004. Well, better late than never, right?

This month I will answer questions that have been perplexing the universe of jeans for a century:

How to wear them? How to not? How to buy them? When to stop?! And, most importantly, which pair of jeans should we leave in our closet to stay .....and which pair do we need to say, "JUST GO AWAY!"

Ah, I could talk about jeans for a year. (I’ll spare y’all my overly-enthusiastic fervor for denim and stick with a month.) A good pair of jeans can turn even the suckiest day into rainbows and sunshine, so let’s kick out the winter blahs and take a look at some ass-kicking jeans!

Remember Yesterday? Just in case I will remind you!

TAKE A LOOK AT THE HOT PAIR TERESA FINALLY TOOK HOME FOR $79.00 by J Brand WHAT A DIFFERENCE A PAIR OF JEANS MAKES!!

I APPROVE! NICE BOOTY "T"!

TERESA LEARNED TWO VERY IMPORTANT THINGS ON THIS JEAN TRIP:

1.) DON'T OVER SPEND. BUT DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEND WHEN THE SPENDING WILL DO YOUR BUM GOOD! BETTER TO PAY 80.00 FOR A PAIR OF JEANS YOU WILL LOVE WEARING THAN 30.00 FOR A PAIR THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR BUTT MIRRORS YOUR 90 YEAR OLD AUNT MABEL.

2.) TAKING PICS OF YOUR BOOTY CAN HELP YOU DECIDE IF YOUR DENIM IS FLY! BECAUSE THE CAMERA, MY FRIENDS, NEVER LIES!!!!

HAPPY TERESA FROLICKING ALL THE WAY HOME!

THE 1,2,3 ON HOW TO SHOP FOR JEANS WITH EASE!

2010-03-02T15:54:03-08:00

So as you know, my dear Teresa is terrified of jeans... so much so she has not allowed herself to shop, purchase or even take a peek at a pair for over 2 years. Now, if I had a nickel for every time I found several unworn pairs of jeans in a woman's closet...I would be knee deep in nickels. So this problem is common.

The question is why?!?!

I mean, maybe it has to do with the fact a bad pair of jeans can make you feel like a float in the Macy's Parade....a janky pair of jeans can make you look like a lumber jack...and a blah pair of jeans can.. well.... just give you saggy ass. So when you think about it them jeans have a lot of POWER!!! So of course they are scary mary!!! Now having said that I carefully held Teresa's hand as we jean shopped at my favorite place to dive into denim.... NORDSTROM RACK!

RULE 1.) Stay focused. It's ok to pick things that will compliment your jeans but don't get distracted..you are there to buy jeans.

TERESA GETS DISTRACTED BY NEON BLUE

AFTER GAGGING I GET HER BACK ON TRACK

RULE 2.) Don't skip on the denim. If you have to wear spanx with your jeans (and don't get me wrong I LUVS ME SOME SPANX!) you are not buying the right cut or quality. Jeans, like spanx, should give your butt a lift and your shape a shift.

Exhibit A: THE JEANS TERESA WALKED IN WITH DID HER BUTT NO JUSTICE EVEN WHEN SHE COVERED THEM WITH A SHIRT.

EXHIBIT B: TERESA'S BUTT LOOKS BUMP'IN AND THIS IS JUST THE FIRST PAIR I PICKED!

Nordstrom Rack has amazing, good quality jeans like J Brand,Paige,Seven,Citizens of Humanity and True Religion! And they're half price! Why? Because they are last year's cuts or style... which leads us to Rule Number 3.

RULE 3.) When it comes to Denim, don't get hung up on what's in this season! It's about what makes you look and feel best year round.

Check back tomorrow for more reasons and tips on why March Madness at Closet Karma is about jeans!!

MARCH IS JEANS MONTH! HOLEY-MOLEY, MY JEANS ARE ICKY...

2010-03-01T23:14:14-08:00

I'll be the first person to tell you jeans are a girl’s best friend. They’re versatile, classic, and sooo comfy. And, let me say, I am a fan of comfy in a big, big way. I can wear the same freakin’ jeans with heels out to a nice dinner that I wear with a tshirt all day. Um, what’s not to like?

And then…KK and I start talking...

And as we’re chatting innocently about my drawers full of jeans, my cute Express ones that I wear with boots, and the GAP ones I wear when I feel lazy, and the skinny-ish ones I wear with my favorite top, and the black ones I wear to work, and the cut-offs that were gifted to me in their pre-cut-off days, it comes to my attention…I have not bought new jeans in three years. THREE YEARS. Um. Ick.

Through New York snows and late-night parties and California summers, I’ve been wearing (out) the same jeans for years. And what happens when you wear (out) the same jeans for days, weeks, and years of your life? You get holes. Multiple holes in multiple jeans. Um, ICK.

At this point in our conversation, after I have divulged to KK that not only do I wear my favorite pants into the oblivion and haven’t gone shopping for new ones in a third of a decade, she very calmly suggests we go jeans shopping.

That’s not entirely true. She very excitedly says, with a big grin and a twinkle in her eye, “Let’s go JEANS shopping!”

That’s when I start to get terrified. There’s a reason I wear holey-pants and haven’t bought new ones since the last Bush administration. I hate shopping for jeans. HATE. LOATHE. Ugh, but KK is grinning and twinkling and getting all perky from anticipation…

And that's when she lands the big one on me. She says, all happy and excited and glowing with joy, "Lucky for you, March is JEANS MONTH!"

Ugh um what?! Sigh. So now we’re going jeans shopping…

PLEASE YOUR INNER PAPARAZZI....

2010-02-26T04:29:12-08:00

Yep, so I have a problem. I compulsively take photos of myself when I shop.... Now stop nodding your head cuz you think I am a narcissist... I am actually just brilliant.. Here is why...

A.) A camera does not lie. I may think pale pink is my color but when I see the blaring results staring back at me from the lens.... I realize... "I better think before I go pink!"

B.)Pretending to be my own personal shopper makes me feel pretty! Years of working on TV sets made me realize if it is good enough for a celebrity stylist! It is good enough for me!.

C.) It is just good old fashion fun! And just a bit silly and we all can use a little silly in a recession.

CHECK OUT SOME OF MY PHOTOS THE LAST 2 MONTHS

CUTE BELT!

MAKING SURE MY CLEAVAGE IS BUENO

CHECKING MY LIPSTICK

CAN I WEAR PLATINUM?

I AM SO NUTS I MAKE MY CAMERA MEN TAKE PHOTOS OF MY OUTFITS
BEFORE WE SHOOT A PIECE.

ACCESSORY=HAT,NECKLACE, OR MARTINI

HERE I WAS CONVINCED MY COAT AND HAIR MADE ME LOOK LIKE NANCY GRACE SO I COMMISSIONED MY CAMERA MAN TO PHOTOGRAPH ME SAYING "NO,NO,NO!"

I WAS CHECKING OUT MY NEW RED HAIR WITH MY WHITE JUICY SUITE... (I sent this photo to my sister and she texted me, "Don't ever send me a creepy smile like that again.")
SEE I LEARNED HOW NOT TO SMILE IF I AM ON THE RED CARPET!

THANX KK! ME AND MY CLOTHES ARE GOING TO REHAB!

2010-02-25T15:21:27-08:00

You know how there’s that really funny part of every romantic comedy when the cute/quirky/adorable starlet shoves all her belongings into her tiny, already overstuffed closet which then humorously explodes out at her at the most critically inappropriate moment, spewing every item of clothing she’s every owned into the atmosphere and embarrassing her as a packrat, clotheshorse, and total, utter failure as a woman?

Yeah, well, it turns out it’s not so funny in real life.

You don’t even want to know what my bedroom looks like.

I have been running around like a madwoman this week, and my home is totally reflecting that. Finally, as I was running off to work yesterday morning, desperately trying to find my perfect white shirt (I totally did an Alicia Silverstone moment in “Clueless”. Remember, 90’s kids? “Luuucy! Where’s my white collarless shirt from Fred Segaaaal?!”) I realized why this same scenario keeps happening to me: I don’t have a system. I clean, and I clean, and my closet, my home, and my life keep getting messy again. I throw my clothes onto the floor like I do my income tax statements, hoping someone else will deal with them for me. (Please. Please deal with my income tax statements for me.)

And so I’ve decided to do a KK Closet Detox. I’ve got to, because my clothes are so numerous and overwhelming, I’m actually fearing that they’ll strangle me in my sleep. But before I do the big purge & detox, KK has personally advised me to look my closet squarely in the eye, assess, and acknowledge. Figure out what kind of closet I actually have. And really, really try not to judge myself too harshly while I do so. So…I guess it’s time to figure out: What Kind of Closet Am I?

HANGERS: Um, okay, so I fall under the Mixed category. I’ve got a whole slew of white plastic hangers from the 99¢ store, some nice metal ones I got from Bed Bath & Beyond, about four pretty purple ones I got for my birthday when I was, like, 14, and…some plastic ones I stole from Target. Oh, and two of the clippy kinds for skirts. I think the real issue here is that I don’t have enough with the strap hooks. If there aren’t any hooks to keep my shirts actually hanging on the hanger, I just let the suckers slide onto the ground. “Oop! Man overboard! Meh…oh well. What’s on tv? Ooooh…’Will & Grace’”. HANGER FAIL.

(PS That is indeed a fur coat you see to the right. Loooong story...)

COLORS: Ick, um…so it turns out black must be my fave color. Or maybe I’m in mourning and didn’t realize it? Or, perhaps I’m a nun. Because my closet is about 85% black. 10% is blue, and the other 5% is some assortment of blackish/brown. Oh, and there’s that white shirt, if I ever find it again. And my shoes? Weeelll…I have a pair of red heels…and a pair of green flats I’ve never worn…and, um, oh yeah, the rest is BLACK. Black sneakers, black heels, black boots, black sandals, black, black, black. Oh god, I just realized I’m color-blind.

SEASONAL: I love sweaters! I wear them year-round, whether I’m sweating my face off or not. And they are totally reachable in my wardrobe! I just fling them up in that top cabinet that I’m too short to reach…uh…OR! I put them in a giant Tupperware under…my..bed…where I never look. Or think about it. Or want to think about. Negative 10 points on the sweaters…

ACCESSORIES: So I basically wear the exact same necklace every day. I bought it for myself when I was supposed to be shopping for my sister’s Christmas gift. Ah, good memories! I love bracelets, but I only ever really wear one or two. And I love rings! But I really just switch between a few favorites. And I have this cool tree to hang all my other accessories on!

Which I never wear…or put on the tree. DANG IT!

Soooo…it has become more than apparent…that I need a serious Closet Cleanse. Comparing myself to Alicia Silverstone on a daily basis and avoiding my tax statements seem to be the least of my worries…I have the closet of a crazy lady. Time to DETOX!

TO MY FRANTIC! FRENZY OF FROCK CHANGING INTERN!

2010-02-22T12:02:41-08:00

Dear Teresa,

I have to say I am fascinated with your frantic frenzy of frock changing! I have two theories on this...

A.) You secretly have always wanted to be Mariah Carey and this a way for your GLITTER DIVA self to push her wardrobe wings out and fly...

OR...

B.) You are not comfortable in your own skin.

Now it is up to you to decide which of these scenarios best fits you but I can tell you either way...changing 3 times daily has to eat up ALOT of time in your day and it can't be very fun your "loving boyfriend" either.

So here is what I propose. Just like people keep a journal on what they "eat" in a day. Why don't you keep a journal on what you "wear" each day. Every time you change write down what you changed into and how you were feeling. My gut says you have to stop second guessing yourself and your wardrobe changes.

Also, you're a sprightly little thing and I think you strive to be spunky and there ARE ways to do that without changing thrice daily! You need to get up in the morning and talk to...not tackle your closet. Think about layering and choosing pieces that can easily go from day to night. Using shrugs and accessories can make this easy peasy!!!