Weekend Edition #36: Curate Your Closet (Like It's The World's Best Store)
Sharing my professional merchandising tips on how to build your wardrobe
Hi!
How did your Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday/Cyber Monday Extended sales shopping go?! I hope it was as smashing for you as the smashed shopping records. The price of eggs may be high, but the price of eggscellent clothing (sorry, had to) was low low low.
In August, we talked about fall fashion and how fun and energizing it felt to play dress-up again after a sun-soaked summer.
But now, as we dive into the holiday season and look towards a brand new year, I’m thinking big picture about my wardrobe.
An annual performance review, if you will. A state of the closet.
And this is where my career comes in handy. As a merchant, my job is to create and sell the right product at the right price at the right place + time.1 If I get it correct, business will be good. If I don’t, well, that’s why there are markdowns and end-of-season-sales…
So, this is the time of year that I like to apply my professional formula to my own closet, to see if it “exceeded expectations” this year or “needs improvement” for the future.
Shall we get into it?
Step 1: The Right Product.
Meet the product pyramid.
You need a mix of Evergreens, Seasonal Keys, and Big Hitters in your closet (just like we need a mix in stores).
Evergreens (EGs) are your basics.
Your favorite pair of jeans, your perfect white tee, your underpinnings, maybe a blazer or denim jacket, a little black dress. The literal foundation for your outfits. You gravitate to these pieces year after year, no matter the trend or season. (For a brand, these are the core styles in classic colors that the brand is known for, that are never out of stock, or rarely on sale. Think Levi’s 501s, Adidas Sambas, Gucci Princetown Slipper, Ralph’s Cable Knit Sweater.) EGs often last forever (they’re the pieces you are maybe lucky enough to score from your mom’s closet, or a good thrift shop), but sometimes you need to let them go (skinny jeans could be an example).
Seasonal Keys are your stars.
These are your hardest working styles, guiding your outfits toward current trends and your current life. These might be twists on an EG, like the Levi’s 501s 90s Fit, the Adidas Sambas x Wales Bonner, or the Gucci 2015 Re-Edition Princeton Fur-Lined Slipper. Or they might be the must-have style of the season. Instead of a classic crewneck sweater, you are buying the Cos Chunky Crew-Neck sweater. Instead of a navy Breton stripe tee, it’s a pieced Christopher John Rogers x J.Crew one. Instead of the navy blazer, it’s a navy tweed lady jacket. (Worn with barrel jeans, another key.) Keys may very well become EGs after a season or two. We’re seeing that in denim right now, for sure, as 90s straights and wide-legs become everyday hero items.
Finally, Big Hitters (BHs) are the home runs of your wardrobe.
These are the pieces that create the WOW moments. Brace for impact. The styles that speak. They create the fireworks, and while some can flame out quickly, others can burn bright for a long time! I have some BHs that have lit up my closet for almost a decade, and they’re just as good today as ten years ago. Because they’re so specific and emotional and personal. They’re beloved.
The exact percentages of EGs, Keys, and BHs will depend on your style. If you’re more classic, you might have more EGs, maybe your pyramid is a little more squat. If you’re very fashion-forward, you might own more BHs, and your pyramid might look more like a rocket ship.
Just don’t let the pyramid turn into a pancake or topple over. Because that’s when your style will feel out of sync.
Step 2: The Right Price.
The key here is to remember that price cuts through the pyramid. You can invest or pinch pennies on your EGs, SKs, or BHs. It’s up to you and your budget, but I suggest a mix. Often the big brands have the biggest volume, which means you’re getting solid EGs at a great value. But sometimes, the small brands create perfect versions of something, in the most sustainable way possible, and you might pay a lot for an EG. You may not want to invest heavily in a BH, because you might only wear it once or twice. OR you may want to spend a lot here to get something fabulous that you may only wear once or twice, but you’ll wear once or twice a year, forever. And you’ll feel like a million bucks every time. That’s value, too.
Step 3: The Right Place + Time.
Ok. Real talk. You have to be honest about how and where you spend your time. If you live in New York City and walk everywhere, a closet full of sweet little ballet flats may not make as much sense as stocking up on waterproof, lug-soled, leather boots. Or, if you live on a farm in Vermont, does it make sense to buy a lot of floaty dresses? Maybe one or two for high summer? If you spend a lot of time in Miami, jumping on the brushed wool sweater train may not be the best idea. But if you work in an air-conditioned office, maybe try it in cardigan form. If you go to lots of events, your closet should have a lot more little black dresses than someone who works from home.
This point may be obvious, but I find that a lot of us shop for our fantasy lives rather than our real ones. There’s a place and time for that, for sure. But for your overall wardrobe, think about the places you’re in the most, and how you spend most of your time. Shop accordingly.
That’s it! That’s the formula.
Right Product + Right Price + Right Place & Time = Your Perfect Clothes
Now you can get your closet in tip-top shape for the new year (and do my job with me)!
LOOK BOOK
EXTRA THOUGHTS
was one of the very first people I connected with on Substack, due fully to her gregariousness, generosity, and outreach. Her substack, Retail Diary, was just acquired by Puck (co-founded by my friend, Liz Gough), and Sarah is joining Lauren Sherman’s Linesheet to contribute her research, insights, and opinions. Consider subscribing to Puck, if you’re able, it’s a corncocopia of smart writing about fashion, sports, business, media, politics, art, and more. And it just got even better adding Sarah to the mix! Congrats and thank you for everything you’ve done to help me here!I just read
’s wardrobe audit which I adored for her honesty and reflection. This part really resonated, especially in the context of this week’s post: “This gap between what I love and what I wear haunts me. How many of my purchases are about chasing an identity I want to claim? And how many end up abandoned because they don’t align with the reality of my days?”- and just launched an amazing collab for Alex Mill. It’s all about “festive dressing” for the coolest girl you know (who is Becky, and now can be you)!
Another “cool” collab is Kule x Brooklinen. I love stripes!
Menswear is having a moment! Last week’s post about how to dress a guy in ten ways was my most shared ever - thank you! (I am so grateful for every like (tap the heart at the top of each post), comment, and share.)
is joining as her menswear editor, which is awesome. wrote about how she can’t stop scrolling menswear social media.Apparently “hotel merch” is the Next Big Thing according to
and (one of the OG menswear substack writers!), and of course was on this trend early!- “official Christmas movie good-bad matrix,” made me laugh. Hard agree on Elf (just watched with our boys, it always holds up) and Happiest Season.
This also made me laugh - if my style formula doesn’t work for you, just copy the Polo Bear’s iconic fits! All the cool kids are doing it.
Lindy Goodson and the Polo Bear sweater that inspired her look
WHAT I BOUGHT
As promised, here’s my Black Friday recap…
I bought two Big Hitters: floral applique cowboy boots and a sparkly illustrated baseball tee. Yup. They grabbed my heart and did not let go, even as I let them linger in their boxes, hoping I’d get over them and could return them before I had a chance to wear them. No dice. I love them.
I also bought a couple Keys: a chocolate brown corduroy shirt, a longer length collarless denim jacket, and a pair of Loeffer Randall chocolate brown boots (that I’ve worn twice in three days and could very well be on their way to EGs - thank you
!). P.S. Pantone just announced “mocha mousse” as their 2025 color of the year (gift link!), the first time in their 25-year history that they’ve chosen a shade of brown. Shades of brown are here to stay, for a while at least. I’m a fan.I am still overhauling my wardrobe post-covid and post-babies and updating my EGs is a big part of that: I desperately needed a new pair of black jeans, which I snagged from Everlane, as well as a classic grey wool sweater from &daughter (this is my current go-to gift recommendation). (If I knew how to knit all my loved ones beautiful scarves and sweaters, I would, but in the absence of that skill, I love supporting &daughter, a sustainable small company based in the UK and Ireland.2) I’m also getting back into “going out tops” (at least my elder millennial version of a going out top), so was happy to get this crinkly black satin Vince top on sale. It has an athletic-y rib at the neck, which I like. I always need a bit of tomboy in my outfit, even a “going out” one :)
Here’s what else I got last week:
I spotted this hat on a coworker, which I immediately had to have for my husband. Turns out my coworker’s friend started this hockey hat company. We are a hockey fam, and I know some of you are, too. Snag some of these hats - they’re so fun and would make great gifts!
I also got these straight-leg 5-pocket chinos for my husband. They fit really well. I made him try on his old slim-left 5-pocket pants he has from Todd Snyder for comparison and the straight looks really right for right now. Get your guy a pair! They run TTS.
I ordered these base layers from L.L. Bean for my three boys, and they love them. They’re warm yet breathable, and they have thumb holes, which all kids seem to love. (I am currently wearing my silk longie base layer under my &daughter sweater at work, and I’m very comfortable and cozy on a cold, 50-mph windy day in NYC).
also just shared her favorite base layers, and I’d trust her recommendations any day.
As always, thank you for reading!
x Lindsay
Seems simple, but when you throw in consumer behaviors, macroeconomic factors, elusive bits like what’s hot and what’s cool, trend forecasting, weird weather, rent hikes, and oh, potential tariffs, it gets a little harder.
&Daughter works “with five yarns and five makers. Our yarns are 100% natural and spun in the UK & Ireland and our makers are based in the UK and Ireland too. We believe in the beauty and strength of a local and specialist supply chain. It allows us to know our partners, who are small, independent businesses just like us. It allows us to support and be part of a unique and historic industry that dates back hundreds of years. Generations of craftsmanship and knowledge passed through time. It is a small, self-reliant supply chain that keeps the life cycle of our garments as economic and environmentally friendly as possible.” https://www.and-daughter.com/pages/yarns-makers
Amazing read
Yes!! This was a great read and thank u for the support;)