If your closet is like mine, it could use some spring cleaning as much as those kitchen cabinets.  An organized closet is not only less stressful, it actually helps you create new combinations.  This is the time of year to clean out the old.  If you haven’t worn it yet this winter or even longer than that, pull it out and set it aside.  Don’t question yourself or make excuses like, “well, I just haven’t found the right time to wear this.”  Once you have done this, you need to SERIOUSLY consider selling the best items on eBay, taking the next best to a second-hand store and donating the rest.  If you haven’t worn it in a year, you are probably not going to wear it again.  Now, to organizing.  Start with your tops.  Put all of your tank tops together, separating out bra friendly and cami styles.  Organize them by the colors of the rainbow.  Do you remember learning ROYGBIV in school?  I do.  It was how our teachers taught us to memorize the colors of the rainbow.  R – red, O – orange, Y – yellow, G – green, B – blue, I – indigo (dark blue), V- violet.  Place all your neutrals together as well, organizing them from lightest to darkest creams into browns and whites into blacks.  Now move on to your short sleeve tops and repeat the process.  Next tackle your long-sleeved tops, separating crew neck tops from blouses.  Finish with your jackets using the same process.  Next tackle your bottoms beginning from shortest to longest – shorts, bermudas, capris, ankles and full length pants and jeans.  You may find that you have almost nothing in a certain category in which case you can combine those items into another category – say crew neck long-sleeved tops combined with long-sleeved blouses and organized by color.  Last tackle your accessories.  My husband made me a peg board like he uses in his tool area.  It works great for my necklaces which I have hanging by color.  Some ladies also like trays.  Whatever system you use, make sure you have one.  When you take the time to organize by color, you will quickly see some patterns.  Do you have 8 purple tops but not a single purple necklace, for example.  Or, conversely, do you have 4 red necklaces and no red tops?  Color organize your scarfs, belts , shoes, purses and folded sweaters as well.  Now, rest for 2 days!  Then, stand back and take stalk.  What does your newly organized closet tell you about you?  What are your favorite colors and styles?  Do you gravitate toward prints more than solids?  Do you lack any category in your closet that you need?  Do you have too much of one category?  Then, look at your sections of colors.  When you have all of your blue tops together and all of your blue jackets together, you can quickly see what tops and jackets you might be able to pair together.  Perhaps you will find a new way to combine items in your wardrobe to create a new look!

There are two clear color pallets for spring 2012 – bright vs. soft and sweet.  The vivid yellows, oranges, blues and reds of the season are everywhere and, at least for me, are a welcome change from the brownish greys of winter.  Women tend to be afraid of color – as if when they wear it, they might get noticed!  Well, ladies, GET NOTICED!  It’s okay to wear color!  Color lifts our spirits and reminds us of times past- color actually has the power to evoke a whole variety of emotions within us.  If those emotions are good, why avoid them?  So I say, if that bright yellow jacket reminds you of a field of sunflowers you saw one time and makes you feel beautiful when you put it on, then by all means embrace it!  One way to strut some color this season is with red jeans – remind anyone of the eighties?  We found a Tru Luxe jean at market in the most beautiful color of red that will be on our floor at Fashion Crossroads any day.  And why not?  Pair it with a crisp white shirt or a soft printed chiffon tunic and you’ll look amazing – and you might get noticed and that’s okay!  Now, for those of you who are trembling at the thought of such talk, let me assure you that equally strong for this season are the sweet pastels punctuated by small, even ditzy, floral prints.  You can look demur and feminine this season and be right in style too!  Either way, enjoy your clothes – they are an expression of you and YOU are an amazing individual – the only you on the face of the planet!