Spring into action – clean out that closet

They don’t call it spring cleaning for nothing.

When you purge your closets in winter, it’s a partial elimination of fashion mistakes and well-worn favorites. But this time of year, it’s like you’re spring-loaded. Your “out with the old, in with the bold” approach takes on a new level of urgency. Suddenly, that polyester shirt that you couldn’t part with in January is at the bottom of the “NO” pile, and you’re beginning to think that a whole new wardrobe isn’t such a bad idea.

Before you do anything drastic, I have a few words of advice. First off, a whole new wardrobe isn’t a good idea, especially in a fashion climate that embraces ’80s-style knit miniskirts in lilac and black stripes. Second, unless you have an unlimited budget, you may want to hang on to that great classic suit you bought last season. It’s not going out of style anytime soon. Keep designer items, classic pieces, jeans, anything you’ve bought within the last six months, and – most important – your sanity.

What you do need to do is edit. Things that you haven’t worn in two years are definite nos. So is anything that doesn’t fit. Tailoring can only do so much, and most of the time, it isn’t worth it. That olive green shell that never quite looked right but was such a deal? Toss it. Ditto for your high school jeans, anything with visible signs of wear, and that sweater that Aunt Ethel bought you with the Scottie dog on the front. If you can ditch the guilt along with the offending sweater, you’re doubly blessed.

Now that you have six garbage bags full of clothes (or is that just me?), you can donate your castoffs – and any other home-related items – to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, your local nonprofit thrift shop, or another charity and get a very worthwhile tax deduction in the end. If you have business suits, briefcases and sensible shoes, donate them to Dressed For Success or Women Work & Community. Be sure to keep a detailed record of what you gave away if you choose to go this route. You could sell your better clothing on consignment, as well – check the yellow pages for listings.

Often, your friends will enjoy your closet-thinning as much as you do. I often give my well-made but outgrown or not-quite-me items to a colleague who wears a similar size clothing. And I was thrilled when my best friend handed down a great silk shirt that I urged her to buy (against her own best wishes) several years ago. The best scenario is a clothing swap, in which you invite several stylish friends – and the contents of their now-clean closets – over for a yard sale of sorts, sans cash. You all leave with fab finds, and what’s left can go to the Goodwill.

Once you’ve cleared up some space in your closet, armoire and-or bureau, you’ll have plenty of room to replenish your selection. That’s what happened to me recently, when I decided to get rid of two suits, my two threadbare black pants (which I have worn nonstop since I bought them two years ago), several bizarre but interesting polyester ’70s shirts, two pairs of stained khakis (though I prefer to call them “well-loved”), a pair of too-short jeans, three too-big but gorgeous velvet tops, and a couple ill-advised thrift-shop buys.

You know how you feel when you look at your somewhat full closet and realize you have nothing to wear? That’s where I was last week. I’m a career gal, long out of college, and the nicest pants I have are from Abercrombie & Fitch. There’s something wrong (and probably inappropriate) about that. Even worse, I bought them at a secondhand store. I have plenty of stylish tops, accessories and skirts. What I needed were the old standbys. The key pieces that serve as a foundation for any well-dressed woman.

I decided it was time to replenish my basics. I needed some grown-up clothes. Pants that weren’t cotton. Blouses that didn’t have minuscule coffee dots on them. Skirts that look OK with something other than flip-flops. In other words, I needed help. And because I’m superfrugal, I needed help on a budget.

Basics are something I never buy at full price, because a good pair of black pants should be timeless, which means that last season’s are as good as today’s. Some of my favorite places to buy wardrobe builders – black pants, chinos, pinstriped slacks, cuffed trousers, white blouses, blazers, T-shirts, shells, etc. – are Gap (clearance rack, of course), Filene’s (One-Day Sale, anyone?), T.J. Maxx ‘n More, Marshall’s, Talbots (always during sales), Target for T-shirts, and last, but not least, Marden’s and Renys. I only say that because the stock changes so frequently that you can’t count on either for a pair of boot-cut cotton khakis in your size.

Basics should be inexpensive but well-made enough to carry you through at least two years. And they should be fashionable but not trendy.

It didn’t take me long to find what I was looking for – I struck gold almost immediately at T.J. Maxx ‘n More in Bangor. There, I found dressy black cropped pants (I have a casual dress code at work, but these may not fly at your office) and flowing khaki capris, both from Express, both $14.99. Then I picked up a pair of pinstriped pants by Briggs for $16.99 and a pair of lined, cuffed tan pants by Laurie Levine for $19.99. I also cheated and threw in a cute brown and pink summer skirt for $14.99, but I’ll save the details for a future column.

Next, I hit Gap, where I found polo shirts for $12.99 and stretchy T-shirts starting at $9.99. Burlington Coat Factory had a great selection of career wear, but nothing fit me when I visited, so I headed off to Filene’s. I was tempted by my favorite trend of the season – a Chanel-esque boucle jacket by Karen Scott for $24.99, but I used willpower and resisted. Trends, I reminded myself, are not necessities.

I was almost all set, but I still needed a crisp white shirt and a pair of black pants. Portland-based designer Jill McGowan makes the most amazing shirts, but they don’t quite fit my budget, so I checked out the selection at Old Navy instead. I didn’t find what I was looking for there, nor anywhere else, so I’m still looking. I did find the pants though – and a pair of summery white pants – at Marden’s in Biddeford. I was visiting my parents, who live in southern Maine, and my sister told me about the selection of clothes from The Limited. I picked up both pairs of pants for $30. Beauteous.

My mission was accomplished, but I still have one small problem. I’m going to need a backhoe to get my castoffs to my local thrift store. Any offers?

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476.