But, I did manage to prune my closet of a lot of the really bad stuff and give it to charity. And I also managed to buy a few new essentials, like a fantastic white “boyfriend” shirt from Banana Republic (goes with everything, can be dressed up for work, but you can also wear it as a beach cover-up), a fabulous pair of navy peg-leg trousers from Anthropologie (again, can be smart enough for work, but also look glam for a night out with killer heels) and a couple of really cute dresses. And another couple of navy striped tops. But of course!

This year, I’m determined to get even closer to my goal. It’s time for another big clear-out, and I’m going to use this guide from UK newspaper, The Times, to help me. Their take on “detoxing your wardrobe” is pretty extreme. But it all makes sense. Why have 100 things taking up space in your closet that you never wear, when the right combination of 20 perfect pieces could give you hundreds of outfit options?

When I’m done with the next round of closet clearance, well, it might just be time to shop again! Thanks to the wondrous Polyvore (an amazing tool for online styling fiends), I’ve already created my dream wardrobe for 2011.

What’s in it? Some classic neutrals, a hint at the wide-leg trouser (much needed after all the skinny hype), nautical accents and stripes, killer heels, a few pops of color, the odd quirky print and lots of sparkle!

New Year, New Inspiration by Loulala featuring black dresses

What should be in a capsule wardrobe you ask? Good question. The ultimate arbiter of style, Tim Gunn, defines it thus:

1. Basic Black Dress - The basic black dress has been around for a long time. It is often called the “Little Black Dress”, and it’s true that shorter skirts on the basic black dress, when they hit you in the right place, can be more flattering than a long black dress.
2. Trench Coat - The trench coat is one of the pieces that is both classic and currently a hot fashion item. Most any store sells this piece now. It is great for fall and you can pick it up in a wide range of lengths.
3. Dress Pants - Although it doesn’t say black, this is probably what you want to look for. Black is flattering on all figures and goes with everything.
4. Classic Shirt - The white shirt is a definite classic. But it can also come in many different styles to make it look trendy and not dated or like a man’s piece of clothing. Find one that accentuates your best attributes and minimizes trouble spots. For example, if you have wide shoulders, stay away from large collars.
5. Jeans - Everyone has a pair of jeans, but does everyone have a pair of jeans that make them look great? The wider leg, low-rise jean style has been popular (and still is) but a narrower leg is coming back along with a higher waist, which eliminates the unflattering “muffin top” look.
6. Any Occasion Top - Find something you look great in that can look respectable under a jacket but bring on the fun after hours.
7. Skirt - If you need dress pants then you also need a skirt. A skirt is womanly and can be flirty or businesslike. Nowadays women do not wear many skirts or dresses, which makes a lot of them fall into a rut of dressing sloppily or like men. See number 8.
8. Day Dress – Women also are not wearing as many dresses anymore. It was certainly liberating to go from the ’50s when women wore dresses every day to wearing more practical pants for gardening, exercising, and so forth. But the dress does not have to be abandoned altogether. They can be very flattering, and there is nothing wrong with “dressing up” for daytime.
9. Jacket - A jacket does not have to be masculine. Find one with a proper, fitted shape. Women’s jackets should follow the silhouette of a woman’s body and accent the hourglass curve at her waist. It is also a perfect piece to put with the skirt or dress pants, and white shirt. Or make it casual with a pair of jeans.
10. Sweatsuit Alternative - As mentioned before, women wear fewer skirts and dresses these days. But some women have taken casual to the extreme and spend days on end in sweatsuits. It is possible to be casual and comfortable without looking like a slob. Find a comfortable material (that’s why this doesn’t say jeans again – denim is not as comfortable as a nice soft cotton) that you would want to wear every day. It could be khakis, cords, a cotton dress, or much more.

Bonus: One Indulgent Trendy Item

Hmm. This might be a little too strict for my tastes, but I think it’s an excellent start. I actually think I have all of these items. Question was, do they fit? Do they need mending? This was where I started.

Then, it was onto the rest of my existing clothes. I made five piles on the floor:

• Keep in my closet, because i love them and want to wear them: great prints, casual and dressy trousers, cute dresses that can be worn day AND night, layering tops, dressy tops
• Store away, because it’s not the season to wear them: long summer dresses (although it’s actually warm enough to wear during the day at least during a San Francisco November – lucky us!), shorts etc
• Give to the Goodwill store: if they don’t fit anymore (sob! next stop – diet!), or i really NEVER wear it and hand on heart, can say it hasn’t left my closet for the last 12 months
• Take to the cleaners, tailor, or shoe mender: erm, things that are dirty, too big, or broken, and can be fixed, so i can love them again!
• CHERISH pile: I’m not sure whether this is really acceptable by capsule wardrobe standards, but I have a few items that even though I know full well I will never wear again (hello to a baby yellow vintage cashmere cardigan from my high school dance that i can barely fit over one arm, but is sooooo beautifull), I just can’t bear to give away!

At the end of three hours of trying things on, debating and deciding,  I was left with a much more workable wardrobe. One that actually fit in my closet! And one that left me with much clearer options in terms of what I pick out to wear every day.Phew! Feels good.

Now what? The fun part! Shopping to fill in any gaps that were left by my excavation. Here a few things which have already made the cut, and which i’m LOVING:

More work to be done, but it felt good! Here’s to the next rainy day when I can finish the job!

So, here are my November goals. I had thought it was time to be a little more adventurous than October. But then, October did contain a pretty monumental event – my wedding! So, i’m still trying to catch up to the rest of my October goals. And you can’t really blame me now can you?

Here’s a recap of my October goals:

1. Overhaul and update my wardrobe for Fall/Winter: Erm. I have a heap of clothes on my bedroom floor. I guess that’s a start? I need a rainy SF day to continue the purge! On the flip side, i did buy some great basics – details in another post to come soon.
   
2. Conquer my nascent fear of flying: I tried all my techniques on a flight to NYC, and it worked great! My best tip is remembering to ‘move with the turbulence’, which essentially means jumping around in your seat to your iPod, instead of clinging onto the seat for dear life. Sounds crazy, and people will look at you like you’re nuts. But it works.
   
3. Master at least one great new recipe: Aha! Even in the midst of all the craziness, i DID make something new. Roasted pork loin, rolled in rosemary scented salt from the farmer’s market and served with roasted butternut squash. Delicious, and very, very easy. Next up, poached eggs in red wine sauce, a Balthazar classic, and also recommended by my new sister in law Kirsten!
   
4. Spend at least one day this month completely and blissfully free of chores, admin, or ‘to-dos’: Hmm, still not quite there! Although, a Saturday full of the King Tut exhibition, lunch and Muir Woods, might just qualify! Clearly, more work needed here on the “do absolutely nothing at all and don’t feel guilty about it” front
   
5. Oh, and last but never least – enjoy being married! TICK!

So for November, I need a mix of easily achievable and something a bit more fun. It’s a crazy month, work and visitor-wise, and also my birthday month. So i reckon i deserve to chill out a little bit:

1. Indulge in a full day of pampering and relaxation: with my birthday coming up, that’s all the excuse i need! No chores, no admin, no life projects. Just chilling out. Easy. Right???
2. Ok, FINALLY sort my closet out, once and for all: capsule wardrobe here i come!
3. Take plenty of time to really enjoy my friends: if anything has suffered most in the last few crazy months, it’s been my long lazy days hanging out with the girls (and boys). Time to make some positive changes there.
4. Go to a Lindy Hop club and dance the night away: Rick and I are still loving our Monday night classes. But of course we never find time to practice inbetween times, and we’re still too shy/scared to actually go to a live club and dance with strangers. This is a big one for both of us, but i think we’re ready! Rick might not be quite so sure…
5. Hit the gym BEFORE work, at least once a week: I start work at 8:00am. Yes, you read that correctly. Have done for years. So it’s pretty hard to fit a work out in, before the work day starts. But recently i’ve been so busy after work, or soooo tired and drained at the end of a 10/11 hour day, that i’ve been skipping the gym altogether. Not good. I actually did this once last week, and while it required a little planning and a lot of will power, it felt pretty good. The challenge is to make it a regular thing.

So, there they are. Pretty modest actually. But maybe that’s what i need right now. I’ve always been the type to have a big long list of goals and projects. It just feels so good to tick them off! But i do need to step and just enjoy the ride sometimes. Something i learnt from an adorable little girl this past weekend.

Feel free to nag me about any of these! Encouragement, nagging, it’s all the same, right?