Men: Wardrobe Assets & Liabilities

January 19, 2016 Noelle Cellini

You hate wasting money, right? When it comes to buying clothes, we've all done it, but when you stick with the wardrobe basics, or assets, your life gets easier because these items always work (and easily mix 'n match with one another).

From dark jeans to a half-zip sweater, here are the items that make getting dressed a breeze.

And remember, the liabilities aren't wrong, they're just well, a lot harder to work with. (You can read the list for women here.)

Half-zip sweater - I buy this for every client and while that might sound boring, the truth is, it's perfect for work, brunch, meeting the parents - basically whenever you want to look put together, but don't want to wear a sport coat.

A colored one is great, but try for something other than blue since most men have a ton of blue shirts -- opt for a color that plays off blue like orange, red, yellow or just pick a neutral (black, gray, off-white).

Turtleneck - I think Tom Brady is one of the only men who can pull this off; it's feminine, yet kind of GQ-like. So yeah, it's hard to pull off, so don't even save it for the slopes. Just donate and move on.

Navy sport coat - No surprise, but this is another wardrobe staple because it can be worn with jeans, dress pants and chinos. Plus, what man doesn't look good in navy? However, just say no to the brass/gold buttons, because, well, we are not at a country club circa 1992.

Bold patterned sport coat - If you going to buy bold anything, it should be a tie, pocket square, watch or a pair of shoes. A sport coat is a large purchase and doesn't create the most versatility if you can only wear it with a solid colored shirt.

Straight leg shorts - With a pair of shorts, try to stay right above the knee. Too long and they'll shorten you (and look sloppy), too short and they might look uncomfortable.

Cargo shorts - Trust me, four pockets are all you need, not 12.

White shirt - This is the cornerstone of any man's wardrobe because it goes with everything. Whether you opt for one with a texture or a plain white shirt, you can't go wrong with having this in your closet.

Blue shirt with white collar - This look is very "good old boys", but not in a high powered kind of way. Instead it just looks dated and nobody but slimy characters like Gordon Gekko (just Google 'Gordon Gekko' and a picture of him in this shirt will pop right up!), and Ryan Gosling's character in The Big Short, wear these anymore.

Leather or canvas gym shoes - These are the happy medium between dress shoes and your work out shoes. They are the perfect shoe for the weekend and casual events. Something similar to these Ecco shoes shown above can be worn with jeans, chinos or shorts.

Brown boat shoes - I have nothing against the preppy look, but evvvvvverybody has these shoes. They're overdone. And tired. The above choice is much more modern and flattering.

Slate blue, gray or olive chinos - The Europeans always look so great in their clothes. Not only are their clothes more tailored, but they don't opt for the same boring neutrals like khaki or black. When it comes to neutrals, think slate blue, gray and olive. These are just as versatile and don't make you look like every other corporate drone or guy at Costo on Saturday afternoons.

Stone-colored khakis - Mrs. Conehead - "Describe khakis."
Mr. Conehead - "A dull earthly garment designed to cover male extremities."

I love this line from the State Farm commercial because Mr. Conehead had the perfect explanation! Khakis are fine, but not the light-colored ones, which look very suburban (instead, opt for the slate blue, gray or olive).

Leather or canvas belt - A braided belt is fine, but make sure it's not leather. Remember, you can break the rules with a casual belt since it doesn't have to match your casual shoes. Therefore, you can opt for a fun color like red or try a gray leather belt - looks great with jeans!

Braided belt - Braided canvas belts are okay, but the leather ones need to go. They're dated and usually only look good with pleated khaki, which are also a no.

Printed t-shirt - It doesn't have to be a big pattern - maybe it's motorcycle, stripes or a contrasting trim on a pocket - whatever it is, a stylized t-shirt gives some thought to your casual wardrobe.

Free 5k t-shirt - Yes, some people laughed when they saw this on the list, but in all honesty, I see it all the time. Of course this is fine for yard work, but when out in public, I think we should leave the frebbies at home.

Dark, straight leg jeans - Skinny styles come and go, but a nice dark, straight leg jean that falls straight down from the hip, will always be in style. We're not looking for skinny, we're looking for tailored.

Oversized jeans & frayed hems - There are mom jeans and there are dad jeans. Oversized jeans (the ones that swallow your legs), look sloppy and add pounds. If they make you look like you have stovepipe legs, then they need to go. And remember, jeans CAN and should be hemmed if they're scraping the ground.

* Notice the nice dark leather shoes in this picture -- much better than those boat shoes for a good casual jeans look. :)

Is there anything that should be added to the list? Let me know in the comments below!

It's NO COINCIDENCE that all of the items pictured above work with each other --- the dark gray chinos would look great with those Ecco gym shoes. I also love the white and navy tee with the casual belt, dark straight leg jeans and Ecco gym shoes.

Of course, the dark red half-zip sweater looks amazing with the dark gray chinos and the same tan Ecco gym shoes... dressing becomes easy when you have timeless pieces!

If you want more help with putting together a timeless and versatile wardrobe, then check out the How to Build A Wardrobe course. You don't need much to build a wardrobe that you love.

Erin Brockovich Wants Her Skirt Back

January 12, 2016 Noelle Cellini

As we start another year, I want to make sure you will have the most versatile and stylish wardrobe so I put together a list of wardrobe assets and liabilities.

The "liabilities" are not bad or wrong, they're just, well, liabilities. We fret over how and what to wear them with while the basics, or wardrobe assets, remain timeless and effortless.

So read on and enjoy and may the urge to purge be strong!

Remember, the key to organizing anything is not to shuffle items into new places, but to let go. (If you want to read the list for men, or pass it on to someone you know, you can find that here.)

White Jeans - These go with everything. Seriously. EVERYTHING. Any color looks good with them, but when in doubt, you can always go for the classic black and white combo. If someone is missing these from their wardrobe, I always put them on the shopping list.

White Heels - 80s. Need I say more?

Booties Below the Ankle Bone - When they dip below the ankle bone, they don't shorten the line of the leg and you can wear them with ankle jeans/pants, skirts and dresses.

Booties Above the Ankle Bone - This is limiting because these always seem to fight with pants - jeans never stay tucked in and your legs look like they're floating... in a half shoe, half boot. It's just... awkward and, well, a wardrobe liability.

Chambray Shirt - Think of this as the white shirt's casual sister. When you don't know what to wear with that printed skirt, try chambray. What should you wear with your leather skirt, black pants, white jeans or under a sweater? A chambray shirt.

Denim Skirt - While this is classic American style, a denim skirt never seems to stay in place and I'm sorry, but I just can't help but think of Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich.

Fabric that looks like denim is a-okay, but leave the bulky denim skirt behind.

Metallic Shoes - If you don't have a good pair of nude heels or flats, metallics (silver, pewter, gold or bronze), will always work -- with ANYTHING. Floral dresses, bold colors, jeans, black - yes, yes, yes and yes. Metallics for the win!

Navy Shoes - Navy shoes with navy items just look, well, dated.

If I see a woman wearing navy pants with metallic shoes, I know she got the memo.

Nude Fishnets - Just like metallic shoes, nude fishnets are a much more modern choice than nude nylons.

Nude Nylons - These look like you are going to the Ice Capades or to have tea with the Queen. Who knows, she's probably a blast to hang out with, but she's not one to follow when it comes to sartorial guidelines.

Black Clutch - Nothing sets the tone more than a pair of shoes, but a clutch is a close second. If you don't want to teeter around in high heels or worry about having separate going out tops, don't fret - a black clutch is something that will change the look of your outfits.

A simple blazer doesn't look conservative when worn with a clutch.

Black Satin Clutch - Limiting, yes. Does it have its place? Of course, but not very often. Keep one and get a clutch you can wear with jeans and simple dresses.

V-neck Top - A v-neck is the universally most flattering neckline on any age, weight, size, shape or body type. It elongates the neck, which helps make you look taller and any time we can add height, that helps balance out width. Plus, a v-neck looks great with scarves and jewelry. :)

V-neck Top with Ruffles - I have nothing against ruffles and they are not a fashion faux pas, but they do limit your mix 'n match possibilities.

Structured Bag - I demonstrated this in the online lesson for The Style Academy about buying a handbag, but structured bags always make an outfit look more put together (vs. a hobo or slouchy shoulder bag). Whether in black, off-white, metallic or a pop of color, you will have this forever.

"It Bag" - An "It bag" is like dating someone on vacation - it has an expiration date. Is it fun? Yes. Will it stand the test of time? No.

Fit and Flare Dress - This dress fits at the waist and then gently flares out. This is timeless and comes in numerous styles from satin to jersey to knits and more.

I like this style because you can eat in it, dance, sit and even gain a little bit of weight without having to worry about fit or wearing shapewear.

Maxi Dress - When it comes to wardrobe versatility, the long flowy stuff just makes it look like you're trying to hide something. I can't tell where any of your shape is!

A knee-length dress that gently defines a waist can be worn to graduations, weddings, parties, work events and more - not a maxi dress.

Waterproof Leather or Suede Boots - Aquatalia is my favorite brand of waterproof leather and suede shoes. They have a large range of styles from boots, to flats to heels and more. I can walk around being comfortable, warm and stylish, without having to worry about the snow!

These boots come in size 4-13 and are available in extended calf sizes. My mom has them and says they are the warmest boots she has ever owned. Yeah, Aquatalia rocks!

Sheepskin Boots - Truthfully, these are not boots. They are slippers. $155 slippers! They became popular despite the fact that they are not even shoes, waterproof or saltproof. After a few wears in any sort of wet weather, they look stained, clunky and sad.

Fashion is always evolving, but the classics, well we know, those never die. I hope this helps when editing your wardrobe. Not every item has to mix 'n match with lots of things, but it makes life a lot easier when things have possibilities instead of being too limiting.

What items do you think should have made the list? What's your favorite wardrobe asset or something you wish you never bought? (Those are always the fun ones to talk about... and laugh at :)

If you can't eat it, don't clean with it

December 31, 2015 Noelle Cellini

My journey to natural health and living without chemicals started by changing out my cleaning products. I wanted to be sure I wasn't inhaling any toxic fumes and that my dog would be safe eating whatever food dropped on the floor!

Here are some of the recipes for homemade cleaning products that are non-toxic, inexpensive, and cut down on all those plastic cleaning bottles and containers! Triple win :)

All-Purpose Cleaner
This one is really simple. It's equal parts water and vinegar, but make sure you are using a vinegar like the Spectrum brand (the mainstream brands are made with synthetics).

I use 1 cup of water with 1 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle. If you need a little extra cleaning boost, you can warm it in the microwave, but be sure to heat it in a glass container - not plastic.

If you don't like the smell of vinegar (which I don't, but have gotten used to it), you can add lemon juice or an essential oil, however, this creates a shorter shelf life (without any added scents, the water and vinegar mixture can be used indefinitely).

Bathroom Cleaner
This recipe is magical! To clean my tub and wall tile, I pour hydrogen peroxide on it and then sprinkle it with baking soda. It will fizz a bit and then after a minute or two, I wash it off with a sponge or towel.

If I really need to get the grout clean, I use a toothbrush, but the baking soda is ideal because it creates a bit of grit (perfect for soap scum).

And, like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide is perfectly safe since once you expose it to light, it turns into water. (This is the only thing I remember from high school chemistry --- water is H2O and hydrogen peroxide is H2O2 --- it just has another oxygen molecule crammed into it, which is why it is always sold in a dark bottle. It can easily turn into water and loose the extra molecule when exposed to light. Safe to breath, eat and use. :)

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Pour about 1/3 cup of vinegar into the bowl and then a tablespoon or two of baking soda. This too, will fizz up a bit, but then you can take your toilet bowl brush and finish cleaning. That's it!

Glass & Window Cleaner
This is the same recipe as the all-purpose cleaner (1:1 combination of vinegar and water), but you might have to remove the waxy build-up from using conventional glass cleaners. To do that, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of plant-based liquid soap (I like Dr. Bronner's unscented castile soap - it's organic, fair trade and cruelty free... and it has 18 other uses such as laundry detergent, dog shampoo, dish cleaner, veggie wash and more!), to 1 cup each of vinegar and water.

Lastly, be sure to look at your dishwasher soap. I am not an expert, but when I took my first green cleaning class, the teacher recommended a green one from Trader Joe's. On the box it states: phosphate-free, no fragrance added (that's a big one!), chlorine-free, no dyes, biodegradable surfactants.

It works great, but I'm not sure if it's the absolute "greenest" product I could be using like all my other cleaning products/recipes. But that's the thing about switching out your make up, cleaning products and household items -- it takes time. However, any changes you can make, are a positive step towards a less chemical-filled world and are much better for your health!

As we say goodbye to 2015 (it's NYE as I write this :), please keep in mind that cleaning and purging are great, but try not to do it on January 1st. In feng shui, this means you will be pushing out all the energy that comes through in the new year -- save it till at least January 2nd.

Wishing you much health, joy, prosperity and, of course, style for the new year!

Meet Noelle

I help professionals elevate their careers, moms get their mojo back, and men look sharp by teaching the timeless principles of style in my self-paced and convenient online school The Style Academy. Not familiar? Oh mon Dieu! You simply must learn more right HERE!

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