"Closetology" wine tasting at South Loop Wine Cellar

Wednesday March 10

6:30-8 pm, $20

South Loop Wine Cellar 

Jackie Walker, the Dr. of Closetology, will be presenting another installment of Closetology, the psychology of your closet at South Loop Wine Cellar, 1442 S. Michigan Ave.  

The event starts at 6:30 for a wine tasting followed at 7:00 by the Closetology lesson and discussion.  Learn the ins and outs of your wardrobe!

Walker is an author, speaker, fashion consultant, and a Chicago resident. Her book I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet is a bestseller and is available at Amazon.com and bookstores everywhere. To order a copy from Amazon, click on the link below.

For a video explanation of Closetology, click here.

Closetology explained by Jackie Walker, the "Doctor of Cosetology"

Jackie Walker and Closetology
Many readers will remember that Jackie Walker wrote a weekly column for this blog called Friday Fashion Focus (maybe we can coax Jackie to write some more columns soon).

Your closet of emotions
Well, Jackie has a wonderful video that clearly explains the philosophy behind closetology and what it means to her and to you potentially.

I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet
In Jackie's book, I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet, she explains how you can clean out those negative emotions from your closet. Some of these emotions hold women back from being the confident individuals they were meant to be.

To view a video of Jackie explaining closetology, click here.

Available for speaking
Jackie is available to speak to your small group or your corporate audience with equal ease and grace. For information on how to contact her, please click here.

The Dr. (of Closetology) is in!

Jackie Walker, the Dr. of Closetology, will be hosting an event November 12, 2009 at South Loop Wine Cellar, 1442 S. Michigan Ave. The event will feature wine tasting at 6:00 p.m. with the Closetology presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. and ending at 7:00 p.m. To RSVP, call Amy Garman at 312-356-0630. The cost for the event, including the wine tasting is $20.

Walker is a popular speaker, lecturer, and author of the best-selling book I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet, which she will be selling and autographing on the 12th.

Come and be inspired by the "Good Dr." You'll learn how to deal with that room filled with emotion: your closet. Once you understand what type of clothes work best with your personality, you will never declare "I don't have a thing to wear" again. Walker will help you discover that true beauty and self-esteem comes from within. By learning how to choose clothes that match your personality, you will gain confidence and enhance the beauty that is inside you.

A wardrobe puzzle

by Jackie Walker

While shopping for gifts over the last month I decided to purchase some assorted puzzles for members of my family. The first thing that attracted my attention was the picture on the box. Second I checked the number of pieces and then the suggested age ranges that were appropriate. As I was wrapping these assorted presents an idea hit me. A complete and functional wardrobe is just like a puzzle. A wardrobe puzzle!

Putting the Pieces Together

We start with the edges and create a frame that gives our work shape and form. The edges of a wardrobe puzzle are the jackets, pants, and skirts. We glance over at the pieces left that form the middle of this work of art. These are tops, tops, tops, accessories, and more tops!

Fact: 75% of a functional wardrobe should be in tops and 25% in bottoms.

Fact: Tops change the look of a created outfit.
Fact: The shape and architecture of a neckline is the most important part of the wardrobe options.

 As I work with clients,I find that if they do not have a strong top classification they will always feel as if they have nothing to wear. If you do not have an assortment of tops that you love and feel great wearing it will always be a challenge for you to put the pieces together.

A Date with Yourself

As you start on dealing with your wardrobe puzzle, make a date with yourself and visit that room or rooms of emotion…your closet Make sure it is balanced with a majority of pieces that can travel through your wardrobe and lifestyle. Do you have a strong frame built with jackets in your fashion persona? Do you have a firm foundation of basics in your trousers and skirts? Then visit your personal “Top Shop.” Do all your pieces fit together like the pieces of a puzzle to give you more options for outfits? Stage a dress rehearsal and pull together a variety of looks that you need for your everyday opportunities. See how you can mix them up just by changing the tops and adding some punch-piece accessories. Take some pictures of these looks or write down the combinations. Make a list of the items you keep reaching for and do not have or only own one. This list will be your starting point as you enter your favorite store or approach that sale rack. Do whatever is easier for you to remember how creative you have been in this fun fashion exploration. The more time you spend doing this , the bigger your reward will bein time and closet confidence.

Fill in the Blanks

Stick to your list! These pieces are your roadmap to completing what you have started.

When you go shopping purchase a core wardrobe instead of single items or outfits. A core usually is 6 to 8 units that interchange with each other and additional things already hanging in your closet. Eight units can equal 22 options. This way you are building a wardrobe not just adding bulk.

While in the dressing room think of all the ways you can wear these options and how they will benefit you and your life.
When you decide to build around a new color, select one that will also add to the colors you already own so more is more! For example if you build 6 to 8 new pieces around khaki these pieces will interplay with all your black, denim and navy living in your current closet. Your puzzle is growing.

You can build a wardrobe puzzle of as many pieces as you wish. You can place a personal “age appropriate” on the box!

One last Rule

One last rule: When building your personal puzzle, make sure to imprint your picture on the box. Don't place anyone else's or your pieces will never fit.

Jackie Walker is the author of the best-selling book I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet.

Friday Fashion Focus: The Psychology of Purchasing a Handbag

by Jackie Walker

Handbag attraction

Is it the color that attracts you or the size? Do you search for pockets of varying shapes to hold everything you own or are you creating an image with a designer logo? Is it function, fashion, or both?

There is a psychology behind your handbag purchase. Women everywhere have a preference. This is the one accessory that is your focal point while giving you the comfort of housing all the needs for your individual lifestyle.

Handbag review

My clients all over the nation are similar in having definite ideas about this classification. After reviewing their clothing and shoes we always leave handbags for a last evaluation. I usually see many of these “friends” stacked to the ceiling on top shelves. “Tell me about your handbags,” I ask. These are some of the answers that I hear.

• This is the one I use everyday.
• My mother gave me this as a gift and I never use it.
• I like this one but it is too small to fit my needs.
• Is this still in style?

As they start to clear out the “tired” ones they see what items are hiding in these collected bags. They find lost credit cards, money, lipsticks, and receipts of all sizes and shapes. They smile and recall the last time they used some of these items.

Here are some tips to ease this very important purchase.

• Review the bags in your closet and decide which ones you want to keep and the ones that need to be retired.

• Decide on a classic color that can take you everywhere for day or work.

• Do you have special requirements that lead you easily to finding your needs such as a cell phone, driver’s license, or credit cards?

• Are bags your passion; do you want to make a fashion statement? Review your clothing and make a list of multi function bags that can travel through your closet and life.

• Select a bag that fits your figure proportion. For example if you are petite do not select a bag that is twice your size when empty or filled to capacity.

• If you travel perhaps a briefcase that doubles as a handbag would work best.

Help in a handbasket

As we travel through our days we constantly make our handbags the receptacle of loose change, credit card receipts, telephone numbers scratched on loose bits of paper, and business cards gathered from chance or scheduled meetings. They get heavier and heavier. Here is a great idea! Get yourself a handbasket.

Place a medium size basket in your closet. Each evening empty all the contents of your handbag into this basket. The next morning take only the items needed for that day from your basket and place them in your bag. At the end of the week inventory the remaining items in the basket. There will be lots of money to put in a special bank. File the receipts and analyze the business cards for later communication use. You have now accomplished a lighter handbag and an organized way to keep organized.

If these handbags could speak

I attended a party a month ago. All the women were asked to place their handbags on the guest room bed. I was the first to leave and as I went to retrieve mine I stopped and marveled at all the different brands, sizes and shapes that remained. What fun it would be to try to match each with its owner. I smiled to myself and left the party.

The psychology of a handbag! Yes there really is an emotional plan that works.

The Dr. of Closetology says: At the end of six months some of my clients have saved enough loose change to purchase a great pair of shoes or another handbag.


Jackie Walker is the author of the best-selling book I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet.

Fashion Friday Focus: The Psychology of Shopping

by Jackie Walker

Recently on a trip throughout Italy I found that the one word that is universal is “shopping.” Wherever we traveled the quest to purchase something we had never seen before became the challenge. I would always go to the desk of the hotel and say, “shopping.” I immediately saw a smile of understanding, especially from the women, and was directed to the hot spots in town.

What is it about that one sport that satisfies every urge? We feel happy and we shop. We feel sad and we shop. Thin or a little bloated? Shopping lifts our energy and mood.

Retail Infidelity!

I found out one of the answers from a client that lives in Florida. I was constantly trying to keep her closets in order and yet from visit to visit I found new purchases that were not part of our plan. She tried to convince me that I had just forgotten when we picked these out together. I looked at her and said, “Phyllis, you are fashion cheating on me!” The answer came the next month when Phyllis’s daughter was visiting. She peered into her mom’s closet and said how nice it looked but how it would be filled again to the brim because of her mom’s sport. She explained that it wasn’t about the shopping or fashion that intrigued my client. It was the hunt.

The Answer to Why

What is the psychology behind your shopping patterns? Have you ever thought about it this way? When working with a new client I always ask this question. Many of them have to think about it as they never realized why. That is the first answer to clogging the closet with best friends or purchase errors.

Fact: On average women only wear 20% of the clothing in their closets.

Fact: Men shop for need and women shop for emotion.

Answer the following ten questions and see if they fit an emotional shopping pattern.

• Do you shop because you are happy or sad?
• Do you go out looking for specific items?
• Do you have a list that will lead you to needed options?
• Do you shop with others or alone?
• Do you often return what you have selected?
• Do you like to shop?
• Do you wrap shopping around a social occasion such as lunch?
• What percentage of what you buy do you actually love and wear many times?
• Do you just shop on sale?
• Do you have items with tickets still attached?

Is it on Sale?

Carol was amazed that she had purchased the same skirt three times at different stores. They were embedded in a mass of closet clothing and she never knew it. The first one was bought at retail and the second one was 25% off. The third and final triplet was 75% off. The amazing part of this story was she had never worn them outside of her bedroom. She told me that every time she tried them on she took them off. Why buy three you ask? The last two were on sale. How could she resist. This is the same client that has been known to buy shoes a size too small because the price was too hard to resist. She said that her feet shrink in the winter. She lives in Boca Raton, Florida. They have no winter!

It’s Up to You!

Take some time now to analyze your shopping habits and the telling reasons behind them. Shopping should be fun and it will be if the right intent is there. You will then wear all these options and delight in your shopping savvy. Ask yourself these questions as you hold the item and your charge card in your hands!

• Do I love it?
• Will it fit my current lifestyle?
• How many ways can I wear it?
• And if on sale would I pay regular price for it?

Now you are ready! Go Shopping!

Jackie Walker is the author of the best-selling book I Don't Have a Thing to Wear: The Psychology of Your Closet.