You’re My Best Friend

Ooo, you make me live.

Tip Of The Day:  I’ve said it approximately one billion times, you’ve gotta have friends if you’re going to live cheap.  Without friends, how will you hear about big sales, inexpensive shoes, and awesome new thrift stores?  Not to mention, learn where stockpiles of Sunsilk Anti Flat Plumping Cream exist?

Most importantly, without friends, who will help you sort through your closet and weed out the less-than-flattering clothes?

Tip For Tomorrow:  I have found the (cheap) face wash of my dreams.  And no, it’s not Target-brand Cetaphil, which is so not living up to its dermatological hype.  And in other beauty-related news, I’ve gone back to my more expensive hair styling products –combined, they cost $21.  That’s spendy for this Chick, but worth it to get rid of the straw on my head.

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal:  When you’ve been friends with your BFFs as long as I have (25 years for Lou and Larue, 23 for HaC), you develop a soundtrack for them.  For example, Lou’s songs include You’re My Best Friend by Queen and True Colors by Cindy Lauper.  Larue’s track features a great deal of 80’s pop, and HaC’s is largely made up of Bruce Springsteen tunes, especially the Tunnel Of Love CD.

You also develop, throughout the years, a sense of what looks good on your friends, and what clothes are doing them no favors.  With any luck, your bond with your bestie is strong enough you can sit them down and explain to them that the 1988 tie-back dress they insist still looks perfectly good for church NEEDS TO GO.

One of the kindest things best friends can do for one another is to help each other with a twice-yearly closet clean-out.  I’ve mentioned this tip before, but it bears constant repeating – until all women (and men, if they can take the critique) are dressed in the most flattering clothes and footwear they can afford.  Therefore, in plain language, here is my best “look your best for less” tip:

Have one (or more) of your completely honest friends help you sort through every article of clothing you own.  Figure out which clothes should stay, and which should be donated to the Goodwill.

It’s a good idea to enlist a friend who doesn’t share your body dismorphia.  You want someone who sees your figure for what it really is, not what it was when you weighed 20 lbs more or less.  You also want someone who doesn’t belong to the If It Still Fits, It Still Works School of Fashion.  Your friend should help you let go of that jean jacket you wore in high school, not encourage you to keep it because it’s “perfectly good, and has tons of wear left in it.”

Finally, your helper should be someone who wants you to look your best, not someone who either: a. only feels good if they look better than everyone around them, or b. will say something looks bad on you, just so you’ll give it to them.  Case in point, I would LOVE to tell HaC that her pointy-toed D’Orsay chain-strapped black kitten heels look terrible on her (they don’t).  If I could actually convince her of this total lie, she’d give those shoes to me, and I would possess one of the greatest pairs of shoes in the world.  But at what price?  Lying to your BFFs, especially about shoes, is the worst sin imaginable.

Once you’ve lined up your helper (or two), get to sorting.  You’ll want to go through everything you own, so be sure you did the laundry in advance.  Also, unpack all those winter/summer clothes you’ve got stored in the basement.  Then, try everything on (it’s a good idea not to wear makeup or deodorant during this process) for your unwavering audience.  Depending on the shear amount of clothing you own, you may want to provide snacks and bevvies, lest your wardrobe consultants get puckish.

Here are some tips on knowing which things need to be removed, permanently, from your closet:

1.  If you haven’t worn it in a year.

2.  If you wore it in high school, and it’s not jeans or a sport T-shirt/sweatshirt/jersey.

3.  If you’ve kept it so long, the trend has come around again.  Here’s a hint – if you wore it the first time (i.e. leggings, neon, ripped sweatshirts), you shouldn’t wear it the second time.

4.  If it’s stained or ripped beyond repair.

5.  If it screams 1995 (or ’96, ’97, etc.).  The 90’s have not yet come back into fashion, thank God.

6.  If it fits oddly – it gives you lumps, bumps, crotch wrinkles or a muffin top.

Once you’ve figured out which clothes get to stay in your closet, take a closer look at them.  How can you switch up how you wear them?  Can you mix and match them in new ways?  Also, what pieces are you missing to round out your wardrobe?  You probably need fewer clothes than you think.

For example, when I helped Lou sort her closet last week, she wanted a new way to wear her pretty spring/summer skirts.  I suggested my typical summer uniform – skirt, tank top, cropped jean jacket.  Lou just needs to find the right jean jacket, and she’s set for the summer.  Instead of blowing a ton of money on stuff she may or may not wear, she’s now narrowed her search down to one or two key pieces.

Alright, I’ve belabored the point long enough.  In conclusion, grab a friend and sort out your closet this weekend.  You’ll look better, feel better, and spend quality time with someone you love, without spending a penny.