Shop 'Til You Drop...in Your Own Closet

Rather than splurge on yet more new clothes, why not reinvent some of the pieces already hanging in your overstuffed closet?

Fashion stylist Colin Megaro of Planet Style Concierge (in NYC & LA - price upon request, thankyou) offers these tips on how to spend as little as possible while making the most of what you've already got:

1. SORT THROUGH THE CLOSET Remove everything (yes, everything) from your closet and place into one of three piles: items you wear; stuff that doesn't fit; things you no longer wear. Get rid of whatever is too small or that you're no longer wearing. If you're haunted by how much you paid for something, think of consigning it or, perhaps, selling it on eBay (try Linda's Stuff). Otherwise, donate it to charity and enjoy the resulting tax deduction...along with a much less cluttered closet.

2. GO TO THE TAILOR The pile of items that don't fit should contain only things that are too large, slightly short, or perhaps out of style. A tailor can let down or add fabric to lengthen pant hems, shorten shirt sleeves, and rework the silhouette of a skirt to update it. By getting something tailored instead of buying new, you get the latest at a fraction of buying retail.

3. AND WHEN YOU DO GO SHOPPING...which you know is going to happen, try to be less impulsive and more strategic. Make a note of must-have items you can't think of living without, and shop strictly from your list. With everything on sale right now, you'll not only score a great deal, you'll feel fabulous about your new self control. And Colin advises diving right in at H&M, Zara, Macys, Century 21, and even TJ Maxx, because at the end of the day, style is not about labels, it's all about feeling great in whatever you are wearing.

To book a session with Colin, call 1-646-895-9248 or find out more at Planet Style Concierge.

- Lesley Scott

(illustration at top - inmagine.com; Confessions of a Shopaholic - butterboom.com)