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Dear Sirs and Madames,

Sometime in the last half-century (or more accurately probably, in the last decade), one of your number awoke from a lobotomy (or direct physical attack to the head, or alien abduction, or something equally drastic), and thought, "Low-waisted trousers! The next thing in fashion!"

And somehow, out of all the hare-brained and idiotic ideas which are perpetrated in fashion designers' heads and parade down runways thankfully never to be seen again in the world of humankind, this one survived. And made its way to every single tiny little clothing store on the planet, to become de rigeur for jeans and trousers of every cut. That is, if they are designed for anybody under fifty.

And now, thanks to this unknown genius, it is impossible to buy pants which have more than about two inches of waist. There is not only low, but ultra-low and super-low. And you have no choice but to succumb to this ridiculousness, if you want to buy trousers which are Not Dorky.

Standing up, they rest directly on what I believe are known as the pubic bones. Which is all very well and good. Until you attempt sitting down or bending over, upon which they slide down nicely to reveal about fifteen inches of skin, half of your underwear, and certain anatomical details I won't describe except to say they are commonly known by the same name as those lines that occur at regular intervals in the sidewalk.

Which may be fine for some people. I, however, subscribe to the old-fashioned theory that clothing is actually supposed to cover you. When I buy pants, I want them to be pants. Not leg covers. Anything less may be called Decorative Bits of Hanging for the Human Body, but not clothing. And I don't want to shell out my hard-earned money for it.

There must be other people in the world who find it ironic that trousers cover every single inch of your leg, but up top, where it really counts, they leave you hanging. Literally.

So: Messrs. and Mesdames Fashion Industry, a plea: please, please, by all the Fashion Power invested in you by goodness knows who, would you please come to your senses and determine that the next thing in fashion is going to be jeans with normal waistlines! That are actually cool! That are marketed to people younger than fifty! That cover you not only when you are standing upright but in every other possible contortion of the human body! I'm not talking about the above-the-belly-button styles that were popular up until the eighties, but it would be nice to come closer to that ideal.

Good sense, and irritated consumers everywhere, demand it of you.

Sincerely,
A Shopper

There's no doubt that our culture is a consumer culture. With the wide variety of goods available, and greater amount of money to spend at leisure and on non-necessities, young singles like me with greater stretch in their spending power particularly tend to drop a lot of cash.

It surprises me how often my, and our, activities revolve around purchasing. Get bored: spend an hour or so at the mall, and end up buying some item of clothing you neither need nor really want. Go out with friends: drinks or a meal plus tip and you've just spent times what you would if you made it at home. A movie will cost you 6 bucks minimum, and that latte you crave, more than four dollars for twenty minutes' caffeinated pleasure. See an ad, and you're subtly but powerfully convinced, especially as you think about it, that you have a new "need" you never realized before.

Marketing, and our culture, focuses on creating a want and then compelling you to spend your money to satisfy that want. Whether it's a specified product or just a general attempt to fill some psychological need with the latest techy toy or newest shoes, we always seem to feel we need more.

Of course, I would say it's more than simply cultural: it's a product of human nature. "The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life", as an older translation of the Bible puts it, is still alive.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, as a spending freeze forced on me by current joblessness and the expenses of Christmas has kept me from spending anything but the bare minimum. It's made me realize how much I carelessly drop a few dollars here, several dollars there: and how many of my daily activities revolve around money. I tend to spend as much as I have. That is to say, if I have money in the bank I don't see any problem with a mocha latte, or a gratuitous trip to Goodwill to find some funky vintage clothing; but the truth is that I have no savings account and many of my purchases are impulsive, ill-thought-out, and completely unecessary.

Much of the time I feel vaguely guilty when I spend, but can often rationally justify it. It wasn't really that much, I do deserve a few pleasures, I'm generous to others, and so on. But in reality, when the rubber meets the road and I'm jobless and penniless, were any of those purchases greater value than a fuller bank account now would be? Did they demonstrate foresight, or simply living for the moment?

I don't have any real answer; I'm rambling, simply because it's a problem I'm facing and I'm not sure of the answer. It can't be simply an ascetic avoidance of all purchases and a fanatical counting of every penny; but at the same time, I recognize a need for more discipline and restraint than I've hitherto exercised. What the answer will be, I'm not sure. I'm as much in need of grace with this as with anything.

Step Five: Reloading Your Closet

Now that you have purged and categorized your wardrobe and acquired the proper storage equipment, it is time to reload your closet!

Clothes
Maintain the categories that you set up earlier by hanging like items together. And within these sections you can also group items by color, light to dark, to further streamline your closet. Be sure to allow some space between each hanger so you do not damage clothing. These easy steps will make getting ready in the a.m. a snap! Insider Tip: discard the plastic dry cleaning bags, they do not allow your clothing to breath which can cause discoloration of the fabric.

Shoes
You have a few options based on the space that you have available. Lined up flat and in pairs or in stackable boxes on shelves. If you are short on space you can use an over the door rack but be sure that they do not squish, smash or flatten your shoes! Boot shapers are a must to keep them in good condition.

If you are feeling really froggy, try these beautiful shoe boxes from Closet Fetish!

Or label them like this...

Handbags
The best way to store your handbags is lined up on a shelf or if you have extra hanging space you can attach "S" hooks from the closet rod and hang bags by size and/or color and be sure to allow enough space in between them so they do not get damaged.

Accessories
Organizing your jewelery really depends on the space that you have available but I think the key is making sure that items are visible or else you will never wear them. So ideally not in a jewelery box but in clear jars or hanging from a peg board or on a specialty jewelery tree. Scarves are best hung on hooks, hangers or rods so they do not get creases in them. You can also roll them and put them in decorative boxes or baskets.

I know this seems like A LOT of work but just remember that in the end you will have a beautiful and functional closet as well as a brand new wardrobe all from your very own closet! Lookout for another post today with some truly envious closets that will really inspire you! Best of luck!

~Images: 1 and 2) Real Simple 3 and 4) Unknown 5) Closetfetish.com 6) House Beautiful 7 and 8) Real Simple 9) House Beautiful 10) Domino 11) Country Home 12) House Beautiful

Step Four: Equipment Check

Overall Space: Check
Before you can load everything back into your closet, you need to take a look at your closet itself and make sure you have the proper equipment. What kind of storage system do you have? Is it sufficient? Is it functional? If the answer is no, you might need to look into a new closet system that can specifically be designed to fit your storage needs. Depending on your budget, there are many options available from do-it-yourself Elfa systems to custom closets installed by a closet company.

Yeah, right!

Lighting: Check
Is there sufficient lighting in your closet? You need to make sure that your space is well lit or else you risk wearing mis-matched clothing or suffering a wardrobe malfunction. If your closet is not hard wired for a light fixture, consider adding some of these Infomercial staples...the tap light.

Clothing Rods: Check
Make sure you have an adequate amount of hanging space for each type of garment as well as an adequate amount of room for each garment. You don't want your clothes to be smashed together so allow them some room to breath! Measure the longest shirt and make sure that it can hang freely without hitting another rod or shelf.

Shelving: Check
Make sure you allow some room for shelving in your closet area because you can actually increase an items lifespan by folding it instead of hanging it. For example, sweaters and delicate items like those with sequins or cashmere should always be folded!

Hangers: Check
Next you need to invest in some quality hangers. Are you all saying "NO WIRE HANGERS!" Ha! Well you should be because they are just plain bad for your clothes (as are the plastic kind). Wood hangers are great because they can hold the weight of your clothes and help them to maintain their shape. The latest rage are these flocked hangers because they take up less space than wood hangers and the material keeps clothes from falling off. They even have notches for tank tops, camisoles, etc. Make sure you have the appropriate hangers for each garment; pants hangers for pants, coat hangers for coats, etc. And please do me a HUGE favor and buy all matching hangers, I promise it makes a HUGE difference!

~Images: 1) Sex and The City via hookedonhouses.net 2) Real Simple 3) House Beautiful 4) Bed, Bath & Beyond

I was so excited to co-host an event at Eclectic last week with my friend Elizabeth Gumb, Personal Stylist, of the Charleston division of The Well Coiffed Closet. She even helped style me for the party and ladies, she really knows what she is doing, you should totally hire her!

Sidney Wagner and Elizabeth Gumb

Many thanks to the adorable Ashley Bourland of Hampden Clothing for being there to help out with our event!

Ashley Bourland and Elizabeth Gumb

Elizabeth selected some AMAZING fall fashions from Hampden Clothing for everyone to peruse through, get inspired by and shop from while Elizabeth gave us all styling tips on ways we could freshen up our wardrobes for fall!

We had such a good turnout and were so thankful to all those that came!

We even created some inspirational closet and vanity vignettes to get everyone in the mood. While many of these great organizational and decorative products were also available for purchase and/or special order to decorate your dream closet, no matter how big or small!

Lacquer Tray $125

Lucite Bangle Stands $18

Hamper $84

If you are interested in ordering any of the above products, please email sidney@eclecticcharleston.com!

For more information on Elizabeth Gumb and her services through The Well Coiffed Closet click here. And to read my previous interview with her click here.

Eclectic is a Charleston, South Carolina based full-service boutique interior design firm in specializing in the design of residential projects including entire homes and the styling of individual rooms. We also offer virtual e-design services. Please email sidney@eclectic-idg.com for additional information.

Eclectic is a retail shop/design studio located in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina (just over the bridge from downtown Charleston, South Carolina) selling an array of vintage mid-century pieces, repurposed items, new products and locally made art with a fresh Modern meets Coastal aesthetic.

My Sister's House is an amazing organization that provides services, programs and resources to empower victims of domestic violence and their children to live free from abuse. The organization gets the majority of its support through in-kind donations and grants as well as additional fund raising events. However, there are on-going needs that can be donated directly to the shelters. These items range from clothing to household needs to toys for the children. Please visit the website for a complete Wish List of items currently needed but here are a few examples...

Pillows
Twin size comforters and blankets
Fans
Microwaves
Alarm Clocks
Lamps
Children's craft materials
Ink cartridges for printers
Gift cards to local stores

There are drop off shelters located all over the Charleston area.

Tonight is the 2nd Annual Bubbly & Brew with live music, food from fabulous restaurants such as High Thyme, champagne drinks and Firefly vodka and both a silent and live auction filled with amazing items! Please come out and support this wonderful cause! If you are unable to attend the event but would still like to donate, please click on this link.

Hope to see you there!!!