1.  In your “about you” section on your blog you say “I like clothes, but don’t have that many. I used to, but ended up selling a lot of them”. How did that “wardrobe edit” go?  How did you decide what stayed and what had to go?
I get bored with my wardrobe easily. My style is always changing so I make sure the price I pay for is low because I’ll regret buying it if I only wear it a few times! And I love that my wardrobe changes constantly. I usually weed out the clothes I haven’t worn or thought about wearing for a few months and trade them in for store credit at a consignment store so that when I find something I like, I don’t have to spend money out of my pocket. If I’m not wearing it, it’s not staying in the closet because that’s what they’re there for, to be worn.

2.  You mentioned on your blog that you only have one white skirt but you wear it all the time. After seeing all the ways you wear it… I think everyone only needs one skirt! Is it hard to come up with so many different combinations with one item?
YES! I get so bored with it but it’s actually quite versatile since it’s white and everything matches white! Accessories help a ton. I never thought about accessories much but belts and scarves can do wonders for your outfit. (Also, the best thing I did for that skirt was cinching a little at the waist to make it a waist skirt instead of a low-rise skirt because low rise skirts emphasize the widest part of your body…your hips!)

3.  Can you give us all a few tips on how to be more thrifty with what we already have?
In your closet, find the items you wear the most and put them to the front. Then you can see how much of your clothes you are actually utilizing. I do that a lot and find that I don’t wear even half of my closet, which I then sell and get store credit at a consignment store. You can also find a lot of great belts at thrift stores for only a couple bucks. And one last thing… if something doesn’t work, maybe it needs a little taken in here or hemmed there. I don’t have a sewing machine so I do a lot by hand and it still works!

4.  What are your essential wardrobe items?  If you could only have 5 items of clothing, what would you pick?
Right now, my essential wardrobe items are my J Brand black skinnies, my white Ann Taylor dress, classic black flats, V neck tshirts (especially Hanes men), and my silver H&M scarf. If you couldn’t tell I wear these items a lot!!

5.  I love that you put the prices for your clothes at the bottom of each post!  It’s encouraging to see the great deals that you find and how you so successfully manage to wear outfits that are styled and put together but without spending a fortune.  I saw that you invested in a great pair of J Brand jeans (which look killer, by the way).  What clothing items are worth an investment to you, and which aren’t?
This is such a hard question. I’m not that good with deals. I am definitely better than I used to be. As for the J Brand jeans, I did a lot of research reading other people’s reviews and through trial-and-error with cheaper jeans. Jeans are something I wear often and I knew I needed something to last me a while because I hated shopping for them! Flats are also a great investment for me. I try to walk more than I drive and sandals usually get your feet dirty. Plus flats are more chic! I don’t think shirts are a great investment unless they are something classy with a perfect fit you can wear for several years. Tshirts, on the other hand, we all wear them out eventually.

6.  You seem to have a cohesive look with a specific color palette.  I think it adds to your success in combining the pieces that you have into fresh and original outfits.  Does it make things easier when you do go shopping?  How did you come up with “your look”?
I love whites, blacks and neutrals! They all match so it’s easy to mix them up to create new looks. It definitely makes shopping easier! …although I have been attracted to more color, which is good too! I have always loved clean, simple, and minimalistic looks. I never wore too much jewelry or too many layers. I think everyone’s looks coincide with their personality! So I must be pretty simple!

7.  Here at Sensibly Styled we believe that dressing modestly says a lot about a woman.  What are your thoughts about modesty and the role it plays in your clothing choices, and everyday choices?
To me, modesty shows that you respect your body and that you’re not dressing to please others but yourself. I dress in what I feel comfortable in. I don’t want others to see my body but the person I am. Dress is usually the first thing anyone notices so I make sure to make good first impressions and not advertise my body to others.

Okay guys, isn’t Elaine just so cool? I’m pretty sure we need to be friends… best of. Anyways, definitely take some time to scroll through and read her blog. Lots of good stuff on how to utilize what you already have!

Related posts:

1. Deep Thoughts…
2. Interview with Naomi of Rockstar Diaries
3. Interview with Andrea from DownEast Basics: AND a sneak peak into their new line!!!

This entry was posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at 6:58 am and is filed under Interviews, Outfit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.