If you find yourself constantly being late for work or social outings with your crew because you’re always fighting with the contents of your closet—this post’s for you! It is absolutely possible to go to your closet, pull something fashionable out to wear, and be done in less than 15 minutes, but it takes some pre-work. Check it out:

1. First things first, clean out your closet. If you haven’t seen the floor of your wardrobe since the Clinton Administration, you’ve got some work to do. Go here for info on how to sort things out. Remember that fashion is not about how many pieces of clothing you own–it’s about putting together great outfits. And the less you have in your closet, the easier it will be to plan out your outfits.

2. Limit the amount of clothing you buy that has to be ironed to look good. This means button-down shirts, anything made of linen and certain items made out of cotton (unless you pull them out of the dryer and immediately hang them). I am a lazy girl through and through and do not own a single item that needs to be ironed—why? Because I hate to iron…lol. Call it a side effect of wearing a uniform from kindergarten through my senior year in high school and having to iron my uniform daily, but I will not miss ironing my clothes. For my day job I wear a lot of suits. The jackets get dry cleaned while the dress pants are washed in cold water and hung to dry and never need ironing. For the weekends I wear a lot of denim and sweaters in the winter—both of which can be pulled on quickly without ironing.

3. Adopt a uniform. Don’t get scared–after 13 years of wearing a uniform to school do you think I’d actually suggest you wear one? By uniform I mean put together a collection of no-fail outfits. If you’ve been reading this site and following the tips for your body type as well as my advice to buy things you really love and that you can wear a million times, chances are you have several items in your closet that can be worn a zillion different ways. Having a closet that has essential wardrobe basics helps.

4. Let your accessories tell a story. Say all you can muster out of your wardrobe is a pair of well-fitting jeans and a fitted tee. Let your accessories take you from Gap ad to wherever you want. Go punk rock with a spiked bracelet and killer platform boots. Or go boho with a scarf and cute flats. Your options are limitless.

5. Visualize how you want to look first and then go in for the outfit. This is best done either while you’re hitting the snooze button for the umpteenth time in the morning or the night before.

If you’ve got those 5 tips down, you’ll shave time off of getting dressed everyday.

Go too far for fashion and you can look like you’re wearing a costume, a sad condition I call the ‘costume effect’. Sure, fashion is cyclical, but the idea is to take inspiration from an era not take so much from it that you look like you fell out of a time capsule. Here’s some simple tips on how to avoid the costume effect:

1. Assess your accessories. Coco Chanel once said “before you leave, take one thing off”, but sometimes you have to take more than one thing off. Balance is important in an outfit; you want the eye to take in your entire outfit, not roll back and forth between your wayfarers, dookie chain, door knockers, and Beyonce weave.

To keep your look balanced…
*If you’re wearing an embellished neckline (ruffles, beading, ruching, double breasted, etc.) skip the necklace
*If you’re wearing a funky necklace, avoid dangly earrings (and while we’re on the subject, avoid wearing necklace and earring sets together especially bulky ones)
*If you’re sporting a hairstyle with mega volume wear either shades or earrings, but not both
*Don’t match your accessories to your outfit. If your outfit is black & white, avoid wearing black & white accessories go for gold or silver jewelry and add a punch of color with an accent like red, pink, green, etc.

2. Don’t do trend from head-to-toe. You know the whole 80s revival trend that comes back every 2 years? The idea is take to inspiration from the decade, not look EXACTLY like Madonna from the ‘Like a Virgin’ video. A cute way to do a modern take on the 80s would be to wear a nice pair of skinny jeans with platform boots, a funky t-shirt and leather half-gloves. Start with a simple, basic outfit and then add little touches of trend.

3. Tone down the makeup. Speaking of the 80s—remember the super-contoured cheeks dashed with hot pink rouge (you have to call it ‘rouge’ if it came from the 80s…lol)? Not so hot in ‘09. You can take from the idea of a bright blush, but modern makeup techniques would apply the blush in a much softer application.

Remember that opposites attract. If you have a very avant garde or flashy outfit, keep the makeup simple; if your outfit is somewhat on the basic side, you can get a bit crazier with the makeup. Also don’t go with obvious “time period” makeup. If you want to channel your inner 40s vixen by wearing a fitted blouse and pencil skirt, instead of going with an obvious red lip with a matte face and winged liner, go for dewy, bronzed skin and a berry lip.

4. Pay attention to texture and fabric. Try and rock a silk or satin head-to-toe outfit and run the inevitable risk of looking like you’re ready for bed. If you choose to wear a shiny or bulky fabric, balance it out with something more basic. Don’t overdo a fabric or texture in one outfit and again remember that opposites attract–pair soft silk with tough leather and balance it out with neutral denim.

If you have a style or beauty question, contact me! Your question could appear on this site.

At the beginning of this year I made a deal with myself: I’d rid my closet of any clothes, shoes, and accessories that I hadn’t worn in the last 3-6 months. I had read a fashion magazine article about a very stylish woman who had like 10 articles of clothing in her closet and looked fab every single day. Ok, maybe she had a little more than 10 articles of clothing, but being able to do more with less was intriguing to me. So I hacked about 30 pairs of designers jeans from my closet and sold them on ebay. Why would I need so many pairs of jeans when I really only wear the same 3 or 4 pairs all the time? Seeing all those designer jeans made me angry with myself though—each pair cost me on average $150 and I clearly didn’t need them if I was so willing to pass them on to someone else.

Also expunged from my closet were a series of dresses, skirts, blouses, tees, and shoes I could really do without. They parted ways with me via industrial-sized garbage bags en route to my local clothing drop. After clearing out my closet I was probably left with only 4 pairs of jeans, 10-15 jackets, 7 or 8 coats, 10 blouses, 4 dresses, and 7 or 8 tee-shirts. It was quite therapeutic actually.

Now that I have much less to work with, not only do I get dressed quicker but I’m much more reluctant to add anything else in my wardrobe unless it can pass my new wardrobe test:

1. Is there anything in my closet similar to this? (if yes, then I don’t buy it)
2. Will this go with pretty much everything I already own? (article must be interchangeable)
3. Can I wear this at least 100 times? (means article must be both durable and classic)
4. Would I buy this even if it were at full price? (I’m not buying it just because it’s on sale)
5. Does it truly fit my style? (it took some time, but I’ve finally realized that I personally don’t like skirts or dresses unless I’m at my day job)

When I was in my early 20s, I would have never have guessed that simply clearing out my closet could change my life! Back then I had to have EVERYTHING even if I just wore it once. Now I’m spending a lot less and still doing more with my wardrobe. And it feels absolutely GREAT!

If only I could do the same with my makeup stash. *sigh*

Baby steps.

Also check out Clean Out Your Closet.

When it comes to my beautifying my clients, I take as much time as my client needs. However, when it comes to getting myself dressed, I’m just not that patient. Back in my college days, I used to plan the next day’s outfit the night before spending hours trying on jeans, blouses, shoes, earrings, etc. until I had the right ensemble. I’d get up at the crack of dawn curling iron, makeup brushes, and accessories in tow and would spend at least an hour getting ready. Post undergrad–with a career, a business, friends, family, and a boyfriend, I just don’t have that much time. Since I love to squeeze an extra 10, 15, 20, heck even 30 minutes of extra sleep in the morning, my primp time has got to be down to a science. And I can’t sacrifice the cute, so it’s gotta be fab AND fast.

So how does one go from morning breath to sheer knockout in less than 30 minutes (included shower time)?

1. Wardrobe. Your wardrobe has GOT to be carefully coordinated according to your lifestyle. I shave my getting-ready time down considerably by shopping for outfits based on a particular mood (i.e. the “I’m bloated and feel really fat, but still wanna look cute” outfit, the “I’m getting a raise TODAY” outfit, the “My girlfriends may call me to hang out after work at the last minute” outfit, etc.). I also tend to shy away from garments that will need to be ironed. Clothes that can be hung dry or pulled right out the dryer without getting wrinkled are my best friends! Also, my closet is only filled with items that truly flatter me and that I absolutely LOVE (as opposed to only liking). Lastly, my closet has a lot of interchangeable pieces. My day job is in a very corporate setting, but outside of my 9-5 I love to dress creatively yet I still own pieces that can satisfy both of my worlds.

By doing all the pre-work while you’re awake and fully-functioning, you can literally just throw on anything in your closet and still look great! Getting dressed should take less than 10 minutes!

P.S. Don’t be afraid to call in the help of a professional to work through your closet. *hint hint*

2. Makeup. While I love doing other people’s makeup, I just don’t have the time in the morning to put as much detail into my own. So I have five quick steps to beat my face in the A.M.

1. Prep: Wash, exfoliate (on alternate days), moisturize (Time 60 seconds)
2. Conceal: Apply tinted moisturizer/foundation and concealer where needed (Time 120 seconds)
3. Eyes: Brush brows into place, eyeliner to top and bottom, and mascara (Time 60 seconds)
4. Powder: Dust powder all over and some powder blush on apples of cheeks (Time 30 seconds)
5. Lips: Apply lip balm & gloss (Time 30 seconds)

Total time: 5 minutes!

P.S. Be sure to get your brows arched by a professional at least once (but I recommend going as often as you can afford). It makes SUCH a difference in your overall look and helps you get away with wearing less makeup.

3. Hair. I love all the cool piecey hair-styles that require a lot of hair wax, curling irons, and flat irons–but I really don’t love to spend all that time on my hair neither do I like a lot of heat or product to touch my tresses. I go to a Dominican salon religiously every week for a wash and set, so all I do in the morning is unwrap my hair and either wear it down or clip it back with pins for a different look. Total prep time? 120 seconds or less. Ask your hair stylist to give you a simple, easy-to-maintain haircut that truly flatters your face and lifestyle. That way all you have to do in the morning is get up and go!

For my chicas who need to wash daily, try skipping your shampoo when running late (besides, slightly “dirty” hair holds a style better) and run thee to Sephora for some Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo, a dry shampoo alternative that absorbs oils and leaves hair smelling lemony fresh. Then pull your hair back into a sleek ponytail or chic chignon.

So now you can feel free to hit the snooze button for the 5th time in the morning. With these tips, you can still look great in a flash!

Go too far for fashion and you can look like you’re wearing a costume, a sad condition I call the ‘costume effect’. Sure, fashion is cyclical, but the idea is to take inspiration from an era not take so much from it that you look like you fell out of a time capsule. Here’s some simple tips on how to avoid the costume effect:

1. Assess your accessories. Coco Chanel once said “before you leave, take one thing off”, but sometimes you have to take more than one thing off. Balance is important in an outfit; you want the eye to take in your entire outfit, not roll back and forth between your wayfarers, dookie chain, door knockers, and Beyonce weave.

To keep your look balanced…
*If you’re wearing an embellished neckline (ruffles, beading, ruching, double breasted, etc.) skip the necklace
*If you’re wearing a funky necklace, avoid dangly earrings (and while we’re on the subject, avoid wearing necklace and earring sets together especially bulky ones)
*If you’re sporting a hairstyle with mega volume wear either shades or earrings, but not both
*Don’t match your accessories to your outfit. If your outfit is black & white, avoid wearing black & white accessories go for gold or silver jewelry and add a punch of color with an accent like red, pink, green, etc.

2. Don’t do trend from head-to-toe. You know the whole 80s revival trend that comes back every 2 years? The idea is take to inspiration from the decade, not look EXACTLY like Madonna from the ‘Like a Virgin’ video. A cute way to do a modern take on the 80s would be to wear a nice pair of skinny jeans with platform boots, a funky t-shirt and leather half-gloves. Start with a simple, basic outfit and then add little touches of trend.

3. Tone down the makeup. Speaking of the 80s—remember the super-contoured cheeks dashed with hot pink rouge (you have to call it ‘rouge’ if it came from the 80s…lol)? Not so hot in ‘09. You can take from the idea of a bright blush, but modern makeup techniques would apply the blush in a much softer application.

Remember that opposites attract. If you have a very avant garde or flashy outfit, keep the makeup simple; if your outfit is somewhat on the basic side, you can get a bit crazier with the makeup. Also don’t go with obvious “time period” makeup. If you want to channel your inner 40s vixen by wearing a fitted blouse and pencil skirt, instead of going with an obvious red lip with a matte face and winged liner, go for dewy, bronzed skin and a berry lip.

4. Pay attention to texture and fabric. Try and rock a silk or satin head-to-toe outfit and run the inevitable risk of looking like you’re ready for bed. If you choose to wear a shiny or bulky fabric, balance it out with something more basic. Don’t overdo a fabric or texture in one outfit and again remember that opposites attract–pair soft silk with tough leather and balance it out with neutral denim.

If you have a style or beauty question, contact me! Your question could appear on this site.

P.S. Don’t forget to enter in the Monavé Mineral Makeup Giveaway–entries must be in by Sunday, May 31st!