The Curated Closet

August 1, 2016
Lifestyle blogger Rees’s first book, based on the blog Into Mind, is a fun and practical guide to discovering one’s personal style. The goal is for women to easily choose an outfit that they like every single morning, to wear a large portion of clothes from their closet, and to be able to dress for their own lifestyles. Focusing on what one likes to wear and what one does most often, Rees provides a variety of methods to achieve a wardrobe that works. To begin, readers are encouraged to document their own outfits for two weeks (taking a photograph every day), observing their favorite and least favorite looks, colors, fits, and garments. From there, Rees advises readers on how to revitalize their personal style and build a fully wearable wardrobe. The book uses simple but eye-opening graphics to emphasize its points, such as side-by-side pie charts comparing lifestyle to current wardrobe. Refreshing and thorough, Rees delivers a fashion-forward guide that’s awesomely sensible.

Starred review from July 1, 2016

Berlin-based style and minimalism blogger Rees (into-mind.com) walks readers through the process of creating a wardrobe that reflects their personal style, consists of high-quality pieces, and makes them feel confident and inspired every day. The book is divided into sections such as "The Basics," which includes defining the status quo and setting goals; "Discover Your Personal Style," which discusses how to define your ideal look and build a style profile you can use as a reference going forward; "Build Your Dream Wardrobe," which covers color palettes, outfit formulas, and building a wardrobe for your real life; and "The Art of Shopping," about budgeting, assessing a garment's quality and fit, and fashion maintenance. The advice is straightforward, whether the topic is putting together a digital mood board, judging the quality of a garment's zipper, or coming up with a two-week sample outfit plan. Rather than telling readers what to do or buy, Rees gently guides them to make decisions informed by their own preferences and instincts. VERDICT Fans of the author's blog, Marie Kondo devotees, and anyone who's tired of having a full closet but "nothing to wear" will treasure this superb resource.--Stephanie Klose, Library Journal

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