The Closet Coach

Over the years, I’ve collected a small library of style and fashion books.

They range from the whimsical to the practical, with a bit of memoir in between.

Two that have been sitting on the shelf since said shelf was made from milk crates and plywood in the corner of an apartment were by Real Simple: “Chic Simple Women’s Wardrobe” and “Chic Simple What Should I Wear?”

I’ve had them so long they were published when Bill Clinton was president.

I’ve had them so long, in fact, I’d forgotten I owned them.

So it was a bit of a revelation to look through them again after a decade or more.

One of them held up remarkably well, and the other was clearly dated.

“Chic Simple Women’s Wardrobe”  focused on the concepts behind dressing well: silhouette, proportion, quality, cut, fit. Sure, many of the specific garments photographed as examples were clearly from the ‘90s, but the content was still right on target.

“Chic Simple What Should I Wear?” focused on the clothes themselves, giving specific examples of what you should buy and wear. From the copy to the photos, it was all a mid-’90s time capsule.

So how do you avoid having a wardrobe that looks like something from a time capsule in 5, 10, 15 years?

• Go back to the timeless classics.
• Look for flattering silhouettes and proportions.
• Choose the best cut and quality you can afford.
• Make sure it fits (and get it tailored if it doesn’t).

You won’t be able to help buying a trend or two along the way, but when those trends return (and they almost always do), your previously purchased clothes won’t be dated. They’ll be vintage.