"You're So French" - the most recent addition to the Style Shelf

I love the irony of an English language title on an otherwise ENTIRELY French book...

As soon as I saw this available for sale, I knew it was going to go onto the Style Shelf. Aside from the fact that I'm terribly tired of book covers in hot pink (every "chic lit" novel in Ireland had either a pink or a lavender cover, I swear...), this is an interesting addition to the wee library.

So here, in my less than expert translation, is what the authors have to say about cleaning out closets:

ARRANGE YOUR WARDROBE

"We have a tendency to choose the first clothes that are on top of the pile. It's easy, one does not waste time, and takes no risks, and one gets dressed automatically.  What a pity for all of those treasures which have been sleeping for years, and upon which you lavished such care at the time of purchase.  And what a pity also for you, who could boost your allure.  Look for your archaeological gear, and start digging.  Twice a year, at the time of the major season changes, undertake a major triage.  It's a bit compulsive/obsessive, but it's worth the effort.  First off, forget the famous "two-year rule" which tells us to get rid of everything that hasn't been worn for two years. That archaic law doesn't help you build a complete wardrobe.

FORGET:

• Clothing which is not your size: even if the style comes back, the proportions will change. Toss tee shirts sized for a teenager (they DO make them larger), anything of the wrong length (argh! pants that are too short), jackets with huge shoulder pads (like anything from 1990), and any jeans which are sausage tight, or that flow around you inappropriately.
• Worn-out things: unless the wear takes the form of a lovely patina, as some leather good will. Otherwise, worn out gives you an air of neglect,which is not good for your self-image.  Get rid of coats and jackets that are worn around the collar, or that have saggy linings, get rid of snagged and pilled sweaters, tee shirts and blouses which don't even remember how to BE white any more, tights with snags, shoes with beaten heels made of leather which isn't worth saving...
• Cheap clothes with no personality:  The little short dresses that look like they're styled for a child, the badly cut coat that you bought in a hurry on a cold day, the sexy little dress, worn once to a romantic rendezvous that turned out badly, the old suit that you bought at the end of the last century, the leather jacket that you bought in a resale shop, and which has always smelled of it's former owner, the scarf with the "spirit" of Hermes, and only the spirit, high-heels that still channel their 90's sensibility, "ethnic" jewelry made in China, duty-free purchases made at the end of a trip..."

I don't necessarily agree with all of this advice; I would probably try to salvage things that only had lining issues, or a sweater that was just pilled.  But the ruthlessness of their approach is amusing and accurate, and their understanding of how some of these things came to be in our closets in the first place is spot on.

They also tell us what to keep - in the next few days, I'll share those with you!