Ready To Wear: An Expert's Guide to Choosing and Using Your Wardrobe

by Mary Lou Andre

Most women feel like they can barely find their shoes in the morning-let alone pull together a stylish, snappy ensemble for the day. Mary Lou Andre is here to help. An expert in wardrobe management and fashion consulting, she shows her clients how to find their own style-and make the most of what's already in their closets. And in this illustrated guide, she explains her effective wardrobe organization system and simple style strategies to help every woman get out the door faster-looking better than ever.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction

305 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2004

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The BEST wardrobing book out there. For anyone who loves fashion (or even those looking to learn), this is the #1. I recommend it to colleagues, friends, even people who want to learn, but don't know where to start. I refer back to this book every so often and find it informative, very well-written, and the practices easy to incorporate into your life.

[Mwalkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read, great help to a fashion drop out like me! :)

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ready to Wear is one of the best books of its kind.

I bought this book in 2005 when it was first published and have frequented Organization by Design's Web site at www.dressingwell.com over the years.

As one of their virtual consulting clients, I've worked with one of their image consultants to figure out the best kinds of clothes to wear because I'm on the short end of petite: five feet tall.

Not only do I recommend the book: I recommend the virtual consulting service where you are coached via phone and then sent via e-mail links to clothes you can buy on line.

I bought a thin-stripe blue-and-white jacket that I still own. Alas, I had to donate the olive and white jeans I bought because I lost weight and couldn't fit into them anymore.

This coming April I will work with the consultant again. A follow-up session costs only $75/per hour and this seems cheap considering the priceless advice you get.

So buy the book and consider using the service. The consultants also work with men to spruce up their wardrobes.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this a great deal. I do agree with other comments that this is geared more toward the closer-to-40 crowd than twenty-somethings, but since I'm rapidly approaching the middle half of my thirties but still dress like I did when I was fifteen, I figure I could use some of the help.

Of particular interest to someone like me, long obsessed with fashion and outfits and matching and shopping, was her take on how to coordinate down to the WEIGHT of the fabric or heaviness of the shoe; e.g. don't wear this type of shoe with linen, etc... Something I had not even ever really considered.

She's pretty obsessed with black (well, who isn't?), red and camel (preppy/classic style in general), and a lot of her suggestions definitely lean toward the dowdy older woman (two-tone metal earrings in buttons the size of a quarter? Ack.) but overall this was beautifully illustrated, informative, fun to read, and added a few tricks to my fashion arsenal.

[The Boston Fashionista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever stare at a closet jam-packed with clothes and say to yourself, "I have nothing to wear"? Mary Lou Andre can solve that problem for you! An easy to read, helpful book!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most useful for professional working women. Good basic information but heavily slanted towards conservative classic clothing. Not as good for retired and living out in the country or those who are willing and/or able to wear more creative fashions. But the concepts and worksheets can still be applied if you use your imagination.

[Maisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the advice was geared towards a specific demographic. Didn’t really find what I was looking for.

[Irene Adler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this may be of it's time and now not as relevant. I would have given it a much better rating in 2004.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've finished of the slew of wardrobe-choosing books I've checked out from the library. I liked it a lot and have made it my main "planning my plan" book for my Lint project. Mary Lou Andre first suggests removing all clothing from your closet and keeping only the items you love and are currently wearing. Then she has you shop in your closet for outfits and write down those outfits on a handy chart she includes in the back of the book. As you shop your closet and see which items are missing, you then make another list of what you need to take shopping with you. This makes sense to me and solves one of my biggest problems, namely going to the store and dithering about what I need.

There are also fun stories from her business and descriptions of essential parts of your wardrobe as well as smart tips. My favorite was that once your tights get a run or hole in them, to slit the label.

[Alexandria Blaelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book as a new release in 2004 when I got my first promotion and realised that I needed to get my act together. It has some useful information about things like tracking and rating your purchases, organising your closet, and how to shop. It's less useful when it comes to developing a wardrobe that is appropriate for you as it is quite prescriptive about the types, styles and colours of garments you "should" buy. I reread it when I was writing my book, and a lot of the information is still relevant.

[Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, seemed pretty dated and geared towards 35+ professional women. As a twentysomething,I think I'll stick with How to Never Look Fat Again or The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style.

[Charity · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked out three books on this topic and this one is the best of the three. The author is clear and organized in her writing. She gives good examples of different strategies for clothing storage, how to choose clothing for the occasion, and related topics.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book incredibly helpful in my journey to knowing more about dressing well.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A-list advice without being condescending. Andre knows her stuff. Let her be your guide. Avoid fashion errors.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This contained way too much detail for my taste.

[Debra]

Fabulous book on wardrobe planning. A must read!