I Have Nothing To Wear!: A Painless 12-Step Program to Declutter Your Life So You Never Have to Say This Again!

by Jill Martin, Dana Ravich

You know the the anxiety, the dread, and the utter certainty that in spite of all of the options in the overcrowded closet before you, you have nothing to wear. The advent of discount retailers that offer up-to-the-minute fashion trends has only deepened the problem. Though our dresser drawers are overflowing with options, the daily crisis remains the same.

Help has arrived! In I Have Nothing to Wear! fashion expert Jill Martin and fashion stylist Dana Ravich have teamed up to create a fun and practical 12-step program that promises to help even the most seemingly hopeless cases.

Learn how to edit your wardrobe, figure out the fashion basics, get organized, steer clear of flash-in-the-pan trends, and pinpoint and project a personal style all your own.

And have fun along the way!

Jill and Dana will steer you through the steps, which include admitting your closet is a mess, determining how clothes fit in with your lifestyle, and finding friends who will tell you the truth about what needs to stay or go!

I Have Nothing to Wear! is the perfect guide to help you make your way through the minefield of modern fashion and choose the perfect ensembles for work, play, and love.

Genres: Nonfiction, Fashion, Self Help, Personal Development

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2011

Reviews

[~Geektastic~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A resounding “meh.”

Full disclosure: I am obsessed with fascinated by style books and fashion blogs (personal and street style, none of that head-to-toe brand name shilling crap). I also strenuously differentiate between “style” and “fashion,” the former being an important concept, the latter being a cycle of overdone marketing and overall cluelessness. We all know the fashion industry is a bazillion dollar monster with a stranglehold on the self-esteem of a certain subset of women, and thus not worth the time it took me to type this sentence. However, style, that intangible thing that helps define us whether we’re trying or not, that is something worth thinking about.

That being said, this book doesn’t really say all that much about style (and what it does, I mostly disagree with, but more on that later), but it does make an important point about liking the clothes that you own. Will those of us with severely limited (re: nearly nonexistent) budgets be able to have a well-stocked wardrobe full of perfect 10 items, like the authors suggest? Most likely not. But can we learn to be ruthless editors and smarter shoppers? Sure. Can we also learn to understand that a pared down, well-organized space can give us a better appreciation of what we do have? Absolutely. And that is where this book has a few valuable points to make. They are essentially as follows:

1. EDIT. Get rid of everything that doesn’t fit well, is damaged beyond repair (or if you won’t repair it) or that doesn’t fit with your personal style.

2. In relation to the first point, figure out your style. What do you love vs. what is trendy or sentimental (or just hoarded for a “rainy day”).

3. Make your clothes and accessories as neatly organized and accessible as possible. Figure out a system and stick to it.

4. If you’re just not sure what works for you, find a ruthlessly honest friend to help you.

5. Getting dressed should be easy and fun, and you should feel good about your choices when you leave the house.

6. Don’t impulse buy. Just don’t.

There may be others, but this is not a long or complex book by any stretch of the imagination. And honestly, it’s not all that original. I had previously learned these same lessons from Nina Garcia’s Little Black Book of Style and Tim Gunn’s A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style, both of which have the advantage of better writing and, in the case of Garcia’s book, better illustrations/design. Even without those previous guides, these are pretty commonsensical ideas. The primary purpose of the book, at least in my estimation, is to motivate rather than instruct. The author’s do spend some time analyzing style “types” to help the closet confused narrow down their tastes, but the categories are (by definition, I suppose) extremely reductive- and poorly illustrated. Six style types? I don’t think so. And since when is “soccer mom” a style philosophy? There are so many things missing from this section that it doesn’t provide much help (or much fun, which should be the point of analyzing style).

Also, this book is not written from the perspective of the “average” woman. These women buy shoes that would pay off my car for several months. In other words, if I could afford to shop the way they do, I wouldn’t have any student loans. BUT just about all style/shopping/wardrobe organization books are written by this type- only people that are already well-off can afford to publish this kind of niche stuff. So you have to take “personal” perspective with a grain of salt, but that doesn’t mean the basic principles don’t hold up, because on a very rudimentary level they do.

Would I recommend this book? Not really. There are at least half a dozen better ones like this out there. In fact, I’ll list them for you:

• Nina Garcia’s Little Black Book of Style, The One Hundred, Style Strategy and Lookbook (though that last one isn’t as good as the others, it’s too specific). The first two are particularly good if you’re trying to do a closet/wardrobe overhaul.

• Tim Gunn’s Guide to Quality, Taste and Style (he’s just as witty and urbane as he is on Project Runway)

• I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks , part style guide, part memoir, part lookbook

• The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman (book, but also the blog)- more of a photographic lookbook, but still helpful for discovering what appeals to you.

• Nylon Magazine’s Street, both volumes (another photographic lookbook, geared toward a younger audience than The Sartorialist).

I enjoyed this book on some levels, and it certainly didn’t take long to read (maybe an hour) but I think it will be going back to the used bookstore for credit, since my library already has so many other volumes that do the job much better. The watercolor illustrations were also incredibly dull and repetitive- they really should have called Ruben Toledo.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm. Well, good premise. Generally good information. Specifically, I can't take fashion advice from someone who regularly spends the cost of almost my entire wardrobe on one pair of shoes. It kind of reminded me of when I was pregnant and used to lie on the couch and watch episodes of What Not to Wear. They'd give these people $5000 and let them loose in NYC. They'd go home with maybe 4 or 5 outfits. It drove me nuts. I was thinking they could give me $5000 too. Even with spending a decent amount on a few pairs of great shoes and wardrobe basics like dark jeans and a black skirt, I bet I could make 20 nice outfits. I'm just saying. Where is the book for people who shop at DSW, Dillards & Macy's sale racks, Nordstrom Rack and occasionally even Target?

The other amusing thing was the part about finding your fashion personality. There were six categories: Classic girl, Preppy girl, Fashionista, Bohemian girl, Surfer Chick and Soccer Mom. If I had to pick I'd probably guess I'm a bohemian soccer mom? IMHO, Surfer chick shouldn't even exist as a category. Who, even in So. CA or Florida can really go around all day in a bikini and board shorts, and should that really be done by anyone over the age of 25 anyway if they aren't actually at the beach?

Overall, it was possible to pull some pretty good information and some decent tips out of the narrative, but I wouldn't buy the book.

[Natalie Fetzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

My style profile is preppy with a side of soccer mom...no one is shocked by this, I'm sure.

This book wasn't revolutionary to me, but it's a good basic introduction if you don't know what your style is. Having my style reaffirmed, and categorized, helps bring clarity to shopping.

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good starting point for people who are overwhelmed by their wardrobe and clothing options.

As a fairly organized person who knows their own style and routinely declutters my closet, not much of the content was new for me, but I really did think they approached this very logically and succintly for the novice. It certainly reinforced my regular closet purges and my determination to only keep clothing that really does fit and flatter me, shows my style and is in good condition. And to invest in well-made pieces that will hold up & to only buy what I know I will really wear.

Some great advice - well worth a read if your closet or drawers are overflowing or if you ever feel like "You simply have nothing to wear!"

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt that this book was aimed at people who spend more on one single item of clothing that I would on my entire wardrobe.

I don't feel that the advice given was practical for the everyday woman. It seems that a limitless budget would be required to follow their advice perfectly.

The whole concept of everything needing to be a 10 is great in theory but sometimes you need to compromise...lets face it. Somedays you feel great in that outfit and other day it just does not work for you. I think you need to keep practicality in mind when implementing these steps.

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't horrible, but there are better books, magazines, and blog posts about closet cleaning and finding one's best styles. This book was pretty thin on content--the margins were huge, nearly every other page had a quotation from the text pulled out in large text, and a great deal of space was taken up by the same few illustrations. Speaking of the illustrations, they weren't helpful. Photographs of real clothing, maybe modeled by real people would have been better.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great synopsis of fashion

Great synopsis of fashion and ways to make your wardrobe really useable. Up to now but always adjust for culture and geography. And since I see Jill on the today shoe in the mornings that makes this read

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Soccer Mom" is not a style. You can be Classic, Preppy, Bohemian, or Fashionista. But the type of fabrics you choose will largely be based on your lifestyle and whether you get dirty or not. You can have a Classic AND Casual style and skip the dry clean only.

There were some great tips in here, but the main idea is to buy what you love. Don't clutter your closet full of items that you don't like or don't boost your confidence just because they were cheap. Buy fewer clothes that mix and match so you can pay for quality and not quantity. It goes well with Marie Kondo's advice that your clothes should "spark joy".

[Bre · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for a regular person. If your life doesn't look like an episode of Gossip Girl, don't bother reading this. Its made for people trying to downsize their second walk-in closet. Comically out of touch author spends the book giving "quirky" anecdotes like never wearing a $350 dollar dress (don't worry it was on sale for only $50!) and dressing for dates with famous actors.

The advise either pretentious or obvious. Like having a 'Don't' image about wearing a sweatshirt and running shoes. or the common sense of donating things you don't want.

Bonus negative of being very heteronormative and stereotypical.

[Nancyann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this book was written 15 years ago when I checked it out from the library. It is a fun book to flip through during a lazy afternoon. The advice offered then still stands now, absolutely nothing new or earth shattering but light hearted enough to be entertaining. Determine your style and buy clothes that suit you. Keep your clothes in an organized closet and life will be good. :-)

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starting a new job that will require me to dress differently than the job I am leaving. This book was moderately helpful in getting me to think about what I need to get rid of from my closet as well as what types of pieces I may need to add. Not sure the budget of the authors aligns with my budget for clothing purchases.

[April · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is for people with cash to burn, not your average Joe. I would love to throw out everything I own and go buy stuff I love, but that is not an option for me. Also, the styles described in this book are out-dated and cliche.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Done good tips.

[Corinnagoodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, its great for working out what your own style is and helping you get it all put together in a clean look.

[Pamela Emryes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice

Very fun practical book. I love that the authors are so much themselves, it will inspire you to be yourself also.

[JoAnn Arnold]

not sure if this is one I read by Beryl Skuse

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and funny read about figuring out your personal fashion sense,with tips on how to find clothes that make you feel great, and how to decide what clothes to remove from your closet.

[Jezzeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Give away clothes you no longer wear. Keep clothes that define your style and clothes that you are comfortable in.

[Brigid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because God forbid I do even the most mundane task without some level of research.

The first sections were pretty good: solid advice. Unfortunately for me, I already live that part of the book. I am the anti-hoarder. I gut my closet multiple times a year. My problem is the shopping. I am trying to hold my purchases to the level they recommend. But it's exhausting. There's too much trying on and shipping back and trying to get to stores with two kids in tow... yeah, that's just not happening.

There wasn't anything earth shattering here - I was hoping for new ideas to actually grow my insanely sparse wardrobe. Their breakdown of style types seemed lacking. Classic, bohemian, preppy (should have been called 'country club'), fashionista (according to them this is just all black, but not goth, just name brand black clothing), surfer chick (how about athletic?), and soccer mom (really? you couldn't have thrown us hard working moms a bone with "hot mom" or I swear I would've taken MILF over soccer mom). It's not until the conclusion that they really address that you might be a mix of these things. Okay... then how should I combine that? I consider my style to be classic/creative (not boho, but I luckily am in a creative field and can wear retro and vintage inspired, some trends, etc.) but I have two kids so I have lots of mommy moments.

It wasn't bad advice, it just wasn't anything new.

On a nitpicky note, the pull quotes were poorly done. They made for excellent cliff notes, stating the main point of the section in big, bold text, but most of the time the pull quotes was directly adjacent to the original quote. Why pull the quote at all? Couldn't it just be bold? Or perhaps omitted from the original text? The stories from the authors were, I suspect, meant to show how they manage fashion in their busy lives, but the stories are pretty dull. These are not the stories I would bust out for a book. These are the kinds of things you might mention over coffee with a friend when they asked "what did you do over the weekend?"

Speaking of friends, their insistence that you constantly call on your friends to help you gut your closet or go shopping? Um... what crappy friend asks someone to help them do that? I would absolutely help someone do that, but I love to throw stuff away. I'm weird. But I have two kids and a husband. The only way I can do a massive closet clean out is after the kids are in bed when my husband is on travel. That's it. And I'm probably not calling someone up then to hang out Wednesday at 9pm.

So, overall, not a terrible book, but certainly not a 10.

[Lauren Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not like the organization techniques they proposed but mid-book (who needs an entire dresser for just their underthings? I can fit clothes in there too, thank you). However, the weeding technique did wonders not only for my closet and dresser but my wardrobe.

All your clothes are suppose to make you feel like a ten, according to Martin and Ravich. This is an interesting concept; it plays to the idea that the clothes that do not make you feel good will not get a high rotation. The reality is that maybe two outfits truly make me feel that good.

I am often quoted by friends as saying "I'm only buying it if I can wear it to work." Yeah right: my clothes were just overrun with cheap buys from Walmart that I only wear at home.So I constantly have this idea that I will only buy work clothes to reduce the temptation to wear something I am trying to "dress up" to work. When I sorted my clothes by what made me feel good versus what didn't, all my work clothes ended up in the "good" pile, business casual made me feel "comfy" and my weekend/home clothes were all "meh." Since business casual can, on certain occasions, be worn to work or at home, why aren't I dressing up a little more in my personal life? Of course, with spending 1/3 of the year asleep, and 25-35% at work or in business clothes, why do I have so much casual?

Now, most of my wardrobe is work appropriate and has me looking put together. I don't try to hide when I spy a colleague or contact because I don't want to be seen that day (okay, maybe just less as mood is another factor). I feel more professional and I look it... except at home where I still wear my old college shirts and that oversized ex-boyfriend knit sweater. Those clothes still make me feel good, but in a different way.

Overall, the program did improve my wardrobe and some of my attitude. Is it stellar? No, but it is a good start. I don't think the fashion advice will make a better wardrobe (it was pretty narrow-minded) but I am making better choices out of what I already own. I did not like the organization techniques but once my wardrobe was so significantly reduced, I could easily come up with my own organization. Yes, the advice is in magazines and other books but it is convenient in one book. It's not a book to keep but did change things for me.

The true litmus test: I no longer say "I have to buy work clothes" or the namesake "I have nothing to wear!" Getting dressed is quicker. However, my new quote is "I should do laundry - my closet's looking a little bare."

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not rocket science: it's true that if you've read a lot of women's magazines, you are probably familiar with most of these concepts. However, I don't know about you but I don't keep old magazines lying around for when I need a refresher (that reminds me of a hoarder). It was nice to have all that advice assembled in one book; having it all together was not all convenient but far more motivating to have the entire process laid out, as opposed to a series of articles.

The concept of making your entire closet make you feel like a ten is a good one. While my clothes don't make me feel like that, I did weed down to pretty well just my favourites. Actually, I took the book too literally: I got rid of almost everything that did not make me feel good to wear it. Now I am left with a problem of practicality: what do I clean the house in, my Ralph Lauren? I've been doing it in my camisole or my workout clothes (sorry Jill and Dana: my workout clothes do not make me feel sexy or cute, they just wick the sweat off my body), so I wish I had not followed their advice to the letter and saved a few shirts for cleaning and painting.

This book is not some amazing life-changer or a model of good writing, but it does get you to rethink what pieces of clothing you are using precious real estate to keep. I did not like their ideas on organization but some people might and just weeding like they said was enough to get my wardrobe under control. This is not I book worth keeping; once you change your pattern, I don't think you need it to follow this model the rest of your life. It is not worth shelling out a lot of cash. However, if you can get it for cheap (like I did) or split it with a few friends, it is an easy read, motivating and worth passing on to another. Borrow it or share it with a group of friends (it recommends a group process anyway). My copy is making the rounds...

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nearly all fashion how-to books follow the exact same pattern. Prioritize/pick your style, purge your closet of losers and go forth to buy only fabulous items from here on... No wonder the fashion books on Goodreads have such low ratings. They're largely the same book over and over. Some books (this one included) are well written, have great illustrations, and even little sparks of brilliance.

For hundreds of years, women had a small wardrobe of well-crafted clothes. In many countries, including France, they still do. This book will help the North American Clothes Horse to realize there are other ways to dress and still look and feel great.

PROS: The exact same illustration of a dress may show up 6 times, each with different accessories; this gives you a great idea how to multi-task your clothes. Also wonderful is the concept of buying quality over quantity(some previous reviewers have complained about price tags, but honestly a $100 shirt WILL last you as long as 10 $10 shirts. And you'll look better.) Actual descriptions of things the authors wear are helpful, too. I love the idea that every day you strive for a "10" in style. Since adapting this choice, I have been so much happier in my clothes and my life. In fact, on the days when I am frumpy, I feel really bad. Clothes can make the woman.

CONS: A New Yorker and a Floridian write a fashion book. They don't have the whole country, or the whole world as a frame of reference. I dress in a Southwestern boutique style: not mentioned at all. Only 6 styles were described and some of them weren't that unique from others. (Soccer Mom is a style? Really?)

If you are in to fashion books, this one is worth a look!

[Helen]

Read the sample. Probably won't be bying.

I actually found the tone more down-to-earth than some of similar guides. I'm used to this genre so I take everything with a grain of salt. (Plus I don't, never have, and probably never will live in US, and most of stuff I've read focuses on their standards.) It's not the price bracket either. (Same principle applies scaled down and, really, there are people who reach beyond their means for the status symbol anyway.)

I couldn't get past yoga pants/leggings+flip-flops as example of "put together outfit". While being condescending to sweatpants, at that. (Though sweatshirt, apparently, goes in "put together" category.)

I mean, it's a choice. But it's no better than that tracksuit of 90s we're laughing at now. And kudos for having confidence to face the evil ex in them, but even if he comes out of the encounter feeling stung, it probably won't be thanks to Lululemon. (Self-confidence probably did the work there.)

I had disagreements with style gurus before, but this is where I draw the line I guess. (Particularly the leggings. Haven't we already ruled that they are not acceptable as pants?)

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read - read in a day without trying. The book basically says to declutter your closet and only keep outfits you actually wear and feel comfortable in. Good advice. I feel some closet purging coming on...

I liked that when discussing dressing for various events, the authors broke down various styles into 6 options - classic, bohemian, preppy, fashionista, surfer girl and soccer mom. I am a mix of classic, preppy and soccer mom. I could scan for the styles that applied to me and easily disregard the rest.

My biggest criticism was that some advice was too vague to be helpful. For example, early in the book the authors say to “consider your body type” when selecting clothes. It would have been more helpful to provide specific advice on how to do that. For example, if you have this body type, consider X.

Fast read, fun drawings. It did inspire me to weed some clothes out of my closest.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining, but I'm not sure it was what I was expecting. The 2 women that wrote this seemed to have great advice for women that weren't either moms, or on a budget. I mean, how do you get all the crap out of your closet and start over with quality pieces when getting rid if said crap would literally leave you with nothing to wear? I liked the suggestion of enlisting a friend to help you de-clutter your closet, as well as the grouping of styles to help you find your own. I'm just not quite sure that I've narrowed my style down yet. The ideas in the book were all fine and good, but I would like to maybe see a book like this written by a stay at home mom of 3 that has an annual household income of $50k or less a year. THAT would seem a lot more practical, and probably earn an extra star in the rating.

[Maryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had very little new information. Here is the jist: clean out your closet and get rid of anything that is old, worn out, or unflattering. Groundbreaking, right? Then it lists six types of personal styles you should choose from, all of which seemed kind of caucasian (for lack of a better word): classic, preppy (which was basically classic, but with plaid), bohemian, surfer chick (which was kind of bohemian, but with less jewelry), fashionista (which was basically a fancier version of classic), and then...soccer mom. SOCCER MOM??? That is not a personal style to which we want to aspire, is it? If you are looking for a more exciting and informative book on putting together a stylish wardrobe, I'd recommend "Eccentric Glamour" by Simon Doonan.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book, a quick read and will provide motivation if you need to do a little closet cleaning and don't know where to start. I liked the wardrobe suggestions, although as a member of the "soccer mom" category, I didn't think they were completely practical or on-target (both authors are single and have no kids, and frankly, are quite obsessed with themselves). They probably didn't know anyone to ask for help with this category. If you live in New York or Miami and/or like to watch Jill on TV (I've never seen her but according to her in this book, she is on TV ALL THE TIME), this is a must read for you.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a terrible read--very frothy, but funny in places--and there's a chapter or two of sound advice for purging clothes that don't make you happy when you wear them. Unfortunately, however, both authors direct most of their remarks to a very limited audience (wealthy, white, urban women with lots of time and inclination to shop upscale boutiques) without seeming to be aware that the book would be more helpful to the average reader if it took into account more budgets, skintones, body types, and geographies. The effect of all this is that the "what to wear" advice comes across as self-satisfied and a bit naive.

[Jill Kemerer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the breezy tone of this style guide. The authors had good suggestions about enlisting a friend to help us clean out our closets, and they gave useful guides about how to define our style. Unfortunately, the illustrations repeated over and over, and I would have preferred photographs or non-repeating illustrations. Also, while it's nice to have every item in your closet a "10," it's unrealistic for most of us on a budget. Maybe we can get to "10" eventually, but if I threw out every item less than a 10, I would have 3 items left in my closet! Still, it was an entertaining read.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting take on decluttering your closet and figuring out what to wear. I thought the six categories of style were interesting: classic girl, bohemian girl, preppy girl, fashionista, surfer chick and soccer mom. Their ten basic must haves only included five articles of clothing: dark jeans, little black dress, black skirt, white button down shirt and black blazer. They gave advice on what to wear to different activities and stressed buying quality over quantity. I enjoyed the book, especially the asides from each other throughout the book.