I am now in my seventies, I have always loved clothes but didn’t feel that I had any particular style. As a 5ft 2ins 130lbs soft hourglass/pear with short legs, it has take me a long time to discover some of what I can and what I shouldn’t wear. I know that baggy overwhelms me and I get compliments from my husband when I wear more fitted clothes, although he still asks where the colors are! Your essential closet handbook will be my guide. Whenever I see help for my age women, it usually shows loose tops over skinny/cut off trousers and you see so many women dressed like that but it is not me. I do agree that I am more of a classic, as long as it is feminine too. With your help I will also be able to learn how to become current in a gentle way. I haven’t known how to add interest but your ideas have shown me that I could do that in my accessories to add interest with color. I think the handbook gives me the confidence to have less items and to acknowledge that I don’t need two or three of the same thing taking up space. I need to be patient and find the right clothing, some of which I will already have, to fill that space. I don’t agree that as a retiree you need a certain set of clothing. I think you are doing things perfectly as you are, your clients can build their confidence gradually rather than being bombarded and feel that they can reach out for more help as and when needed.

I love the handbook!! I am 71 years old and have lost about 250 lbs in the last 10 years in order to have knee replacement surgery. I hung on to my old clothes until they were falling off me and started buying again when I was within about 100 lbs of my goal weight. I am learning to look for pieces that are quality for the basis of my wardrobe, but have spent some filling in basic usage garments that I need now – t-shirts, shorts, swimsuits – with items I can get on sale so that when they no longer fit me, I will not have wasted a lot of money. I have been learning where to shop for quality and how to make sure the items I buy fit, which will really help when I begin purchasing clothing for my permanent weight. Right now my wardrobe consists of 2 pair good summer pants, 2 pair good winter pants, 2 good blouses, numerous t-shirts and shorts, some casual pants, a summer weight sweater, a winter weight hoodie. These all fall within my color palate so can be worn interchangeably. These purchases have also helped me determine what type of materials I will be looking for for my final quality wardrobe. Thanks for the help with this handbook.