(Data) Models-Revisited

Way back when in February (you know, when I lived in another city and had a job), I tried to come up with a model for what my ideal closet would look like.  The whole premise was that, similar to when you're creating something like a database, you need an idea of what your "perfect"system would look like.  Basically, it serves as a guide to use in determining what criteria your system needs to meet, what features it should include etc. It also keeps you on track to make sure you accomplish your actual goal.  I wanted to do something similar for my closet--come up with a blueprint of what my ideal closet would look like and then see how well my real-life wardrobe measured up.

At that point, I didn't really have a good idea of what my model closet would look like so I decided to focus on function.

• How well did my closet meet my needs as a busy professional? 
• Did I have enough clothes to wear through all four seasons? 
• And, did I have a good balance of items to make sure that I got the most value (i.e. enough tops to go with all my pants and skirts)?  

It wasn't the worst model to start with, but it certainly wasn't the best either.  Let me rephrase that . . . it wasn't complete.  Sure, a wardrobe needs to be functional.  But it's got to be more, right? Else, my ideal wardrobe would be the same as every other student's at NYU and then where would be the fun in that?
These are the kind of deep issues you think about on your flight back from Cincinnati when you're tired of doing homework.  And, this is your sleep-deprived brain comes up with:

Yes, my ideal closet still has to be functional (else I'd still be wearing beach cover-ups and board shorts, pretending I still lived in California).  Secondly, as I've learned so very publicly . . . you have to like what you own (whether you have a 5 point rating system to figure that out or not).  And, finally, it should reflect your personal style, whatever that might be.

You might ask if "personal style" and "zazziness" (sorry for the Big Bang references, I can't help myself) are the same thing.  But, I would argue that they're related but different.  As I've talked about before, I really believe you should love/feel awesome in everything you own.  And, you're probably more likely to feel that way about items that fit within your personal style.  But, you can certainly buy things that you feel great in that don't fit perfectly with your style and visa versa.

I feel pretty comfortable with knowing what that means in terms of function and "zazziness"so I'm going to spend some time over the next couple of weeks taking a look at what my personal style is,

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So, there you have it! And updated model!!!! What do you think? Are there other criteria you would include? Anything I've missed?  This is a work in progress so I'm open to tweaking it!