Deborah Porter, left, went shopping in her own closet with NBC's Today Show.
At the beginning of this year Alexandria resident Deborah Porter reached out to NBC’s Today Show for what she thought would be a segment on closet organization.
Porter sent in a photo of her husband’s messy closet, but the show’s producers wrote back and said they were actually doing a piece on shopping your own closet — and they wanted to work with Porter.
Four days later, NBC’s Bobbi Thomas, Lilliana Vazquez and a Today Show crew showed up at Porter’s door. They spent 4-5 hours filming Porter (and her closet full of clothes).
The segment originally aired on Jan. 11, 2019. After hours of filming, the final piece was only four minutes long.
Porter said that there were a lot of helpful tips that Thomas and Vazquez shared with her that did not make the segment.
Porter said her biggest take away from the whole experience was: “The less I have, the better.” She explained that we tend to think the opposite and continue to buy new pieces that are similar to what we already have in our closet. She said we have so much if we simply take the time to look at it all with fresh eyes.
When the Today Show recently contacted Porter to tell her they may re-air the piece this fall, Porter decided to share these tips with others — especially now that the season is changing, and people are pulling out their cold weather items.
Porter narrowed the style tips she learned into 5 points.
Break down your wardrobe into “zones.” Clothing should be grouped by event instead of item — for example, work zone, weekend zone, formal zone, and dressy zone. This allows you to see everything you have more easily and put together outfits quickly.
Seek other opinions. If you are stuck for inspiration, Porter says invite a few girlfriends over and have them each pick out an outfit for you. Fresh eyes will help you get out of your style comfort zone and rediscover pieces that you have forgotten you have tucked away in the back of your closet.
Spice up monochromatic looks by playing with texture. If you like to wear one color or are required to for work, consider pairing a simple button down with a tulle or suede skirt in the same color and throw on a matching belt to finish off the look.
Mix tailored and casual pieces. Change up your usual t-shirt and jeans by throwing on a blazer or kimono and accessorizing with a statement necklace and wedges. The structured piece brings sharpness to a comfortable outfit.
Jeans can make a statement. For date night, reach for your favorite jeans and dress them up by pairing them with a bold blouse and heels.
“There’s always a new outfit at the mall, but there just might be one in your own closet,” she noted.
