Times are tough. I know a lot of folks don’t have a lot of extra money for clothes, let alone wardrobe advice. However, I still think it’s worth making an investment now to save yourself money in the long run. To that end, I’m offering a new low-cost consultation and a teleseminar to help you with your wardrobe issues right now.

Mini Closet Edit: This is a compact, one-hour version of the Closet Edit. I’ll send you a list of questions to be sent back to me before the session and assign some (easy) homework. Once at your house, we’ll take a tour through your closet and figure out what the most pressing issues are for you and how you can address them. It includes:

• discussion of your tastes, lifestyle, and personal wardrobe challenges
• guidance on what to keep, what to toss, and what to buy
• insight into the best colors and styles for you

We’ll get you moving toward refining your personal style and developing an action plan. Be ready to take notes! Just $150. (The fee is a little higher if you live outside the city or nearby suburbs.) Contact me via email or by calling 773-898-3131 to schedule this service.

New teleseminar: Fashion Survival in a Recessionista World. In this one-hour seminar you’ll learn do-it-yourself techniques for cleaning out your closet and how to shop without breaking your budget.

We’ll  discuss:

• identifying what you need–and what you don’t
• how to get into a “defensive shopping” mindset
• how to avoid buying items that don’t work with your style or existing wardrobe
• when to splurge and when to save
• websites, email lists, and techniques for buying on sale

The only requirements are a phone and a computer or access to a computer and a printer, so you can follow along with a handout during the call. You’ll have access to a recording of the call for 30 days (on the phone or available for download in mp3 format) in case you have to leave early or miss it. I am keeping the group small to ensure that everyone has a chance to ask questions, so you should reserve your space early. Just $60.

When is it?

The teleseminar is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, 2009, at 8pm Central time.

How do I participate?

Click the “Buy Now” button below, which will take you to a secure PayPal site to pay with a credit card. (Note that you do not always need to have a PayPal account to use this service.) I will email an 800 number for you to call and instructions for participating in the conference call in the days leading up to the teleseminar.

If you cannot use PayPal or prefer to give your credit card information over the phone, you can contact us directly at 773-898-3131.

I don’t suggest that clients shop for clothes at Target because it’s not usually the best use of their time. But of course I look around when I’m there. The one-off collections by major designers usually look good on the rack but I am rarely enamored enough of anything to purchase a piece. It’s the house brands that throw out the occasional keeper. Like this cream jacket!

Just $34.99!

I love the vintage look that the buttons and the lapels provide, as well as the texture.

The only drawback, in my mind, is that it doesn’t look as good unbuttoned as it does buttoned. If this were a designer piece or a higher-end brand, there would be a pleat in the back or some tailoring to keep it from gaping open. But for $34.99, I can live with it. Or I might fold over the fabric in back and fasten it with a brooch. I’m planning on wearing it over a burgundy dress with a belt, with a T-shirt and jeans, and with a nicer top and black wool wide-legged pants.

If you’d like one for yourself, I got it at the Target on Addison between California and Kedzie, and there were plenty left as of yesterday.

Some of my best tips for sales shopping are up on Pivot Boutique’s blog. There are some amazing deals at this terrific women’s clothing boutique, which specializes in clothes and accessories made with environmentally sustainable materials and processes–a Lara Miller top for $49 is a steal, trust me.

If you’re planning a visit to Europe this month, you may not get to enjoy the full experience of a long walk enjoying the greenery in the Borghese Gardens of Rome or the grounds of Versailles under a warm sun–but the annual sales might make up for the chilly weather and bare branches. The government-mandated sales period that starts in January and runs to about mid-February (there is another one in July) offers lots of chances to pick up super-chic clothes at a discount–which gets steeper as the weeks pass by. This is good news for Americans, who have been suffering from a low dollar for quite a while now.  Hotels also offer lower rates during this low season, and crowds are generally nonexistent at tourist sites. That might just be an incentive for you to snatch up a last-minute fare and head across the pond.

In Paris, I always check out the boutiques of my favorite French designers,  Isabel Marant in the gentrifying Bastille neighborhood (16, Rue Charonne) and Vanessa Bruno (my favorite location is at 25, rue St. Sulpice, a beautiful area for a stroll and “window-licking,” as the French say instead of “window shopping”). Colette (213, rue Saint-Honore), a bastion of cool and the prototype for “lifestyle boutiques” all over the world, is also a must. Check out this story in the New York Times for more info. If you go, bring back some macarons (I like the chocolate and salted caramel versions) from Pierre Herme for me!

In Italy my favorite store is probably Ethic, which offers unusually detailed or textured pieces at affordable prices. How I wish they offered online shopping! At the (much more) expensive end, I am a devotee of Marni, the appealingly girlish yet chic line by Consuelo Castiglioni. Stop by the flagship boutique in Milan’s “Golden Triangle,” a posh shopping neighborhood that’s home to the country’s most respected names in fashion.

Bon voyage!

Not long ago I had the pleasure of meeting Jeanne Steen, the owner of Figaro Antiques. A big part of her business involves finding and selling vintage fashion illustrations. Many are actual pencil sketches made in the 40s and 50s by illustrators for New York fashion houses, complete with scrawled notes and the occasional coffee stain!

Jeanne worked for ELLE and ELLEgirl magazines for about 20 years and was one of those lucky souls who attended the fashion week shows in Europe every season. For fun she’d trawl flea markets and antique shops, picking up art and making valuable connections–which came in handy when she moved back to Chicago and got into her current business.

The illustrations range from turn-of-the-century pochoirs, or hand-colored engravings, to lavish drawings by Rene Gruau, an artist who worked with such legendary couturiers as Dior, Balmain, and Balenciaga. There are even illustrations for movie costumes that Jeanne picked up during visits to California. Prices start at $100 (occasionally less) for an unframed sketch to up to about $1650 for a framed piece by a well-known illustrator (most are priced around $200-$300). I have my eye on a couple myself…hint, hint!

photo courtesy Tate Gunnerson Photography

photo courtesy Tate Gunnerson Photography

photo courtesy Tate Gunnerson Photography

Figaro has two locations: inside the Andersonville Galleria, 5247 N. Clark, and at Vintage Pine, 904 W. Blackhawk, both in Chicago. Call 773-835-0821 or go to figaroantiques.com.

The perfect holiday clutch is at Club Monaco.

Please excuse my amateur photo skills.

The beaded “Jen” foldover clutch comes in silver, gold, gunmetal (kind of a pewter shade, shown above), black, and burgundy. The shape is basic and elegant and goes with almost anything–from dressy casual to a cocktail dress. With two compartments (a main one and a smaller one along the side, with little pockets for a cell phone or a card case), It’s big enough to fit all the essentials and then some–a godsend to those of us who find it impossible to leave the house with just cash and a lipstick. Totally versatile, you can wear it with jeans or a cocktail dress. Best of all, it originally retailed for just $79 and is now *on sale*. Unfortunately Club Monaco does not offer online shopping, but if you’re looking for a clutch that can carry you through the season, it’s definitely worth it to stop in to a store and take a look.

The first major snowfall in the Chicago area yesterday means you were probably scrambling around in the closet for your sturdy boots or some sort of protective footwear to brave the snowy, salty sidewalks. If you’re realizing that your ten-year-old hiking boots don’t quite work with your fabulous outfits, here are a couple ideas.

La Canadienne knows from making chic yet weatherproof boots, being based up north in Montreal. Many styles are waterproof and have microfiber linings that are antibacterial and wick away moisture to keep your tootsies warm and dry. The Tula is a nice mid-calf option, while the Tracy is a good basic flat style if you’re going to be running around a lot. Added bonus: the company is very eco-aware and uses high-quality Italian hides that are left over from the food industry, eco-friendly dyes and protective sealants, and even boxes made of recycled paper.

If you don’t want to give up your heels, consider the Shuella. The name is a play on “shoe umbrella,” and basically they are galoshes that are designed to slip over heels. No more toting rubber boots! Choose from basic black or cheery yellow, pink, or green. They even fold up into a little bag for easy storage.

Plus you’ll be supporting a local business–founder Rebecca Miller is a Chicagoan!