Forbes.com 01.09.07
Hitting the gym, calling mom more often and cutting down on caffeine are universal goals come January. Less common, though just as important, fashion experts say, is reinvigorating your wardrobe.
With makeover madness hitting its annual January peak, major department stores and small boutiques are armed with personal shoppers and style experts to give you the right advice for the perfect look. Whether you want to add some new pieces or pare down what already exists, the key to honing your look, they say, is to take your time.
“We live by a mantra here and it is to ‘go slow’ when it comes to wardrobe changes,” says David L. Chin, director of Men’s Fifth Avenue Club, a personal shopping service for men at Saks (nyse: SKS - news - people ) Fifth Avenue. “If someone really wants a new look, it’s better to slowly ease them into new pieces. If a client wants to try wearing flat-front pants, we give them maybe one or two to start out if they are used to wearing pleats. If they want to try a new designer, we suggest a couple supplemental pieces as opposed to a whole new wardrobe. You can’t go from wearing Hickey Freeman to suddenly wearing Paul Smith--it will look too drastic and jarring.”