I am most certainly a stylishly-challenged nerd, far more comfortable in tattered jeans and a big floppy sweatshirt than khakis and a sports coat. Picking an appropriate outfit for different occasions has always mystified me. I am more likely to win the lottery than identify a good combination of colors and patterns. I think you get the picture. Both my interest and aptitude in fashion is low. Imagine my “thrill” when my wife presented me with a birthday gift of what she described as a few hours with Ali to go through my closet, weed out my wardrobe, and get some lessons on what items goes with what. Honestly this did not sound like my idea of a good Saturday afternoon. However, never one to be unappreciative of a thoughtful gift, I dutifully put the date on my calendar (scheduled as far into the future as I thought acceptable without being offensive) and tried my best to forget about the impending event. The appointed hour approached, as my wife began counting down the days. Eventfully Ali arrived. I attempted to confuse her by having a friend (an even worse dresser than I am) visiting when she showed up. Ali clearly was not one to be easily distracted. We sat on the couch for a few minutes. She asked me a surprisingly small number of questions about likes and dislikes, typed a few notes into her laptop, and announced the time had come to head for my closet. Somehow during our brief introduction, Ali managed to convey the possibility that this might actually be fun. We spent a few hours sorting through everything I owned. We began with old tee-shirts (she actually understood that these have emotional attachments that go beyond fashion). I took this non-confrontational start as a good omen for the rest of the event. We followed tees by trying on jeans, pants, shirts, and jackets � trashing surprisingly few items. At the same time she organized my closet in a way that now helps me keep track of what goes with what. The two hour session ended after what seemed like a very short time. Ali left me with a slightly emptier but much better organized closet, some thoughts on items to buy to fill a few wardrobe gaps, plus a new appreciation for grey corduroys combined with pink or purple shirts. To my tremendous surprise, I can honestly say that my visit with Ali was both useful and fun. Best of all, my wife is now happy about my wardrobe (although I will still play it safe ask her opinion on what to wear to special occasions).
