Editors Note: I encourage each of you to let go of the anxiety you have around your wardrobe and take action! So often we feel powerless and hopeless standing in front of hangers and shelves filled with clothes that we don’t like or that just don’t make any sense.  Take some time to get the fact around your closet and empower yourself to maximize what you already have. ~Nitika~

My fashion fantasy world is one where Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe meets Kimora Lee Simmons’ closet.   I spend hours watching Sex and the City episode, pausing to study Carrie’s wardrobe.  However, her actual closet left a bit to be desired.  Not only was it dark and narrow, but also her shoes and handbags were not properly displayed.  Fast forward to Sunday nights on the Style Network to Life In the Fab Lane, Kimora’s reality show.  The show is no Sex and the City. I usually watch Kimora on mute, but her closet is spectacular! Every garment, every handbag, every shoe has its very own space. She actually has museum quality lighting shining on every gold bit on her Hermes Birkin collection.

Following a Sunday fashion television marathon with Kimora and Carrie, I usually find myself in front of my computer trolling Bergdorf Goodman online, attempting to justify purchasing shoes that cost more than an average mortgage payment.  Somewhere in the middle of checkout, (I should clarify that the Sunday night online shopping never actually results in a purchase. You’ve heard of “fantasy football”?  Well, this is “fantasy shopping”) the proverbial angel on my shoulder rears her ugly head and my poor, tired American Express card goes back into my wallet.   It’s rather obvious that I have very expensive taste.  While I have a savings account, I prefer to think of it as a Birkin bag account.  The best way to add more zeros to your Birkin bag account is to shop smarter, starting in your own closet.

I am a bit of a fashion packrat.  Clothing is nostalgic to me.  Looking back at a little black cocktail dress that I wore to a party last year, reminds me of that amazing night. Rarely, I am able to give clothing away or sell it to a consignment shop.  I do have “favorites” and would likely wear that same little black dress every time I ventured out on the town.  My wardrobe OCD goes beyond a little black dress. I have a favorite pair of jeans, t-shirt and the most perfect men’s cut trousers.  On a recent shopping excursion, I realized two things: When did clothing get so expensive? And, I still like my little black dress more than what I’m seeing in Saks.  By the end of my afternoon, I found the answer to my fashion prayers. The perfect piece to bring all of my nostalgic clothes back to life (and save me a few dollars on new pieces at the same time): a perfectly shrunken little black leather jacket.

Leather jackets have come a long way from the thick, bulky strictly outerwear styles that seemed to dominate store racks a few years ago.  Beautiful, paper-thin lasers cut styles are available in a rainbow of colors at every price point.

I picked up a buttery, shrunken motorcycle jacket at Zara for under $300 to throw over a black strapless dress for a cocktail party.  It worked so well for that particular event that I have worn it almost everyday since.  It is the perfect addition to the casual weekend uniform of jeans and white t-shirt.  Sometimes I throw on a chunky gold necklace and a heel for the perfect dinner look.  A little leather jacket also works as an alternative to a blazer and is perfect with a wide leg trouser and crisp button down shirt.

This Sunday, I’m certain that I will be watching Carrie and Kimora’s closets. But, I won’t be compelled to buy everything and anything that I find online afterwards.  Instead, I will be digging through my own closet (very organized, but, no spotlights on my handbags, yet) and putting together outfits that will look fabulous with my gray leather jacket.

Mike & Chris

Dresden Leather Moto Jacket

$637.00

www.shopbop.com

Members Only Leather Aviator Jacket

$250.00

www.urbanoutfitters.com