28 M_Cover.qxp:COVER - Mitchells | Richards

essay
CLOSET THERAPY
SOMETIMES, THE ANSWERS TO LIFE’S QUESTIONS AREN’T IN YOUR
BRAIN. THEY’RE IN YOUR CLOSET. BY JAMES RARUS
A former boss, the president of a
luxury apparel firm, used to scream
at me: “You know what your problem is? You think too
much! Just sell!” Today, I work for myself. I play
menswear psychologist and at a psychologist’s rate,
though I’m not a doctor.
Analyze this: Twice yearly, menswear merchants fill
their shops with thoughtfully selected apparel, transforming
their stores into virtual treasure troves of luxury.
A man’s closet should be a similar treasure trove, the
clothes he pulls out each morning helping to determine
if people will buy into his personality, business acumen,
credibility, or whatever he’s selling.
I recently worked with a client in his cedar paneled
closet. His trousers, dress shirts and blazers hung evenly
spaced on cedar hangers. His shoes rested in perfect rows,
his belts and ties were arranged meticulously.
I thought about this client, a bachelor with a high
finance job: trim physique, handsome features, great hair,
beautiful clothes. But then a flash: he owned no sweaters!
Mother Nature took the time to create this perfect specimen,
almost begging to be wrapped in luxurious fabrics,
and not one cashmere knit!
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I looked around his spectacular apartment with its
expansive views of Central Park and envisioned the
women he’d soon date thanks to this newly conceived
wardrobe. A breakthrough moment, said my inner Freud.
Want your own breakthrough? Think of your favorite
store as your closet; then think of your wardrobe as a jazz
song with layered textures, colors, tones and dimensions
to help showcase your own unique qualities.
Soon after shrinking my client’s head with this music
metaphor, he became the proud owner of a dozen twoand
four-ply cashmere knits and a few merinos in masculine
shades both deep and pale. His wardrobe is now
balanced with casually elegant cardigans, turtlenecks,
V-necks and crews; his tailored clothing pieces now
double as sportswear. His love life has improved, too:
wearing an outfit of his own creation featuring a knit
cardigan, he recently met the woman of his dreams.
When people ask me what I do for a living, I often
say, “I alter men’s perceptions of their closets so that
when they get dressed each day, they’re energized
and inspired.” To which they usually respond, “You
think too much! But let me ask you a question. Can I
wear…?”