How To Organize Your Closet with Designer Avra Myers

Avra with daughter Rebecca in the South End shop, Michelle Willey; Avra’s closet. Photos provided.

For a fresh fall wardrobe, organizing your closet is as important as shopping for the right pieces. Enter, Avra Myers, the style expert who earned her chops by heading up merchandizing for Club Monaco and J.Jill, and who’s well-seasoned in the likes of both.

Now the designer of A Ruby, her own line which features chic French-inspired essentials, Myers keeps her look classic and minimal—think, the perfect white shirt and polished black leggings. Her favorite shopping partner is her daughter Rebecca, and when in town, she loves the timeless wares at Boston shop, Michelle Willey.

For an ideal closet space, Avra admires simple, stylish organizing that makes the idea of getting dressed for work seem exciting. Here are some guidelines for getting it right.

1. Do add pieces you love to give your closet a personality. For Avra, this means an Argentinian pony skin desk chair from the 1920s, a favorite Miu Miu bag, and a cuddly teddy bear. Don’t get bored—change your display often to inspire creative outfits. 

2. Do arrange your closet by color hues, and focus on building a collection of neutrals that goes beyond black with cream, camel, and grey pieces. Don’t plan to dress in more than two colors at the same time, unless you’re wearing a print.

3. Do buy color, but don’t spend a lot on it. Brighter shades should make you happy and accent neutral pieces, but they don’t have to be overly pricy.

4. Do assess what you have and keep only what you love. If you haven’t worn it for a year, donate it to charity, but don’t get rid of things that have sentimental value.

Designer Avra Myers in A Ruby’s Moto Legging, and dog, Rocky. Photo provided.