Who: Mecca James-Williams, stylist
The Storage Secret: My best-kept secret is splitting my closets! Living between Jamaica and New York, with vastly different weather, I have a winter closet and a main/summer closet. It keeps my pieces organized, and allows me to see, clean, and repair any pieces from other closets that are in their down season.
The MVP Items: I have become a wood hangers-only person over time. I love the way they support garments; the wood bottom hangers are perfect too. (Folding every piece on a top hanger in my closet makes it difficult to view and source through them.) I am also a big fan of closet fresheners; These scented ones from PFR are perfect, and have the most calming, natural scents. I also use these Damprid ones to help keep any unwanted moisture and mold from developing in my closets.
The Rotation Schedule: Every year, I do a deep clean. I used to have yearly stoop sales in New York for my fashion community, but now that I live on an island, I use reselling platforms like The Real Real and Poshmark or utilize my Instagram stories for direct sales. My rules for keeping things have changed: I hold onto more nowadays, and really prioritize pieces for my archive and to pass down to my niece or future daughter. My rules focus on value (cost per wear), brand importance for future value, and the item’s condition. I’ve learned to hold onto pieces even if they feel out of trend now, as I’ve gotten rid of pieces in the past and regretted it.
The Small Stuff: I also have a closet of accessories. I took one of the small closets in my bedroom and installed shelves that can hold my jewelry and sunglass trays, handbags, buckets of swimwear, T-shirts, and all the little bits in between. From a stylist’s perspective, you can never go wrong with beautiful jewelry trays and clear viewable bins. I organize them by type, which helps me keep things in place and prevents tarnishing or damage.
The Front-of-Closet Favorite: Satin and silk button downs from Bode, Wales Bonner, and Dries Van Noten; vintage graphic tees I pair with denim skirts; classic high-waist jeans and shorts from brands like Moussy; sweaters from Gap and Banana Republic. My daily wardrobe focuses on easy, light layers suitable for my mostly tropical terrain.