'Law & Order' in Veronica Webb's Closet

Remember supermodel Veronica Webb from Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever" and "Malcolm X" movies? Well, her closet is in the spotlight today. The average career woman finds it hard to maintain one well-organized closet let alone a major one like Veronica Webb's, but Webb does it. Webb's fairly laid back when it comes to how she dresses. “I’m thrilled the boyfriend look is in. It’s so easy,” she says.

What is the "boyfriend" look, you ask? Well, it's a "male inspired" look (see photo on left) that had fashion runways on fire throughout the spring season. The wide-leg trousers and slouchy blazers were all the rave in the spring. I could have lived without the oversized tees, but hey, some women wore the look well. It's pretty much just finding some really cool, classy looking gear from...your boyfriend's closet and stepping out.

All Photo Credits / Michael Falco

But there’s nothing laid back about how Webb’s dresses are kept. Organization rules, right down to designated shelves for T-shirts, with printed labels spelling out which shelf is for short-sleeved ones and which is for long. Dozens of designer shoes, including 60 high heels, are individually packed in see-through containers. Items are hung by category (dresses here, shirts there), color (black to the left) and how often worn. For the latter, that means the dozen “fancy” shirts like a woven cotton Marni camisole reside on the far right. Clothing is all hung on clear hangers from the Container Store, to make everything easier to see and find.
“The worst thing in the world is you can’t find anything in your closet, everything’s wrinkled, you’re late and everything’s on the floor,” says Ms. Webb. “Come on, you’re not in college.” Her face so neutral it looks nearly devoid of makeup, Ms. Webb, 44, is wearing her “supermom-supermodel business attire” of a crisp black cotton suit and white shirt from Elizabeth and James, a line founded by celebrity sisters Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen.

Friends say Ms. Webb’s closet-style reflects her approach to life. “She is extremely organized. Veronica knows what she likes and what path she wants to be on in life,” says designer Rachel Roy.

Webb credited her organizational streak to her mother, who made her and her sisters lay out their clothes for the next day the night before. Growing up in a working-class family on Detroit’s east side, Webb said her clothes were homemade or from Sears, but she always wore and maintained her things as if they were from the finest boutiques. “I have absolutely no snobbery when it comes to clothes,” she says. The onetime model for Azzedine Alaia’s close-fitting designs added that with two kids, she wants things that are hassle-free. “There’s nothing tight in my closet right now.”