New Year... Renew your Personal Style
/New Year, New You! So many of us say this and set out to clean up our diet and hit the gym. Let's face it; we're probably going to quit the gym. It's also likely that we'll abandon the diet. I'm not trying to be negative. I appreciate what women are trying to accomplish with these resolutions. The truth is that we make these resolutions because we want to feel and look better.
If you want to look and feel better without trying to morph yourself into something you're not, invest that energy into your wardrobe and your personal style. Clothes that help you feel confident and comfortable can be the key to meeting this goal.
Stop scrolling. All that social media will leave you feeling not so great about yourself and most of the clothes and fashion your seeing, is not meant for you or your body type. Take a break from social media and use that time to figure out what DOES work for your body, and you'll be rocking your personal style in no time! If you need some help figuring out what you should be wearing, check out these blogs: How to Find Your Personal Style After Your 20’s, Define Your Style and Learn How to Dress for Your Body Type.
Push your boundaries. Take something into the dressing room that you would NEVER wear and try it on. New colors and color combinations can be fun to try. Don't be held back by arbitrary rules, break free, and try something new.
Focus on what you have as opposed to buying something new. We all love an excuse to shop, but for so many of us, we do it because we think we'll find this magical item that will make the whole event so perfect. In reality, you probably have something in your closet that will look just as good. If you want to change up an outfit that's already in your wardrobe, try looking at it a little different. You can add a cuff to your jeans to change up the fit, pair a t-shirt with a blazer, or wear a summer dress all year long by adding a sweater and booties.
Shake up your closet. If you find yourself looking for an excuse to shop, you're probably not using your wardrobe the right way, and it's probably time to shake things up. An easy way to do this is to take out the items that you always wear and store them somewhere for a little bit. This trick will force you to spend time with the stuff you don't wear as often and force you to figure out how to wear different clothes.
Shop Your Closet Tip … Break up the outfit.
I'm giving you permission from this day forward to break up the outfit. Wear the top with a different bottom, and wear the bottoms with a different top. Voila…two new outfits right from the pieces you already own. Suits are great wardrobe building blocks... but don't always get so much wear. To reinvent the suit, wear the jacket as a blazer with a top and jeans. And wear the pants with a blouse or sweater to give it new life.
Stop holding on to clothes that you will never wear. If there are items that are "just ok" or are stretched out and full of holes, toss them. Go through your closet and get rid of anything that doesn't spark joy (shout out to Marie Kondo.) When you hold on to old things, you're not open to finding better things. You will be much happier with ten items that make you happy than fifty mediocre items.
Make it easy to get dressed. You won't put together things that make you happy when you're rushing to get the kids to school and you to work. Pre-plan your outfits that you feel good about and take a picture of them. This practice will make it easy to know what clothes work together and the best way to accessorize.
Make a switch. Most of us have a fallback item. We're always in leggings or jeans or a particular style shirt. Try naming your item and saying, "instead of X, I'm going to wear Y." You don't need to redo everything, make one change, and it will get you out of the rut.
When in doubt, ask for help. Whatever your struggle is when it comes to loving your personal style, I can help. A personal stylist is an investment, just like joining a gym or trying a particular meal plan. A good stylist will make the most of what you have before investing in additional pieces. A good stylist will also make you make better choices in the future so you can continue to grow and adjust your wardrobe with intention.