It’s a familiar story. When it comes to getting dressed, most everyone opens their closet and is faced with wayyyy too much stuff. Reactions to the “I’ve got a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear” dilemma can be a combination of frustration, confusion, anxiety and guilt. It’s usually followed by the urge to go out and shop for new clothes and the belief that shopping will fix the problem. It’s a vicious circle AND usually untrue.
The fact is that shopping for more clothing can add to the problem. (Yikes!) It begs the question, what’s a girl to do? Check out some common wardrobe woes and the action steps that can take you from wardrobe “miffed” to wardrobe bliss.
Wardrobe Woe: You look into your closet and think, “I hate everything in here.”
Most often people who think this are frustrated that, after all their shopping, they still don’t have great outfits to wear.
What I have found is that often people have some fab pieces in their closet, but there is too much clutter that gets in the way. Clutter is distracting. What’s more, it can make it difficult to harness one’s creativity and put cohesive (and stylish) outfits together.
The next time you think you hate everything in your closet, take a few minutes to edit a few things that you know you’re not going to wear again. By thinning out your closet even a little bit, you will be able to see the forest from the trees and find inspiration in a “new” hero piece that may have been overlooked.
Wardrobe Woe: You look into your closet, see the price tags on items, and think, “I’ve made so many mistakes!”
Clothes with tags still hanging on them aren’t necessarily mistakes. Most likely you had time to make those purchases but haven’t made time to actually work those new pieces into outfits.
Don’t make yourself wrong for not wearing what you’ve purchased. Instead schedule some time with yourself on a day when you’re not rushed. Take a new item out of the closet, put it on and try to make an outfit that pleases you. Repeat as necessary.
Wardrobe Woe: You look into your closet and think, “I’m buying clothes that just aren’t me anymore.”
This is a very common thought for women and one that could be true. When changes happen in life, it often suggests a change in the wardrobe. Initial attempts at figuring out what that means could lead to buying clothes that aren’t right for you, right now.
Here a few examples of these life changes:
- A woman leaves a corporate career and wants to take a year to figure out what her next chapter will be. She wants to look different than she did as a corporate executive but isn’t sure how.
- A woman enters a certain stage in her life. Her body – and maybe her size – has changed but her closet has not.
- A woman leaves a marriage, enters single life, but wants to start dating again. She doesn’t know the way to send the “I’m available” signal, in a way that feels authentic and appropriate.
Regardless of what shifts take place, it’s very common for us to keep buying the styles we’ve always worn, from the brands we already know. When your life changes but your wardrobe hasn’t, I encourage you to create a mood or Pinterest board of clothing items/ outfits that you’re drawn to today. See if there are any similarities in the pieces you select and, more importantly, how they differ from what’s currently in your closet. Then schedule a mock shop where your intention is not to buy, but rather to try on and see how you feel about these new options.
I believe that your closet should be a daily source of inspiration. What’s more, you deserve to look and feel great in your clothing. If you’d like some assistance with resolving any of your wardrobe woes, I’m here to help. Simply contact me for a complimentary discovery call~
