Are you in a post-holiday hangover? After all – the holiday frenzy basically started in November and ran through early January, so it’s no surprise if you’re still feeling the effects. And you probably put a lot of effort into your style over the holidays, so your style energy may be at an all-time low. The good news is that if you’re looking to revive your look for the new year, there are a few key things you can do in just minutes a day to polish your appearance, spruce up your style and simply enjoy your wardrobe more.
PREP YOUR OUTFITS
This may sound like a big style ‘duh’ (and I’m sure you’ve heard this from me before), but pulling your outfit the night before can completely revamp your look. Believe me - 5 purposeful minutes at night can save 15 stressful minutes the next morning. Why is this such a game changer?
It takes the pressure of deciding what to wear out of your morning routine and shifts it to a time when you can better focus.
You’re not figuring out what to wear as you’re getting dressed – so there’s no, “I’ve already got these pants on, so what do I wear with them?” moments.
It’s peace of mind knowing that you’ve got one decision taken care of before going to bed.
You’ll minimize last-minute fashion emergencies, like forgetting that your favorite sweater is at the dry cleaner, or not being able to find the other shoe.
You can create looks with those things in your wardrobe that are harder to outfit – so you’ll get to enjoy some of your favorite (but perhaps less versatile) pieces!
COMPILE A RUNNING LIST OF NEEDS
If one of your style challenges is creating finished, pulled-together outfits, then you may have some holes in your wardrobe. And by ‘holes’, I mean specific items that are missing from your closet and preventing you from feeling like your outfits are complete. So, how can you figure out what the holes are?
Keep a pad and pen on your dresser (or a note in your phone) – and every time you can’t complete an outfit, write down what you need. You may not know what the specific item is that’s missing (like a neutral structured blazer), but you will know the function that needs to be filled (a jacket or similar item to make your top and jeans feel more polished). And as this list grows, it becomes the list you work from the next time you go shopping. You’ll not only recognize what’s truly missing from your wardrobe, you’ll minimize shopping trips where you come home with more of what you already have and less of what you really need. If you’re looking to make your shopping trips even more successful, check out my best tips here.
LOOK FOR INSPIRATION
A big challenge for many of my clients is that they know what they don’t like, but they’re not sure what they do like. So, before you clean out your closet or spend any money on clothes, it pays to figure out what you like and the overall style vibe you’re going for.
This doesn’t need to be a big project or a deep dive into your psyche – it can be a pretty simple process. As you’re scrolling through social media or checking out your favorite blogs or even people-watching on your lunch hour, take a minute to notice outfits that you like. And then take another second to figure out why you really like it – it may be the color or the cut or how it’s put together, or the overall attitude of the outfit. Whatever it is, it helps you hit the ground running when you’re considering an update to your style. And when you’re ready to devote more time to finding inspiration, read this for the method I recommend to clients.
If you’re ready to update your style, create an intentional image or simply make getting dressed easier, just let me know! I’d love to be your partner in the process of feeling better about how you look, everyday – click here to schedule a free phone consultation.
Cover photos from Kendi Everyday, Simply Cyn, Girl with Curves. Other photos from a client styling session & my ‘Her Style’ Pinterest board.