Are you into New Year’s resolutions? Me neither. I don’t know if it’s the idea of an externally imposed timeline to plan the next 12 months. Or that it’s too soon after the holidays. Or just that I’m not in the mood. But I never make big shifts in January (spring always feels like better timing to me).
But what I sometimes do is make small shifts. Little things and minor updates – because these can have a big impact. So, if you’re ready to shift your style (with some small tweaks to your routine). And if you’re ready to shake up how you get dressed (in a completely gentle way). Here are 5 small steps to upgrade your style for 2024 - and none of them include shopping.
GET INSPIRED
If you’ve been unhappy with your style for a while, you’re not alone. It’s incredibly frustrating when you don’t like what you’re wearing (or even most of what’s in your closet). But what can you do about it? First, I’ll tell you what not to do about it – don’t go shopping. Because if you haven’t put any thought into why you’re unhappy, you’ll probably buy more of the same. And end up feeling the exact same way.
So, the first step I recommend to upgrade your style is to get inspired. Look around for examples of what you like. Find photos of outfits that feel like you – or even just an aspect of an outfit that strikes you. And there are a bunch of ways you can do it:
Screenshot the heck out of things you find online and save them to a folder in your phone. Check out bloggers/influencers, online style magazines, brands that you frequent or anywhere else there are pictures of items/outfits/styles that resonate with you.
Create a Pinterest board dedicated to your style and save images there (here’s the exact Pinterest exercise I give to my clients). And get into the habit of adding to it regularly (as opposed to doing it in one sitting).
Follow more style accounts on social media. Look for a mix of people that vibe with your style - and also people with a similar body shape/size (and then save posts/images as per above).
The main idea is to get visual examples of what you like – outfits and ideas that make sense for your lifestyle, that align with what you like and that light you up.
And before I go any further, a quick clarification - you don’t need to just find complete outfits that you’d wear on a daily basis. It’s ok to find images with one (or two) aspects that you’re drawn to. For example, you may never wear a full suit to work – but you love how someone wears a blazer over a striped t-shirt. Or you may not dress up much – but you love the color combination you find in a picture of a dressy outfit. Here are some concrete examples of taking style inspiration and translating it to outfit reality.
If you’re thinking, “Paul, I have a decent handle on my style. But I’m just bored.” Here’s what you can do (especially if you feel like you’re in a rut of wearing the same things the same way):
Pick an item that you want to wear more, or just wear differently that you usually do. Because you may love the slip skirt you bought for the holidays - but if you’re only wearing it with one top, you’re not enjoying it as much as you could.
Jump on Pinterest to get ideas of other ways to wear it. If you’ve only worn your slip skirt for dressy occasions, search for ‘casual slip skirt outfits’. Or ‘slip skirt and boots’. Or ‘business casual slip skirt outfits’.
Refine your searches by where you’re wearing it, when you’re wearing it, what you’re wearing it with, or the vibe you’re going for. Like ‘minimal slip skirt outfits’ or ‘slip skirt outfits summer’ or ‘slip skirt day outfit’.
And then once you have a handful of outfit ideas, play in your closet. Try on a bunch of outfits inspired by what you found. And see what clicks. And when something does click, take a photo of the outfit - to store in your new ‘my outfit ideas’ folder on your phone.
PICK YOUR OUTFIT THE NIGHT BEFORE
I’ve been sharing this tip for years. Because it works. Picking your outfit the night before allows you to be more intentional about what you’re wearing (definitely more than in the few minutes you typically give yourself). My general rule is that 5 minutes the night before can save you 15 minutes of indecision the next morning. Because picking your outfit the night before:
Allows you to be thoughtful about what you’re putting together. You can check the weather, look at your schedule and create a purposeful outfit – without the pressure of having to put it on right away.
Removes stress from what might already be a hectic morning (let alone the comfort of knowing what you’re wearing before you go to bed). And who doesn’t want to make one less decision in the morning?
Lets you figure out if something is missing to complete your outfit. Or switch gears if your favorite shirt is in the hamper. Or deal with a torn seam. Or address a bunch of different things that could derail you from wearing what you intended - and then making a last-minute outfit decision (that you might regret later).
And if you’re thinking, “Paul, I’ll never do that.” Just do it tomorrow. And 2 or 3 days a week for the next month. And then email me to let me know how it worked out.
TAKE OUTFIT SELFIES
If you’ve never taken a selfie of your outfit, it might feel weird. But then once you do it, it’s an easy habit to get into. And if you’re not into taking a mirror selfie in your outfit, just take a photo of your clothes laid out on your bed before you get dressed (another thing you can do the night before). You can use outfit selfies in a few ways:
Use them to record great outfits that you want to repeat. Because you think you’ll remember the boots that work best with those jeans (but you might not).
Use them to document what you’re wearing more. And what you’re wearing less. Take a photo everyday – and then do a quick review at the end of the month to discover any habits, things you’d like to keep doing and things you’d like to adjust (there are style apps that are great for this, too).
If you’d like to go one step further, use selfies to record feedback on your outfits. Rate your outfit from 1-10 (based on how you felt in it). Or write down some notes. This is specifically useful if you’re trying something new and still getting used to it (read this for 4 low commitment ways to try something new).
FIX WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED
You know the pants that need to be shortened (before you can wear them with flats)? And the coat that’s missing a button? And the stain that you need to try and get out (again)? Do it.
Take your shoes to the cobbler. Set up a regular dry cleaning pickup. Finally go to the tailor (but first, read this for a few things to know about tailoring). This may seem like something minor – but anything that allows you to enjoy what you already own is totally worth it.
DRESS THURSDAYS
Yes, this one needs a little explanation - so stick with me. Let’s say you want to wear dresses more in cold weather. But it just never seems to happen. The occasion never seems to arise, or you just forget about it. So, pick a day of the week that you’ll commit to wearing a dress – like ‘dress Thursdays’. Do it for a month (at minimum), and then give yourself feedback to see if you’ll keep it up.
And you can easily do this with any aspect of your wardrobe. Try out ‘more color Mondays’. Or ‘layer Wednesdays’. Or ‘dress up Fridays’. Or anything that you want to do – but you need a gentle nudge to put into action.
Which of these small steps will you implement first? Do you have any other things you’re doing to upgrade your style this year? Leave a comment to let me know.
Are you ready to upgrade your style (but you’re not sure if you can do it on your own)? Click here to read about the process I’ve used with 350+ clients to create an intentional, user-friendly wardrobe that works for your everyday life. And if you like what you see, fill out this quick form to get more information on my current timing and pricing. Because you deserve to feel great in your clothes – and this is the year you can do it.