A wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear? This may be one of the most relatable statements there ever was. We have all experience the boredom and frustration that comes with being in a style rut. There are many reasons why we might find ourselves in this situation. Maybe you have experienced a big life change like having a baby, a new job or lifestyle, or you have moved to a new city. These are all situations where we find ourselves a bit lost in our style. It could be as simple as just purchasing the same things over and over causing boredom in our wardrobe. Whatever the reason, I have 5 quick and easy solutions to get you out of a style rut, and help you rediscover your personal style.
BEAT YOUR RAS
Your reticulated activating system (or RAS) in your brain creates unconscious bias, which keeps you reaching for the same pieces every morning. You may be completely oblivious to the gold already in your wardrobe. Enlist the help of a stylish friend to pull some looks from what is already in your wardrobe. Chances are, they will see things you cannot, simply because of the inner bias we hold.
GET PINNING
Set a few hours aside, pop on some music and settle in for an afternoon of research! Pull everything out of your wardrobe that’s either a) a go to piece you wear in the same few failsafe combinations every week or b) barely worn and thus, highly neglected and unloved. We are going to find new ways to wear these pieces. L
STEP 1: Log onto your Pinterest account and simply type in the item, followed by the keyword “outfit” or “street style”. For example you would type “blue shirt street style” and review all of the options that come up.
STEP 2: Pin anything you are naturally drawn to a new board.
STEP 3: Review your new board as a whole, and analyse each image. Try to recreate some of the looks using pieces in your wardrobe. If you have a great foundation of wardrobe basics, chances are you will be able to recreate many of the looks you find.
STEP 4: Hang your new outfits together in your wardrobe so you can keep track of them, or alternatively take a mirror selfie of the outfit so its always available for reference in your phone.
STEP 5: You can relax and feel quietly smug about all of the new outfits you just acquired without having to spend a cent.
BE INFLUENCED
Okay, well maybe not fully. It’s always good to maintain a level of personal style while being inspired by others. That said, I do find a lot of inspiration on Instagram. The key (and its not always simple) is to identify 2-3 influencers who have a similar style to you. Once you have identified this, then all you have to do is follow along with their account. Chances are if you have nailed the choice of influencer, then you will be attracted to new wardrobe pieces they are adding to their collection. While I do not advocate straight up copying (as I said, its good to maintain your personal style as much as possible), you will naturally be drawn to pieces they are purchasing and may wish to work them back into your own look. Odds are, the pieces being featured are from different stores to where you may usually shop and may stretch your style and make you experiment with new looks you wouldn’t necessarily have picked up in a store.
BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS
Hands up who has a short list of stores you hit when you go to a shopping centre. I get it, we are time poor beings without endless hours in a day to shop. I know I am super guilty of this and usually circulate 3 stores plus a Mecca before going home. I encourage you to broaden your horizons. Set aside an afternoon to spend time browsing and discovering stores. Maybe you go to a different shopping precinct and get lost in the boutiques, or perhaps you are at your local shopping centre but spend time in all the stores you would normally walk straight past. If you really cannot carve out an afternoon for a little shopping research, then set yourself the challenge of walking into one store you have not visited in six months (or ever) each time you visit your usual shopping haunt. If you are at a shopping centre twice a month, then that’s two new stores that your wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. Breaking out of your usual routine will challenge your RAS and invite the new into your life (and wardrobe!)
ENLIST THE SERVICES OF A STYLIST
If you are feeling particularly lost, then consider working with a personal stylist. A personal stylist can help you to cultivate an exciting wardrobe centred around your personal style, as well as stretching you and encouraging you to try things you may not have noticed before, but are actually perfect for you. The third party advice is so helpful in not only expanding your RAS, but educating you on your personal style and giving you tools that will support you in your style journey moving forward.
So there you have it, five simple solutions for you to takeaway and try for yourself to help lift you out of that style rut and elevate your personal style.
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