How many times have you perused your closet looking at a sea of clothing and said “I have nothing to wear”? I recently was getting ready to go out to meet some friends for dinner and I was looking at my closet but in my mind, I couldn’t find anything to wear. When I’m in this funk I always try on a zillion things then end up wearing one of my repeat go-to outfits that I am comfortable in and I know it fits me right. At the end of the day that sounds pretty normal right? In reality, it’s actually a boring and safe move.
During the day when I’m motivated and stealing time to look at fashion blogs I think about all the different looks and outfits I can put together with my current clothing selection. After all, clothing reflects you! It showcases your personal style and how you want to present your image to the world. It’s an expression of your creativity — this should be a fun process, not toilsome!
Why is it then when it comes to getting dressed I tend to fall into my same old same outfits I love, but have worn plentifully? The worst part is while I lean on my staples I find myself ordering new items online and feeling the glee over receiving that new dress, shoes or belt which I don’t even end up wearing anytime soon! I recently was having one of these nights and I found several tops and dresses that still had the tags on… how dumb is that? At some point I bought these items loving them, so how did they end up getting continuously getting looked as I kept wearing my staple outfits in lieu of my new goods?
That’s when it dawned on me. I need to have a self-inflicted intervention and give myself a “One Month Clothing Challenge”. If you have found yourself in this same predicament I recommend you give yourself this challenge as well. Not only does it give you a chance to save your money and not buy things you don’t need, but you can also branch out and become more creative with what you already have and get an appreciation for some of those items that are sitting stagnant when they need a night out on the town!
Remember not only is this challenge about refraining from buying new items for a month, but it’s about not wearing any of your favorite go-to items as well. I decided it was time, my intervention worked. All of my favorite items that get worn weekly I moved to a separate area in my closet which was the contraband area. I was not going to lean on these as a crutch no matter what for 1 month.
Off the bat this was challenging but a very fun experiment in creativity and appreciation for what I already own! I wore several tops that had the tags on which I happily removed and gave an opportunity to be brought out in public. I wore forgotten dresses that I once loved and skirts paired with blouses and belts I never dared to previously! I was working my inner Anna Wintour for this month and I loved it!
It was not easy to get dressed in the sense that I had to dip into my creativity more than I normally would if I’m rushed or not in the mood to glam up but the fun thing is, the outfits can span from normcore to working your runway look. You would be surprised what you have hiding in your closet! The best thing about style today is that truly anything goes so you have an opportunity to flaunt any look and as long as you own it, you will feel and look good. Best of luck when you do decide to have your 1 month challenge and I promise it will be a fun and creative experiment!