Do You Know Why You Have NOTHING To Wear??

 Image via bjutie.com


 The "Nothing to Wear" Complex

You just got out of the shower and you're standing there in your towel staring into your closet.

You try on a few things and rip them off.

You try on a few more.

Nothing's right. Nothing "goes."

Defeated you throw your arms in the air and declare "I have NOTHING to wear!"

We all have declared it at some point.  "I have NOTHING to wear!!!", while standing in front of a closet filled with clothing.

How does it happen? 

How did you get here?

Well, let me explain it to you.

The WHY and HOW of "Nothing to Wear"

Most of us have too much in our closets for getting dressed to be easy. There's way too much to choose from, and it's confusing and frustrating.  In fact it's called the 20/80 Theory: we wear 20% of what we own 80% of the time.  Sad isn't it?  All that unworn clothing in there.

Think of the top shelf of your closet.  Do you even know what's up there? When's the last time you wore any of it? 

Other reasons are that most of us fluctuate in weight and don't have clothing in the proper sizes, or we are "sticking with what works", and that usually means we have clothing that is 5 (or 10) years old in our closets. 

There is probably a reason for each and every piece of clothing you don't wear in your closet (or that you do wear, but you hate) that tells me why it's wrong for you, and hence! why you are not wearing it!

The Bottom Line?

What's in your closet is not right for you, in other words, it's the wrong clothing.

There are many possible reasons as to WHY a piece of clothing is "wrong", some are:

Wrong size

An ill fit

Wrong Fabric

Wrong color

Wrong silhouette (shape)

Stains

Comfort

Out-of-Date Trends

Wrong Season

Poor quality (likely a bad fit)

Missing Pieces (in order to create cohesive Outfits)

To Sum It Up

Therefore, every morning you are pushing past clothes that don't fit, that are wrong in season, that are old, that you're sick of, that are uncomfortable, and that don't go with anything else - the list goes on and on, it's no wonder it's so hard to get dressed and love what you're wearing and how you feel in it!

So, How Do You Fix It?

How do you fix it? Identify the problems that got you there in the first place, eliminate what's wrong and start collecting pieces that are RIGHT for you and that you feel great in.

The Problems

Problem 1: Not Knowing What's Best for YOUR Unique Shape and Coloring

Retailers don't organize their clothing by which fabrics, silhouettes, and colors are best for you (wouldn't that be great!), so of course it's confusing when you have to charter the waters yourself. You could go in and buy whatever catches your eye, sure, but are you showing your body in the most flattering way possible? Probably not.

If you walk into a store not knowing which styles work on your body and which do not, you may make pricey shopping mistakes.

What worked on your body 5 or 10 years ago may not be what works now. Our bodies change and our wardrobes need to evolve and change with them. What worked on me 5 years ago doesn't necessarily work on me now, likewise for 5 years from now. It may be detrimental to stick with what has "worked" for you your whole life, as it may not be working at all!

The other problem with not knowing which clothing is best for you is a biggie. If you don't know, you are susceptible to being swayed by magazines, TV, advertisements or marketing to tell you which style is "right" for you. The media wants to convince you that you NEED what they want to SELL to you. If it does not flatter you, you do not need it, I don't care how "flattering" the skinny jean or how "chic" the high-waisted pant, if it's not for your shape -- leave it in the store. There will be plenty of trends to come along that you can pull off, that other people can't. Hurray!

Thirdly, if you don't know, you may turn to friends or family to help steer your purchase decisions, which also may not inspire the smartest purchase decisions.

Getting easier to see why most of us end up with a closet of "wrongs" isn't it?

Problem 2: Shopping Pitfalls

Problem 2 is really just the second segment of Problem 1.

Most women are emotional shoppers. This is a problem in itself. Women are drawn to what they think they NEED at the time of purchase. How we are feeling in that moment affects our purchase decisions. The need could have been created by an ad, our co-workers, a woman on the street, a mannequin in the store, a salesperson in the store, a magazine, or a TV show.

Learning how to turn off your emotional component while shopping is key if you want to shop efficiently and without mistakes. It's not the easiest thing to do in the world, but I can attest to saving hundreds of dollars by learning to turn off my emotions while out shopping. I can teach you my strategies that have worked for me.

Sale, Clearance and Outlet Shopping Pitfalls

Sale and Clearance shopping (outlets included) can be a huge problem. I cannot tell you how many closets I've edited and the "reject" pile was full of sale and clearance items, some with tags still on. Twenty or thirtly sale items could easily total hundreds of dollars. Many people think they are getting a lot of bang for their buck with sale clothing, but if the item is wrong, it's a waste of money, not saving money.

OK, so you know the why and the how of what's gone wrong in your closet, and you're probably wondering how to fix it once and for all.

The Solution: Knowledge is Power

Once you are armed with information about your shape, your best silhouettes, your best fabrics, your best colors and what to absolutely stay away from, you have the power as the consumer to cut through the "must-haves" of the season in stores and get to what you really need to flatter your body, look great and feel comfortable everyday.

I will teach you which clothing is right for your unique body type, the right colors for your skin tone and haircolor, and which fabrics are best for your trouble areas for maximum camouflaging.

I will teach you how to navigate the stores to get to what you need (or want!) for YOUR unique body and show you strategies for taking the emotional component out of shopping.

I will teach you to "shop" in your own closet in order to put fresh, updated outfits together for days when you're sick of your clothes.

I can teach you how to pack a versatile "capsule wardrobe" for business or pleasure trips so you can pack efficiently and not take your entire closet. (No schlepping through the airport here!)

Please click the Services tab on the right for a list of other convenient services available to you.

A Final Note: Why Looking your Best is Valuable

How we feel about the way we look contributes hugely to our self-esteem. Self-esteem is extremely important for a happy, successful life.

The way you look can make or break you career and if you aren't presenting your best outward self to the world, it may be holding you back from being your happiest self.

Why not feel great about yourself no matter your age, income, weight or body shape? I believe everyone can look great no matter what with the right clothes.

Presenting the best you, inside and out, to the world shoes that you respect yourself, that you have high self-esteem and that you want to project an inviting image to others.

I believe the time to start presenting the best version of yourself to the world is now, whether you want to lose a few pounds or not. After all, the right clothes can make you look like you've lost 10 pounds already!

Seize the day and put some effort in to look your best today - I bet it'll change your mood for the better!