Fashion has not exactly been at the forefront of many of our minds for the past two years. However, now that we can start seeing our friends again, head over to our favorite café for a light bite to eat, or even go out to bars or for a night on the town, many of us are frantically scanning Pinterest and other fashion websites to put together the ultimate outfit for celebrating a return to normality. The world is our runway again, and it is time to start showing off the fashion inspiration we have saved up to debut at this very moment.
That being said, what happens if you do not know where to begin? What if you have been sitting in sweatpants and have only shown your hair the brush every couple of days? What if the messy bun is your go-to hairstyle, and you are not sure you ever really want to wear jeans again?
Don't worry: you are not alone if you feel like this. In fact, a lot can change in two years, and that is not just fashion. Our sense of style changes, our tastes in clothes and what we feel comfortable in can also change, and then all of a sudden, we find ourselves wearing something that does not feel like 'us' anymore. Despite the fact that these are the clothes we have worn for years!
If you are in this position, this piece will discuss what steps you can take to overhaul your look, so you can start wearing something that makes you feel your best.
Begin the Purge
Before you can work on what you want to bring into your closet, it is best to get rid of everything that no longer makes you happy. You can either use the Marie Kondo method for everything, asking if it sparks joy, or you can go for a pragmatic approach and start with the clothes that no longer fit you properly or fit well.
Our body shape can change as we get older, which means that certain items that used to look great on us can now look a little strange. This is because we lose our muscle mass, and our extra weight starts to cling to certain areas of the body just that little bit harder.
Therefore, it can be a good idea to go through your closet every three to six years or so to see if everything still fits well.
Next, throw out anything that you just do not feel good in anymore or does not make you happy to wear. These items could still fit you well but just might not feel like 'you' anymore. Create yourself a 'trash' pile and a 'donate' pile, and give your clothes that are in perfectly good condition a second chance at life by donating them to your local thrift store.
Doing these two steps will help give you the base you need to work with. Ideally, you should only have clothes that fit you well and make you happy in your closet before you start to think about introducing anything else.
Focus On Staple Pieces
The next step that can help you overhaul your wardrobe is to look for staple pieces that will stand the test of time,but also items that you are comfortable in.
But what are staple pieces?
The idea behind staple pieces is that there is a collection of clothes that will A) never go out of style and B) is very easily matched with other pieces for seamless outfit creation. A common piece of fashion advice when it comes to staple pieces is that splurging on them is encouraged. This is because you want them to be high quality and to last well. That being said, you do not have to go out and get yourself a bunch of staple pieces you are not interested in.
There is no point buying yourself a turtleneck if you do not like the cut and will not wear it, no matter how many French magazines say it is a 'must have' for an effortlessly chic look. This is true for anything else that is hailed as a staple piece!
However, it is worth looking at them for inspiration, as there will be some that you will definitely want to involve in your wardrobe, such as a good pair of jeans or linen trousers, and some that will give you a better understanding of what your personal staples are.
This will allow you to look for clothes that fit in your ideal of staples, and you can build your wardrobe around those, safe in the knowledge that you will always have something to wear that will make you feel confident.
Create A Vision Board
Fashion and personal style are extremely visual, and sometimes it can be difficult for us to understand what exactly it is that excites us. There can be a big difference between what we like the look of on other people, and what we would want to wear or be comfortable wearing ourselves. However, you will never know unless you give it a go!
The best place to start when considering what you might like to wear is to create yourself a vision board. This can be done any way you like, but many find Pinterest an easy platform to use for this activity. You can use any picture you see on the internet of any outfit or style that you like and pin it to your style vision board.
Doing this means you will be able to build up a decent understanding of the types of outfits you are drawn to, and if there are any particular patterns that you can point out. You can then use this data to start picking out new items for your closet.
An example could be that you save plenty of pictures that involve large, woolly sweaters. When you can see clearly in front of you that you are drawn to this type of sweater, you can start looking at retailers or unique, quirky shops that sell this style and find one that you love.
You could even be armed with this information when going on a thrift store mission – one of the easiest ways to rehaul your closet on a budget and find pieces that you will struggle to find anywhere else!
Incorporate Accessories
If you are really stuck on altering your wardrobe, you could consider adding in elements instead of taking them away. This is where accessories make a great choice.
Even the simplest of accessories can really add to a look and give a completely different edge to an outfit, and there is no harm in playing around with different jewelry pieces, bags, or shoes until you get the look or feel you are going for.
Some people find that they do not fit a certain prescribed style but enjoy elements of many different aesthetics. An example of this could be knitwear and combat boots. Usually, the two would not go together on the city streets but creating your own look that is personal to you can also be embellished with accessories. In this example, you could add a choker, a skull ring, or a large statement bag to bring the unique look together.
Another great thing about accessories is that you can get affordable options, and there is plenty of guidance out there as to how you can make jewelry work for you. An example would be seeking out information on 'How to build the perfect ring stack', which is a great choice for those who love to wear many rings as a signature look.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
A significant aspect of building on your sense of style and coming to know what you would love to wear again is getting out of your comfort zone. It can be easy to stick to the same style you have known for years, even if it does not feel like you anymore, because it offers comfort. Realistically, there is not much to lose from trying out anything you would like to wear and giving it a go for a day. You might find that something you have tried is not for you – but that is still progress. That means you are able to put one thing to the side that you know is not for you and carry on with your search. You might find that little experiments like these will surprise you; going all in and wearing something for the day to get a feel for it can be the fastest way to test the theory of whether it is something you want to have a permanent place in your wardrobe.
It is worth pointing out here that you could branch out even further and think about using different makeup and hairstyles or even changing your hair color. The goal is to find a look that makes you feel like you again, so you can free yourself from your old style and embrace who you are now.