Tired of always wearing the same thing? Do this!
Do you have fun, unique pieces in your closet that you never wear?
Maybe you bought a fun and cool winter coat, thinking it'd be nice to mix things up, but somehow as you head out the door, you always end up grabbing your tried and true black puffer coat instead.
Or maybe you've had a unique and bold blouse (that you absolutely love!) hanging in your closet for years but always end up wearing your plain black one instead. It seems silly to not wear it, don't you think? You took the time to shop for it and fall in love with it, and now it just sits there waiting to be worn.
Many of my clients find themselves stuck in a rut where they wear the same pieces in the same way over and over again. Do you find yourself in the same spot? You’re bored and sick of going back to the same styles all the time yet somehow keep on doing it. Sometimes you even go through the process of buying gorgeous new clothes that are just waiting to be shown off, yet you never wear them.
Why oh why, oh why?!
When you get down to the heart of it, it’s because you know it works (ie, it’s easy!) and it feels safe.
If you relate, here’s a quick hack you can use to give your fun pieces more time in the spotlight:
Put your 'tried and true' piece out of sight and give its prime spot to your favorite piece instead. This ensures you see it and that it's easier to grab than your old faithful puffer jacket.
Why does this work?
It's a psychological hack - you tend to grab what's right in front of you because it's easiest.
Which is why, to give what you really love a fighting chance, you have to make the new piece easier to grab than the standard go-tos.
Using that unique blouse as another example, this may look like putting it front and center in your closet while the black shirt goes at the very back of your closet, or even in a clothing storage box under the bed if you're really committed! The harder it is to grab and go, the less likely you are to go to it.
All it takes is a switch in placement for you to take that courageous first step in wearing something new.
Your mind os wired to choose the path of least resistance. Choosing what's right there in front of you is safe and easy.
Moving the old standby pieces to a not-so accessible place forces you to come face to face with your bolder pieces. Now, in order to get to the standbys, you have to put in extra work. And your subconscious isn't a fan of extra work.
On a deeper level, if you have any doubts or insecurities about standing out, that bold piece will undoubtedly invite more attention than that neutral piece you were reaching for so you'll default to the safe, plain piece every time.
Our first instinct is to stick with what's comfortable - and in this case, your old standby pieces are comfortable. You already know exactly what to pair your black top with in your closet.
Pairing up that new fun blouse will make you think about your style choices. You'll get dressed and hope that what you love is also loved and accepted by your peers - talk about stress inducing! And if you’re not a morning person, that’s a lot of activity for your half-awake brain. (More coffee, please!)
It's totally normal to want to be comfortable with things before you wear them. What you want to avoid, though, is wasting time, energy, and money on pieces you love that the world will never see you shine in!
Here's a trick for overcoming that fear of leaving your comfort zone: if that fun piece still feels too risky to wear after placing it front and center in your closet, try wearing it with the comfortable standbys.
Pair the fun new blouse with your tried and true favorite dress pants and shoes. Or try that bold new coat with an outfit you feel totally comfortable in. By doing this, you're taking what your brain sees as a little bit of a style risk instead of a huge one.
Doing this gives your subconscious the signal that you're still safe because you have the comfort of your tried and true pieces to balance out the riskier fun piece.
Another trick to get yourself to wear those bold and fun new pieces is to set your clothing out the night before.
From undergarments to accessories, have it all ready. Take a good look at how amazing it looks together, and imagine how confident you'll feel the next day wearing it.
When it's time to get up and get out the door, simply put on what’s already laid out right in front of you. That way, your brain has already had time to accept that this is what you're wearing, and you don't have a chance to grab that go-to black sweater.
(This little hack also lets you sleep a little later because you won't spend time staring into your closet with sleep-filled eyes thinking about what to wear. Win Win!)
The best part is that the more you go out into the world in something new, the more you’ll see how people still love and accept you, which tells your brain that hey, this new piece is safe and comfortable, too!
So once you wear it, it's easier to wear it again. And again, and again.
All of a sudden, you’re not tired of wearing the same thing anymore so that cool awesome winter coat becomes your new go-to and your bold blouse gets plenty of time to shine. And so do you!
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ABOUT:
I'm a Minneapolis personal stylist on a mission to eradicate outdated style 'rules' so women can unleash themselves in all their beautiful, authentic glory!
I offer personal styling services that empower women to wear what they love by helping them ditch any outdated style rules keeping them stuck, showing them how to dress in a way that embraces their beautiful body and, the key to it all, having fun! I believe in a liberated style approach so there are no style rules, body shapes, seasonal colors or dos and don’ts given out here. Rather, I help my clients tap into what lights them up and dress with the purpose of expressing their authentic selves rather than impressing others.
This is all done through a combination of styling services (including wardrobe edits, shopping trips and styling sessions) available in thoughtfully curated styling packages designed to help clients unleash their true self through the power of style.
When I'm not helping women take back their power style, you can find me reading (about a gazillion books at once), learning the art of pole dancing, making & decorating cakes, binging a random circa 2000's TV show with my hubby, Aaron, while playing with my adorable rescue pup or, of course, shopping! :-)