Every once in awhile you can find yourself in a style rut, and it can be hard to figure out how to get back in the zone. I’ve definitely had moments where I felt like I was in a rut, and had nothing cute to wear. When this happens I have a few go-to tips that I use to help me get my groove back, and they always get me together chile. So here we go, 4 tips to help you get out of a style rut:
1) Find Some Inspiration
Every time that I’ve felt like I was in a style rut, that I didn’t have anything to wear, or honestly just didn’t like anything in my closet, it was usually because I felt very uninspired by my wardrobe. As a teen, I used to love pouring over fashion magazines for inspiration. Nowadays I find the majority of my fashion inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram. I like to create boards dedicated to different things like my general outfit inspiration, date night outfits, casual slays, suits, etc. I save whatever I find visually appealing on Pinterest (and I have lots of secret boards as well lol), whether it’s the overall look, a specific piece that I like, or just the color combinations, texture, or fabric.
The goal is just to create a collection of things that inspire you so that you can look back at it later on and get some fashion inspiration. Being able to see everything in one place can also be helpful if you’re trying to figure out how to develop your style because you’ll start to notice patterns in the kinds of things that you gravitate towards (neutral color palettes, leather pants, satin blouses, etc).
2) Play Dress Up
Armed with your new-found collection of inspiration, now is the time to head back to your closet and play dress up. Turn on some music for some ambiance, and start putting together some outfits. Try putting together some pieces that you’ve never tried wearing together before, and try to recreate some of the looks that you saved as inspiration. It’s not so much about trying to copy & paste their look onto you, but more so about trying to replicate the key elements that you liked about certain looks.
Did you like the color palette? The combination of pieces? Certain fabrics? Whatever it was that attracted your attention, see what you’ve got that can help you try to recreate the look. Remixing what you already own can be a great way to help you get out of a style rut. My favorite thing to do is juxtapose different elements. Sequins and a graphic T like my look above, leather in unexpected styles and colors, camouflage pants with just about anything, ya girl loves to play dress up.
3) Clean Up Your Act
While you’re at it, now would also be a great time to clean out your closet. Figure out what you still love, and what no longer serves you. If it no longer fits, you don’t like it, or just feel like it’s not your style anymore now is a good time to let those things go and make room for the new. Going forward with new pieces, try to set a 30-day rule for yourself. If you haven’t worn it by the time you’re basically towards the end of the return policy, it might be time to re-evaluate how much you like it and if you should return it. This of course does not apply to items that you really love and are saving for a special occasion.
4) Make A List
Now that you’ve gotten some inspiration, taken stock of what you have in your closet, and gotten rid of the things you don’t love, you should make a list of the things that you’d like to buy to help you build your wardrobe. Do you need to replace some basics? Do you need some everyday jackets? More accessories? Make a list (or wishlist). My favorite app to help me keep track of the items I’m loving is Shoptagr, I have the browser plug-in installed so that I can save the items I see online at different stores and get alerts for when they’re back in stock or go on sale.
So there you have it, sis, 4 quick tips to help you get out of a style rut. Have you ever felt like you were in a style rut? What are some of the things that helped you get out of it? Let me know in the comments!
Stylishly Yours,
Theresa Seyi
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