I got a question from a reader recently all about how to deal with wardrobe transitions:
With a Relaxed personality style, a recently retired lifestyle, and a wardrobe still full of more classic corporate clothes where do I start to transition my wardrobe so it suits my new life as well as my personality?
Now you don't need to be retiring to have a lifestyle transition of some sort, even changing workplaces that have different wardrobe requirements, losing or gaining weight that means the need for a new wardrobe or moving locations with different climates are all reasons you may need to rethink your wardrobe, which is a great time to rethink your style.
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Rediscover Yourself to Discover Your Style
- Who are you now?
- How do you want to be perceived?
- What works for your body now?
These are questions you will want to ask yourself and find answers to. Without this information, you'll be shopping blind, and that usually results in purchasing mistakes.
Rather than resorting to the old tried-and-tested but work outfits that don't work for your more casual lifestyle, it's time to think about what your version of style is now. You may find you can reuse some of your old work clothes, for example, wear an old work blazer with a pair of jeans, or you may find that you need to let to of all the old corporate clothes that just don't fit into your new life and style.
Define Your Aesthetic
This is a step that is so often ignored, yet from the feedback from my clients who have done it, they've found it truly helpful in a way nothing else is, to help them really define their aesthetic and what they want to be part of their style. You can find out how to do this in my Visualise Your Style Mini-Course.
Your aesthetic doesn't start with clothing which is usually the place most of us start when thinking about transitioning wardrobes and most advice tells you just to shop for something new, yet I don't want you to keep on wasting money on the wrong clothes, taking a few hours to discover your aesthetic will reap rewards and save you lots of money in the long run.
You'll then be able to create a new style recipe that works for this new stage of your life which you can use when shopping.
Define Your New Outfit Formula or Uniform
You may like to create your own version of an outfit formula or your own version of a uniform that make it easy to get dressed every day.
I've got some great tips here on how to do this.
Once you've defined your style for the new you, this is when you can start to think about shopping, but first, shop your wardrobe because you may have garments that do work for your new lifestyle in amongst your old work wear!
More Tips
Wardrobe Capsules, Outfit Formulas and Uniforms - Which is Right for You?
All My Best Tips and Inspiration for Putting Together Stylish Outfits
