Are you in the middle of a wardrobe slump? It’s okay if you are, nobody is judging you. We all find ourselves in wardrobe slumps at one time or another. It’s common to want to burn everything in the closet when you find yourself sick and tired of your clothes, mainly because most wait forever to actually do something about it. If you are ready to torch all of your clothing, put down the match and the can of gasoline and check out the most common reasons for wardrobe slumps and how to fix them.
I feel blah and bored in my clothes
Wardrobe boredom is probably the most common issue that women deal with. Few consider themselves fashion nightmares, but they do often feel like just another boring face in the crowd. If you are looking to stand out and fit in at the same time, here are three changes you can make:
#1- Accessorize Instead of going out and buying more clothes, look at your accessories. Do you have any? Do you accessorize? Do you change up your accessories or wear the same ones everyday? Having a variety of accessories on hand can quickly make what feels old and lifeless look new again.
#2- Add some versatile novelty items Next, look to see if your wardrobe has gotten too basics driven. A workable and exciting wardrobe has both basics and novelties in it. Sometimes all it takes is a new top or a fun dress to make everything else in your wardrobe that feels bland look new.
#3- Add some pop to your outfits Are you adding some pop to your outfits? Pops can be accessories, a pair of fun shoes, a colorful handbag or a great pair of earrings or statement necklace. You don’t have to go overboard. Often one pop is enough.
The outfit on the left consisting of a pair of black Reiss pants, a LOFT top, black booties from Zappos, a black handbag from Ann Taylor and faux pear earrings from Nordstrom is fine but it is a bit blah. On the right, using some of the tips above, I had to do very little to make the outfit stand out. All I did was add this pendant necklace from Bauble Bar, a colorful handbag for pop from Lord & Taylor and a pair of metallic flats from Nine West.
I feel frumpy in my clothes
Feeling frumpy in clothing usually has a lot to do with fit. If you feel frumpy in what you are wearing, making sure you clothes fit well is the first thing you should consider. Feeling frumpy can also be caused by choosing the wrong designers or brands. Here are some tips:
#1- Tailoring For some odd reason, women get frustrated when clothing doesn’t fit them perfectly off the rack. Given the fact that everyone is built differently, when clothing doesn’t need alterations you should consider yourself lucky. If you feel frumpy in your clothes, especially if they are tailored pieces, see if you can save them and look better by taking them to be altered. You would be amazed what the perfect pants length and proper waist shaping can do for how you look in an outfit. Lastly, make sure your undergarments fit you right. This makes a HUGE difference in feeling less frumpy.
#2- More modern pieces Are your clothes so traditional looking that they are making you feel dumpy? Sometimes all it takes is the infusion of some more modern pieces to make an outfit look more updated. For example, consider swapping out a shapeless cardigan for sleeker one, or a pair of baggy tailored pants for a pair that is more streamlined.
#3- Out with the old and in with the new It’s a simple fact, clothes wear down and have to be replaced. If you have some good ol’ classics that are starting to look a bit frumpy, consider replacing them for fresh ones. Also, look to the pieces that you wear a lot and often, sometimes it is worth having two options on hand so one piece doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting. Also, look at how you are caring for your clothes. Are you hanging your sweaters? Are your clothes hung in a way that is too cramped? Do you keep your clothing in the dry cleaning bags even though you know you shouldn’t because the plastic breaks down the clothes, essentially wearing down the fibers quicker? The best way to ensure your clothing lasts and doesn’t get frumpy quickly is to take good care of it.
In the outfit on the left, the dress from Modcloth is beautiful but a bit frumpy looking with this less shapely cardigan from Boden, this pair of shoes from Trotters that, while comfortable, aren’t exactly fashionable, and the same black bag from Ann Taylor I used in the previous look. It’s not that any of these pieces are bad, it’s just that together they’re not that modern. In the outfit on the right, all it took was this more structured cardigan, a pair of booties that are from the comfort brand Tsubo, some teal earrngs from Max & Chloe and a blue handbag from Dooney Bourke to make the outfit look sleeker and more updated.
I feel fussy in my clothes
If you feel fussy in your clothes you just don’t feel comfortable. Often fussy outfits are overdone ones, usually over-accessorized. That fussy feelings can also come from clothing with too much fluff, outfits with too many layers or that are complicated. Here ways to feel less fussy and more comfortable in the clothing you wear:
#1- Back off on the accessories Unlike most women, your accessorizing problem is that you wear too much of it. Your outfits have way too many focal points vs. not enough. As a result, you look overdone, complicated and, quite possibly, overshadowed in what you are wearing. For you, it’s smart to try following the rule of removing one accessory before you walk out the door.
#2- Add softer knits That fussy feeling you are experiencing could be coming from the fact that there is no ease to your outfits. If this is the case, look to add some softer knits to your wardrobe and try to sub out some more difficult wardrobe items with more relaxed, yet still stylish, ones.
#3- Less matchy-matchy When an outfit is too matchy-matchy it can come across as fussy. All that matching can look so contrived that there is nothing effortless about the look. Instead of wearing matching earrings and necklaces, or making sure your bags, shoes and jewelry matches, pull back a bit and try mixing it up.
The outfit on the left has a lot of pretty components, but as an enesemble it goes just a touch overboard with the Anthropologie lace top, the burgundy skirt from Lord & Taylor, metallic Stuart Weitzman shoes, pink Tory Burch clutch bag, statement Stella & Dot necklace and stud earrings. However, by pulling one fussy element back, in the outfit on the right, you can see how the cleaner grey top from Modcloth downplays the overdone fussiness. Alternatively, if you want to wear the blouse with the skirt, my recommendation would be to remove the necklace. Bottom line is, if your outfit feels too fussy or overdone, sometimes all it takes is the removal of one element.
I feel sloppy in my clothes
People who feel sloppy in what they wear usually need a little more structure in their outfits, while also being conscious about fit. They also usually need to be more conscientious about little things, like making sure their shoes aren’t scuffed, that they clean out their handbags and get to the dry cleaner regularly. Here are some things you can do to feel less sloppy in your clothes:
#1- Pair hard with soft If you feel sloppy in what you are wearing, check in with yourself to make sure you haven’t completely gotten into a knitwear rut. I’m not asking you to completely abandon the yummy comfort of sweaters and leggings, but too much of it all the time can make everyone feel like a schlep. Try adding some structure to your more relaxed pieces, like a pair of ponte pants instead of leggings or maybe a blazer instead of a cardigan, and see if it doesn’t help you feel less sloppy.
#2- Don’t be afraid of fit When most women feel uncomfortable with the sizes of their bodies they hide out in shapeless clothes. Thinking that they will feel better being incognito, the opposite usually happens: They feel slovenly and heavier than they are. So stop gravitating towards the muumuu section of the store and look for pieces that have some structure or fit. You don’t have to wear super tailored clothing if your life doesn’t call for it, but looking for shaped knits in beefy and comfortable fabrics in more tailored silhouettes can make a huge difference.
#3- Be conscientious of the small details Sloppy outfits sometimes have nothing to do with the actual outfits as it does the small details, like making sure your shoes are in good shape, there are no snags in your sweaters and your leggings aren’t stretched out, for example. Even if it is setting up regular routines to give your clothing a weekly check for things like stains, pulls, pilling, snags while also scheduling regular dry cleaning drop-offs to stay one step ahead, these small details that can make a huge difference in how pulled together you look and feel.
Comfort is great, but often too much comfort in one outfit can look too relaxed and sloppy. In the outfit on the left, the laid back sweater from Athleta, the J. Crew sweatpants and the Cole Haan slip on sneakers is too unstructured. Plus, the plaid Nordstrom scarf adds an additional layer of lax.
The solution, when wearing something very relaxed and casual, is to pair it with something structured. As you an see in the outfit on the right, I chose a pair of ponte pants from Boden that are comfortable and stretchy but more tailored. The whole outfit gets tightened up a bit as a result. The scarf works better, as well. Lastly, by just adding some casual jewelry, like this bracelet from Piperlime and earrings from Max & Chloe, the outfit has some polish to it and looks less sloppy.
I feel uptight in my clothing
Instead of feeling sloppy you have the opposite problem, you just feel really uptight in what you wear. You see others who have this effortless way about the way they dress and you just can’t figure out how they do it. Sure, most women are striving to look as pulled together as you always do, however, uptight looking outfits can often lack personality. Yes, they are perfect, but their not all that interesting. Here are some ways to add some effortless style to your very uptight outfits.
#1- Try popping in some trend A perfect outfit lacking any personality needs to be styled with trend and items that make you uniquely you. People with uptight styles tend to also be control freaks, scared to make a mistake. Try adding a punch of personality to that perfect look.
#2- Relax your look While everyone else is trying to get out of the loose knits, you could use some in your closet. Uptight dressers need to learn how to not only add some personality to their outfits but to let go a bit. You can look for softer knits or, if that is too much, look for drapey scarves to wrap around your neck, a less structured handbag or mixing and matching some jewelry.
#3- Add some pops of color Lastly, try making your color combinations unique. You may be more of a minimalist who doesn’t like to overdo an outfit with lots of accessories or unnecessary fluff, but you can try clean and sharply tailored clothes in different colors. I have a client who is very minimal and structured in her looks. She doesn’t like accessories and can’t be bothered with the small details. How I upgrade her look is by colorblocking and pairing unexpected colors together.
In the outfit on the left, the outfit looks structured and polished with a Tory Burch skirt, navy and white belted jacket and bow blouse from eShakti. However, it is a little uptight looking with the matching blue pumps, blue handbag and white drop earrings. If an outfit like this feels too fussy to you, you don’t have to trash it, just change up a few of the elements. In the outfit on the right, the base stays the same. I just swapped out the jacket for a more relaxed cardigan in a rich burgundy shade from Jones New York, added a pair of trendier leopard pumps from Diane VonFurstenberg, a burgundy cross body bag from Banana Republic and a pair of blue tonal earrings from Bauble Bar.
It doesn’t take a lot to change
Remember, a little goes a long way. Often it is the smallest of changes that make a huge difference. Try one little change from the suggestions above and see if it helps. You might be surprised to find that there is nothing wrong with your wardrobe, it’s how you have been wearing it that has been the problem.
