Why You Have a Closet Full of Nothing to Wear
June 30, 2016I hear it constantly… “I have a closet full of clothes but I have nothing to wear!”
There is a reason for having nothing to wear and there is a way to change it. For good. All it takes is the will to want to work through your closet and style challenge, so and stick with me on how to overcome those issues. I promise, you can, and will have the closet, style and confidence of your dreams.
The struggle is real, my friends. And quite frankly, you may not like what I have to say next but the number one reason why you have nothing to wear is…YOU HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF!
It really is that simple. For most of us, we are constantly looking for the “perfect” top, jeans or dress. So we buy and buy hoping that the perfect item will come along and make our fashion struggles disappear. We justify buying items because “it was a good deal” or you wanted to try something new but in the end, those items are sitting in your closet…collecting dust. Whatever the reason, the point is we need to wear clothes and preferably clothes that make us feel good when we wear them! There is nothing worse than pinching, pulling or readjusting your clothing throughout the day. Not to mention, the affect it has on your self-confidence and how you present yourself every day.
If it doesn’t make you feel amazing when you wear it…get rid of it!
So let’s talk about what’s holding you back from achieving the style confidence you desire. It stems from the inability to purge! Yes, I know, you maybe thinking…”I’m pretty clean and tidy”. But when I say PURGE..I mean getting rid of 75% of your closet, like I did when I started my own journey with style and self-confidence. And then six months later…I got rid of another 20% of that and STILL get rid of things often.
5 Reasons Your Closet Needs Your Attention Now
These are the main reasons why your closet is in this current state of chaos causing you stress, draining you of your self-confidence and energy:
1. You are holding on to clothes that do not fit.
With us ladies, this is a common story. Pre-baby clothes, fat clothes, post-postpartum clothes, that time of the month clothes... I have heard it all! Your closet should reflect who you are today. Right now. Not yesterday, not the you in 2020, the right now, you! I have come to terms with the fact that clothes have an expiration date. If it doesn't fit you now, don't wait for someday, just purge it. By the time, it does fit you, you won't like it and will buy something new anyway.
2. Your clothes are outdated and you know it.
Let’s be honest, if you are struggling with what to wear every day, chances are you probably either don’t like shopping or don’t have a plan when you do go shopping. Don't freak out when I say you don't plan either! It isn't that hard. You just need to get inspired and find out what you are drawn to. Then based on what you like, find items that fit your body type and be on the lookout for those things when you shop.
3. You have clothes that are not flattering on your body shape.
This follows my previous point that you may buy something that speaks to your heart but your body is telling you otherwise. A common misunderstanding about body shape is that many of us women are petite. And by the term petite, I don't mean a size 2! You are petite if you are under 5’6 in height. In the fashion industry, this is standard knowledge that most clothing brands design for women 5’7 based on the “average height” but many of us talk ourselves down when we try on something that doesn't quite fit right, thinking that it is our body. When, in fact, all you need to know is the number to a good tailor! A good tailor can make you look amazing in almost anything so it's worth investing in yourself to have a good relationship with a tailor (and no they aren’t as expensive as you might think!)
Learning what looks great on your body type is as simple as assessing what items of clothes you wear repeatedly. Every single week. You know the 4 tops and 3 pairs of pants that you just can’t seem to wash fast enough. Well, think about those core items that you already love in your closet and try on something new while asking yourself “What is it about this piece that makes me look and feel amazing”. Then wash, rinse and repeat! Meaning, go out and find more of what you love and get rid of what you don’t love!
4. You have had a lifestyle change and your closet has remained the same.
With anything in life…change is inevitable. So why should you treat your closet and style any different? Whether it is a career change, a move across the country or having a baby, our demands from our closets change along with our lifestyle.
You need to think about what your lifestyle demands from your closet. Ask yourself what you do every day and how your clothes need to meet your daily demands. For example, most moms need to be able to bend over without feeling like she's showing off her derriere to the world just to pick her kids up (meaning, longer hemlines on dresses are a must!). Think about details like this and make a note in your phone so when you are on the hunt for clothes that fit your lifestyle you will be sure to get the right items.
5. Do your laundry!
At the end of the week, your closet is busting at the seams with clothes but you have worn only that 20% of your closet so you feel like you have "nothing to wear". My suggestion, before you even do your laundry, leave the clothes you love in the hamper and deal with the rest of your closet by getting rid of at least 50% of it! Yep, I said 50% of it!
This may seem simple and semi-redundant but think about it - the clothes you love are in the laundry and that’s why they are there because you love them, they make you feel good when you wear them. You need to do your laundry more frequently and buy more of what you love. Now I will say…if your laundry is full of sweatpants and old ratty t-shirts, we need to have some serious talks about what it means to present yourself appropriately but we can tackle that for another day.
Hopefully, you have a better in-depth idea of what is holding you back from being the most stylish, confident version of you! And lucky for you I have more to share with you.
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shannon Burns earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design from Woodbury University, worked over 12 years in retail management and is the personal stylist and founder of Layered By CAKE, a Women’s Traveling and Styling Boutique. If you want help getting the style confidence you have always dreamed of, check out Shannon's FREE 5 Day Dream Closet Challenge. Its a 5 day video series that is emailed to you each day. |
