5 Things I Did to Elevate My Personal Style in 2023
As the year winds down, it’s a great time to take stock of what didn’t work and what did! Recently I was reflecting on how my style has evolved over the year, and I definitely feel like it’s working much better for me now!
I’d love to let you in on the five things I got right this year that really elevated my style and made getting dressed each day SO much easier!
I stopped fighting my size.
Specifically, I started to realize that clothing sizes are made up numbers (LITERALLY, as they can change from brand to brand) and got familiar with my actual measurements. I used those and the size chart (or the mirror if shopping in person) to decide if something worked for me. Remember: No one knows what size you are wearing, but EVERYONE knows if you wear the wrong size.
2. I started taking outfit selfies.
This was helpful in a couple of ways. First, taking a selfie each day motivated me to get dressed a little better than I normally would have, and it also showed me what my outfits really looked like on me. It forced me to think about whether or not I was happy with the way I was presenting myself. Second, when I had good outfits, the selfies served as a sort of inventory of outfits in my closet - whenever I was getting dressed and not sure what to wear, I would scroll through the selfies and find an outfit that I liked that I KNEW would work because I had worn it before!
3. I planned my outfits in advance.
Now, I still don’t do this every day, but I do think about what I’m going to wear when I have an important event or meeting, or am going somewhere and need to be on time. One of the biggest problems solved by knowing what I’m going to wear in advance for me has been not being late! I also find I am in a better mood when I show up for something when the outfit was planned in advance because I’m happier with what I have on and am not in a bad mood from rushing or panicking because I couldn’t find something to wear at the last minute.
4. I purged my closet.
I removed EVERYTHING I wasn’t wearing - if I didn’t want to get rid of it, or it was out of season, I found another place for it. But the key to this was to take out EVERYTHING that doesn’t make the current rotation. It’s made it so much easier to get dressed because I can see what I have, everything goes with something else, and it’s helped me identify pieces of clothing that I am holding onto because I like it in isolation, but doesn’t work for me in my real life. There are many other reasons this technique is a game changer, but those are the big ones.
5. I became intentional about shopping.
To do this, I actually had to pause shopping for a bit and get my closet in order. Now when I shop, I shop specifically for something I need that I know will work for other things in my closet. If something catches my eye, I know to ask myself questions like:
Does this color work for me and my wardrobe?
Does this cut/silhouette feel good when I wear it?
Do I already own something like this, and if so, do I need multiples?
These five ideas are a great place to start as you begin to consider your style goals for 2024. I’d love to know which one you found most helpful!