5 Reasons Why You're in a Style Slump
All photography: Marta Skovro // @skovro_visuals
We’ve all been there. Looking at your closet and hating absolutely everything in it. You’re frustrated, annoyed, and instead of making an effort, you pull out your old faithfuls to make getting dressed easier, and go on with your day.
But how do you feel when you do that? Do you feel your best? Are you confident and happy? It’s a rhetorical question, but I can imagine you’ve cocked your head to the side and realizing that you’re NOT confident or happy when you’re feeling frustrated about choosing an outfit.
There are some things that may be getting in the way of you having killer style. Whether it’s not exactly where you want it to be or it just plain sucks (because, admit it - if you think your style sucks, chances are, it does), here are some reasons why you may be in the slump and some helpful tips to get you out of it.
#1 Mentality
It’s easy to write style off as frivolous and unimportant. Pointless, silly, a waste of money. If that’s your mindset, your style will most definitely reflect that. Once you realize that your style and the way you present yourself is a huge part of the way you are perceived in life, business, dating and almost everything else (both online and off), you’ll grasp how important it is to change your mindset. Looking good doesn’t mean wearing high heels and makeup every day - I rarely wear makeup and generally only wear heels for photoshoots, work (sometimes) and events. But best believe, whether I’m picking my son up from school or going out on a date with my husband, my mission is to always feel good in what I’m wearing.
#2 You don’t know how to style
Styling proper looks doesn’t come easily to everyone (hi, that’s why I’m here!), so slipping into bad style can be as easy as throwing on a pair of leggings and a pair of Ugg boots. Believe me, I understand, when things get hard, you don’t always feel like pushing through to figure it out. But doing the work once will make getting dressed so much easier going forward. When you’re scrolling through Instagram, and you see an outfit that catches your eye, save it to a “Style” collection. When you have some time, go back through that collection and see if you can identify any common threads. What are they doing that you’re not? What are you wearing that they’re not? This will help you to figure out where to make adjustments to your own style to make it better.
#3 You need to up your shoe game
SHOES MATTER, people! A bad pair of shoes can completely ruin a good outfit (for God’s sake, please get rid of your peep-toe, platform pumps!) or make a bad outfit even worse. Whether they’re tattered and torn, out-dated or worn, you have to get rid of those old shoes. I know that purchasing a new shoe wardrobe every season isn’t feasible for most of us, but adding a few of classic staples to your closet will ensure that you at least have your basics covered.
#4 You haven’t accepted the body you’re in right now.
Touchy subject, I know. Even for me! While I have certainly accepted this new body of mine, I haven’t quite gotten to the place of fully loving and embracing it. Work in progress, what can I say? BUT, while I may not be 100% happy with this body, I have 100% accepted that this is where I am right now and I know how to dress for it. My midsection is (much) larger than I want it to be, as are my thighs and booty, so I’ve learned to accentuate the parts of me that I do love while camouflaging the parts I may not love as much. Instead of waiting until I see some magical number on the scale, I buy clothes for the body I have now, because I want to look and feel good now. Stop waiting for the ‘perfect body’ to build your perfect wardrobe.
#5 You’re too concerned with other people’s opinions
Your style slump could be because you’re afraid people will think you’re trying too hard, so instead of wearing the beautifully bold clothing you’d love to wear, you shrink down into boring Betty. Wearing the most dull, “don’t look at me” outfits you can find, which makes you feel…well, dull and unseen. Wanna know my theory on people thinking you’re trying too hard? Eff em. *shrug*
So which of these do you fall into? What will you do to get out of your style rut?
If you think you’ll need some help, sign up for my mailing list, to get notified of when my style course drops and to get style tips in your inbox!
