I don’t know if it’s my age or if something shifted during the pandemic – but I’ve forgotten how to dress myself. To be clear, on the list of the world’s problems this ranks at the very bottom. It’s not a real problem, I get it, but it is such a strange feeling. My entire life, I always enjoyed putting an outfit together and knew how to wear the latest trends.
Now, even though I have a closet full of clothes, I find myself wearing the same thing over and over and over again. It’s not a trendy capsule wardrobe – it’s me being a tiny bit lazy and not knowing what to wear. I decided it’s time to shop my closet.
I Need Real Clothes To Be Productive
My non-traditional resolution for 2024 is to get dressed, in actual clothes, five days a week. If I succumbed to my own comfort, I’d never leave my Comfy (imagine a blanket with sleeves and a hood) and my 20-year-old fleece pants that have a similar print so it clashes in a horrifying way. But here’s the thing, I feel more productive if I’m in actual clothes. Something about a waistband gets more synapses firing, I suppose.
In contrast, Apple CEO Steve Jobs famously had a closet full of the same black turtleneck. The theory was that removing the obstacle of making a decision would create more time and space to do his job. I get it. Decision fatigue is real. I would like to do that, but with dinner. If I could not have to decide what to cook for dinner every night until I die, I would 1000% endorse this theory.
Time To Shop My Closet
I fancy myself as a creative person. For me, it’s a fun challenge to re-learn how to put together an outfit. I’m not going to try and dress like my teenager, but I think there has to be a way for me to feel comfortable and not wear the same thing over and over and over again.
I believe goals work when they get specific, so here are my goals:
Get dressed Monday through Friday and do not repeat outfits during the week (I’m a big outfit repeater!)
Add accessories to every outfit (I have earrings and belts that have only been worn once. Time to change that.)
If I don’t wear an item in my closet during the coordinating season, it gets donated. (I have a pile of itchy sweaters I’m staring at right now, time to go.)
Up For The Challenge
I don’t know why this seems harder than Dry January, but it’s been daunting. It seems like something I was just wired to do in my twenties, but now I find myself following instagram accounts on how to wear and style clothes. (Again, this isn’t a real problem, but it’s something I want to change.) It is why I love the store Evereve. (This is not sponsored, btw!) I typically like to shop online, but in the store their stylist will show you how to wear the clothes you’re buying. It’s a game changer.
Have you found accounts or sources for styling tips? Share them all with me. Follow us on TikTok and Instagram as I shop my closet and document the journey.
