Our personal style evolves and changes as we do, different life transitions bring forth new wardrobes. But what happens when you reach that awkward middle stage and feel like you have nothing cute to wear? Or maybe you just don’t like the clothes that you do have and feel the urge to upgrade your style. This is called a fashion slump. I often find myself in this position as well, whether it’s because I’m not feeling well and I’m dressing how I feel, or I’m simply just uninspired. Here’s what it means to be in a slump and how to get yourself out of this cycle.
What is A FASHION “SLUMp”
During this pandemic we spent months in the house and most of our days consisted of wearing sweatpants, hoodies, and t-shirts, or in most cases we didn’t even bother to get out of our favorite pajamas. Now, even though most workplaces and schools are open it can be especially easy to fall into one of these lazy fashion cycles. It is perfectly okay if wearing sweats is your thing, but if it’s not and you have found yourself repeating the same outfit every week, sometimes twice a week, I’m sorry to tell you this but you are in a slump. You need to identify it as such and move accordingly. Once you identify the source of this fashion dry spell, then it will be easy to address it.
find motivation or inspiration
Sometimes we get stuck in this cycle because we have no reason to get up and get dressed, Who are we trying to impress? I think the only motivation you need for putting on a nice outfit is looking good for yourself, if anyone else happens to see it then good for them! I always say I’m saving an outfit for a special occasion and I noticed that if I keep saving the outfit, the moment will pass me by, so I suggest to you that you wear that outfit that you’ve been saving in the back of your closet! Other times what we need isn’t motivation, but inspiration and to find this we need to look within and around us. Finding a muse or someone who you look up to in regards to their style can be beneficial in getting out of a slump. A friend or a social media influencer whose style you admire can help you decide how you want your clothes to look but with your personal twist on it. I highly suggest investing in a Pinterest account to find more style inspiration from varying aesthetics.
Find YOUR FIT
Although it’s good to break unhealthy cycles, a little fashion routine never stirred anyone wrong. Finding your aesthetic and what looks good on you is essential in getting out of a slump. I believe that everyone should have their go-to fit, it could be the classic jeans and a white tee combo or maybe you feel more comfortable if you wear high top converse with every outfit. Whatever it is for you, having an outfit formula can really help you in the mornings when you can’t decide on what to wear. I find inspiration in wearing things that I thought looked cool when I was younger, but never had the opportunity or maybe even confidence to wear. This is why most of my outfits involve a cropped shirt with high waisted pants and platform sneakers. Whatever your go-to fit may be, make sure you feel comfortable in it and it represents you.
Throw it out (please DONATE)
Purging our closets and starting a whole new wardrobe can be just what we need to get out of a fashion slump. Going through your closet and realizing you have sweaters in there from way back when can be an unexpected revelation. I don’t know if it’s the sentimental value behind the article of clothing or if I’m still trying to figure out how I would fit it in an outfit, but I just can’t seem to let go of my clothes. I find that creating piles for donation motivates me to get rid of clothes that I don’t wear anymore because I know someone else can find more use in it than me. Donating or handing clothes down to a family member can help make room for new clothes to upgrade your wardrobe.
“The secret of great style is to feel good in what you wear.”
Inès de la Fressange
Whatever way you choose to get out of your fashion “slump” I hope you find happiness in your outfit choices and walk around as confident and gorgeous as ever. Give yourself room to experiment, to grow and wear something you’ve never worn before. Step out of that comfort zone, trust me the sweats will be waiting for you when you get home!