Why You Have A Closet Full of Clothes and No Outfits
I recently posted a poll on Instagram with a meme from @sarcasm_Only attached to it that read, “ It’s like I have clothes but I don’t have outfits…you feel me?” I included a poll to see how many of my followers felt this way and as expected most do with the exception of a few current clients IYKYK.
I see this a lot working with clients. Especially for Closet Detox’s when we add on an Existing Outfit Formation. They’re almost always blown away by how many outfits I can create once we correct some common mistakes. let’s dive into the reasons below.
You may think that having a closet filled with only bright colored clothing and patterns would lead to an endless array of fashionable outfits. However, the reality is if you lack wardrobe basics or essentials within your vibrant collection, you may struggle to put together cohesive looks. Without foundation pieces such as neutral tops, classic bottoms, or versatile outerwear, it becomes challenging to create balanced ensembles. The absence of staples like plain white shirts, black pants, or a well-fitting denim jacket can leave the you feeling like you have a closet full of statement pieces that don't quite fit together. While bold colors and patterns certainly add excitement to an ensemble, having a variety of wardrobe basics is essential for a wardrobe that feels complete and offers endless styling possibilities. Whether you’re a neutral lover, pattern lover, or love bright fun colors, wardrobe essentials and basics are key! Hiring a stylist to teach you what those essentials are or what pieces to add to your existing wardrobe to make it work can save time, frustration and money.
It's not abnormal for you to feel that you can't create outfits from your current wardrobe; so don’t beat yourself up about it. We all have our strengths and professionals exist with whom we can outsource our weaknesses. Oftentimes, the feeling stems from a lack of mindful and purposeful shopping habits. Instead of carefully considering your personal style, you may find yourself consistently drawn to items that stand out or impulse buy multiples of the same thing in different colors. Consequently, your wardrobe becomes a mishmash of disconnected pieces that fail to work cohesively. This haphazard approach to shopping can lead to frustration when it comes to putting together outfits, as the lack of deliberate decision-making leaves you without a well-rounded and versatile collection of clothing. To overcome this issue, it is important for you to engage in mindful shopping, focusing on selecting pieces that complement your existing wardrobe and align with your personal style. When I do a Closet Detox you get a closet checklist full of wardrobe essentials. I check off what you have and make notes about what you may need. I also photograph each individual piece that stays and upload them in your virtual closet so that I can either do an Existing Outfit Formation or know what you have for future virtual shops so I can combine items from your closet with new items for complete outfits. If we do an in person shop, there’s never any pressure to buy all the items we decide on. I can create a virtual shopping list for you to shop at your leisure. No more wandering a store aimlessly or scouring online shops for hours an hours simply click and buy.
For those who lack the knowledge of dressing to flatter their figure or creating outfit formulas, it can be disheartening to open your closet and see an abundance of clothing that fails to translate into cohesive outfits. Instead of a source of inspiration, your wardrobe may seem like a jumble of mismatched pieces. Frustration can set in as you attempt to put together looks, only to find that nothing harmonizes or accentuates your best features. Feeling overwhelmed and defeated, you may resign yourself to wearing basic, uninspired ensembles that do little to reflect your personal style or boost your confidence. In these instances, the act of dressing can become a daily struggle, overshadowed by a sense of disappointment and a yearning for a closet filled with outfits that truly resonate with your individuality. With the continued presence of influencers there is an abundance of style tips from people only familiar with dressing their body. Be careful resorting to shopping an influencers affiliate links when you don’t understand how to dress for your figure. Formulas and dressing in rations are things a stylist can teach you to make getting dressed a breeze.
Let me tell you a story about Julie, a self-proclaimed fashion enthusiast, who hasn't dared to venture into her closet's depths for ages. Laden with years of neglect, her once meticulously arranged wardrobe has transformed into a labyrinth of forgotten garments and mismatched accessories. The consequential disarray has left her grappling with a peculiar dilemma: a closet full of clothes but seemingly no outfits. The lack of editing and organization has buried hidden gems amidst heaps of outdated fashion choices, rendering her frustrated and overwhelmed. The haphazard state of her closet has unwittingly trapped Julie in a cycle of sartorial indecision, as she struggles to locate key pieces, navigate her collection, and put together cohesive ensembles. The accumulation of unworn attire symbolizes missed opportunities and untapped potential, leaving her longing for the day she can reclaim control over her fashion kingdom and restore order to her eclectic assortment of clothing. Can you relate to Julie? Many of my clients find me because they ARE Julie. Look editing a closet is not fun, but it’s so important. An overstuffed closet full of outdated items, items that don’t fit, overly worn items, or items that don’t portray who you want the world to see can have serious consequences in our life. Some may say I’m being dramatic, but it’s facts. You may of heard psychologists throw out terms like “mental load” defined as the cognitive effort involved in managing your work, relationships, a family, and a household. Simply put, Mental load is the whole bundle of details you manage throughout the day (according to betterup.com). You START your day in your closet and getting dressed; so just think about how facing a closet like this, or just not being able to find the right outfit to wear that day can affect your day and your mental load. Having too high and stressful of a mental load can lead to mental illness, anxiety, panic attacks, depress, and an overall decline in health. Whoa sorry for getting so heavy, but hey it’s true!
Some people think stylist are only for the style challenged, but the truth is a stylist is for anyone wanting to reduce the mental load in their lives. My clients come to me for all different reasons, not just because they feel they lack style. There’s a lot to manage these days, give yourself permission to take things off your plate and outsource them to the professionals!
A couple quick easy tips to detox and organize your closet:
Remove overly warn (faded and piling) items (accept those sweaters for those invest in a sweater shaver).
Sell, donate, or store out of sight items that do not fit. Having items hanging in your closet that you deem “your goal size” is doing NOTHING to motivate you. In fact it’s doing the opposite. If you can’t get rid of them, but them out of sign in storage containers where you aren’t confronted with the emotions seeing them every day brings.
Organize your closet by item type and color. This can help to better visualize what you actually have easily.
Use velvet hangers to prevent things from falling off and creating chaos. These hangers are also gentler on your items extending the life of their wear and always fold sweaters do not hang. Hanging them leads to misshaped stretched out sweaters with ill-fitting shoulders.
Of course these are not the only reasons why you may be feeling this way. Regardless, feeling like you have no outfits when you have lots of clothes is not a fun way to feel. Book a consult today so we can discuss how we can fix it. Not ready to hire a stylist? Join my e-mail list to learn about new offerings and information. I may just be working on something just for you!
