Whether you consider yourself a fashionista or not, I have a book to share that has completely changed my view of my closet and daily dressing decisions. Because after all—one thing we all have in common is putting clothes on each morning. 

Wear It Well by Allison Bornstein is a one-of-a-kind book on discovering your personal style—how to identify it, name it, and express it—with what you have and through any shopping you do. The subtitle of the book is “Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed.” How wonderful is that?! 

I wholeheartedly agree with so many messages of the book and have shared about some of these key themes before—fashion isn’t frivolous, what we wear matters, and this is a creative outlet we are more than allowed to enjoy (no matter what other people think about us). 

Bornstein offers universal yet personalized principles to help each reader dig deep into the psychology of their closet and learn to see it with fresh eyes and abounding possibilities. These are some of my favorite threads of the book (although nothing beats reading it for yourself, I can’t recommend grabbing your own copy enough!). 

A New Method to Edit Your Closet

I’ve heard quite a few different strategies for organizing our closets, but this approach blew my mind. Her “AB Method”, as she calls it, hinges on what we actually wear—not what we promise ourselves we will wear someday.

In the book, she shares the entire method in detail. To sum it up, she recommends we start by pulling aside the pieces we regularly wear. Then, create a “never” pile, grabbing the items we truly never wear. Continue to break that group down even further into the clothes we never wear because we don’t like them + the clothes we never wear because we don’t know how to style them. From there, ditch the ones we don’t genuinely like and start seeing if we can create new outfits and looks with the pile we don’t exactly know how to style. 

As we step back and assess all the items we regularly wear, what we love, and now what we might style, similar themes and common denominators start to emerge. And that’s when defining our style comes into play. 

Defining Your Style In 3 Words

One key process that profoundly struck me was Bornstein’s process of intentionally defining our style in three words that serve as Northern stars as we move through life. These words can help us navigate how to pair pieces in our closet, how to shop for stuff we’ll actually wear (vs. stuff we just think is cool), and how to become the most alive version of ourselves (which sounds a whole lot like John 10:10 to me). 

I haven’t fully nailed down my three words yet… I’m still noodling on this concept. One of the words/concepts I think I need to include is structured / defined / outlined or something like that. See the example below with very defined silhouettes and shapes—wide-leg jeans + ruffled sleeves. I love how these look and feel on me, and I always feel my best when I wear them. 

This is your invitation to explore—what clothes, styles, textures, fabrics, colors, and silhouettes make you feel most like yourself? Like yep, this is me? Let me know in the comments below!

A Book for Every Woman, Everywhere

I believe there is incredible power, perspective, and pure fun in this book. It’s for any woman of any background working (or not working) in any industry on any budget. Knowing what we like + want can help inform wiser decisions when we shop, making the most of each purchase. Even if the only place our budget allows for right now is Target, Old Navy, or Walmart (they have seriously upped their game).

If you enjoy fashion in any capacity, this book is for you.

If you feel like you need to overhaul your closet, this book is for you.

If you never know what to wear each morning, this book is for you.

If you feel uninspired in your clothes, this book is for you. 

If you want to feel more stylish with what you have, this book is for you.

If you want to actually wear the clothes in your closet, this book is for you.

If you want a creative outlet, this book is for you.

I have a hunch this will only serve you. Let me know what you think—and what your three words are once you determine them! You can grab a copy of Wear It Well here. And the audio book is also fantastic if you like to listen while you do chores around the house.

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P.S. Making My Leather Jacket Casual Again and The Outfit You’ve Been Saving Is Meant for Today.

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