There’s a distinct experience of womanhood every gal encounters at one point or another—sometimes daily:

The conundrum of standing in front of the closet, wondering, “What do I wear??”

The thing is—we have clothes. We are fortunate to have jeans and jackets and shoes and jewelry to choose from. So, why this plaguing question of what to wear? 

Here are a few of my takes. What would you add to the list? Comment below and let me know!

— We want to get it “right” (whatever that means)
— We want to feel really good in what we choose. Which would require us to know what we prefer in the first place, and I often don’t know my own preferences.
— We worry about fitting in with our surroundings
— We worry about being too overdressed or underdressed
— We don’t feel good in our bodies so we automatically rule out 75% of our closet
— We feel hormonal so we automatically rule out 99% of our closet
— We don’t feel up to the creative challenge of getting dressed
— We’re running late
— We worry other people will judge what we really do want to wear 

I’m convinced getting dressed each morning isn’t a have to. It’s a get to. A sign of new life, another day. A privilege, an opportunity. What we put on our body can change the trajectory of our day and what we believe about ourselves—the psychology of getting dressed runs deep. Remember the old “Dress your best for the test” mantra from standardized testing days in school?!

Things that Spark the Joy of Getting Dressed Again:

— Photo inspiration: Whether on Pinterest, Instagram, or elsewhere, scrolling through some of my saved inspo reminds me what I’m drawn to and helps draw out new outfit ideas with what I already have. 

— Planning outfits the night before: Saves time and opens up a world of freedom to experiment, mix, match, and think through what I really, truly, actually want to wear.

— Flipping through Wear It Well: I come back to this again and again. It’s balm to any restless fashionista’s restless heart. It provides such good direction for helping us uncover and define our personal style. Anna Bornstein has helped me anchor my style in these three words: Tailored, Playful, and Sporty. 

What sparks your closet creativity? Leave a comment below with your go-tos. xo

_____________________________

P.S. More similar to this:

— Making My Leather Jacket Casual Again
— The Outfit You’ve Been Saving Is Meant for Today
— What’s In My Makeup Bag Right Now
— Gap finds I’m loving this year
— Old Navy picks I added to my list

Colorful statement earrings / Beaded horse bag (comes in all kinds of animal, pattern, and color options) / The trench coat of my dreams / Monogrammed necklaces (would make a great gift) / My all-time fav jeans, now in cheetah print!!! / Doxie juice glasses. Precious. / I got these satin bow kitten heels on super sale and love them / Scarves are always a great idea — the best accessory of all time