It’s very common to find an outfit you love and go back to the same pieces over and over again, and as great as it is to have a fool proof outfit on hand, sometimes it’s fun to change things up. The easiest way to get out of a style rut on a budget is to “shop” in your own closet!
What does it meant to “shop” in your own closet?
When I suggest going shopping in your own closet, what I’m really saying is to go through every item piece by piece to see what’s there. Many of us have clothing in our closets that we’ve forgotten about, so it’s a great way to change up your go-to outfits without actually investing more money into your wardrobe. Don’t just breeze through your closet and take note of what you have, actually take out each item to see what’s there. Often clothes can get hidden behind other pieces, causing us to forget about them.
While your style might have evolved over time, you purchased everything in your closet at one point because you liked it, so explore what’s there and see what you can do with it.
Style things in a different way to change up the look and feel
This multimedia sweater that I’m wearing came from Zara a few years back, and while I’ve always loved the juxtaposition of the sweater material with the leather, I would often pick it up, try it on, and put it back because it didn’t hang right on me. The other day while I was going through my closet to take inventory, I realized that part of the reason I never wore this sweater was because it had no shape. Lack of shape is an easy fix, so I threw on a belt, and it instantly felt new and fresh! All of the sudden this piece of clothing that has hung in my closet for years became something that I wanted to wear and actually felt good in.
When you have clothing that you don’t want to get rid of, but often don’t wear, take an objective look at it and assess what exactly you don’t like about it. Maybe what you don’t like can be fixed through proper styling. A good rule of thumb is that if something needs shape, try adding a belt or a structured jacket. This will help highlight and flatter your figure while adding the shape that the initial item is lacking.
If the item is too tight, there’s not much that you can do except for letting it out or getting it tailored to better fit your body.
Find inspiration online or in magazines and see what you have in your closet
A great way to get out of a style rut on a budget is to find outfits that inspire you and see how you can create them from items you already own. Perhaps you have a garment that you always wear in a certain way or with a certain outfit, but if you see how other people are styling a similar piece, it can give you motivation to try something new. Styling an item that you already own in a different way can make it feel new and fresh. Sometimes you just need a different perspective to make things feel different.
Checkout Pinterest or style magazines to see what other people are wearing or how they are styling different pieces. You could also do a simple google search of “how to style [item]” and see what comes up. You’ll be surprised at how much information is out there to inspire you!
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When it comes to style, it’s easy to revert back to your comfort zone, but the easiest way to get out of a style rut on a budget is to take inventory of everything you have, wear the clothing you haven’t worn in a while, and style your favorite pieces in a different way to make them feel new and fresh.
Good luck!