Stop Shopping &Define Your Style.
Still struggling with over consumption , or better yet, your style?
Today I am sharing what I did to overcome my urge to SHOP winter trends…and in the midst of…..I redefined my style.
What had happened was….
I was having this urge to shop, shop, shop… the latest winter trends…(as its my favorite time of year to DRESS), but I live in Houston so this really didn’t make much sense. Having what I call a Wardrobe melt down is nothing new by any means.. its very normal as I am a fashion enthusiast.. but I say this to say…. even as a minimalist I am still often triggered to impulse buy. Thankfully, I have put systems, tools , and rules in place to keep me and my bank accounts in check.
What did I do?
I created a new PINTEREST board and called her the BRAND NEW ME. Not that I’m changing… but i think of myself as a personal brand beyond just influencer-ship or as a business related thing… but how I view myself… How I as TORI shows up in the world.
After curating my board of old and a few new pins…. I used the board as inspo to create outfits with what I already had. Crazy thing is… as creative as I can be without having inspo, I was amazed at how many outfits I was able to create with only utilizing 40% of my current wardrobe. I created 90 outfits y’all…. I enjoyed the process soo much that I didnt even think to document my outfits. ( I HIGHTLY SUGGEST YOU TAKE PICS DURING THIS PROCESS).
What did I learn?
-I had more than enough… and that I truly didn’t need anything else… j
-I had pieces or outfits that I was saving for an “ special event” or scared to wear to work , due to getting color or stains on it.
-I was actually ready to let go of more pieces than I originally thought after cleaning out my closet the first time
-That “free clothes” from collabs isn’t always the plug…because most items didn’t meet my typical standards in quality.
-I learned that I have done so much better with curating my wardrobe and that I am truly sticking to ME. I LOVE THAT FOR ME.
-Trying to dress sexier and incorporate more “feminine” looks or items in my closet wont get me any closer to THE MAN GOD HAS FOR ME.
-Another reminder that….LESS IS TRULY MORE.
What can you do?
Lets be honest…..it’s hard to gain a sense of self when social media is constantly INFLUENCING YOU TO BE AND DRESS LIKE SOMEONE else.
(Will save that for another ted talk)
1.DECIDE WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE….yeah you … not your favorite fashion influencer… I mean YOU. It’s great to be inspired , but what you are visually drawn to , usually tells an underlying story about YOU. I CHALLENGE YOU TO OPEN THAT BOOK and read all about her..
HOW? -Create that style mood board sis… what do those outfits have in common? Consider your REAL LIFEstyle
2. PLAY DRESS UP…AND DO A CLOSET AUDIT…..grab you some wine sis, hit that Beyonce playlist and have fun with the clothes you already own. Recreate outfits from your board. Take inventory of how you feel as you play dress up in these looks. (This will tell you if you have been shopping for YOU or for someone else.)
3. ROCK YOUR RECREATION OUT AND ABOUT….take these outfits and put them to the test. I suggest rocking some of these new looks to work and or to social settings. Why you ask? Because you are going to analyze how YOU feel. Listen to your instinct sis…. Honing in on the YOU and not the compliments, stares, or comments… whether good or bad comments… its not about them it’s about YOU.
ONE THING I LEARNED FROM THE FOUR AGREEMENTS IS TO NOT TAKE THINGS PERSONAL , and that means compliments too. It’s none of your business what others think, but what is your business …….. is how YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF.
IN THE WORDS OF MYLIEK “ARE YOU ,WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE?”
4.PUT YOURSELF ON A SHOPPING DETOX- No shopping for how ever long works for you. You will only rock what you have, unless your current wardrobe has completely failed you.
5. TIME TO DECLUTTER AND SHOP- during this phase you will clean out your closet, create a list of needs and wants, create a wardrobe budget, follow your style guide (your image brand), and SLOWLY bring in new items. Make sure you set rules and boundaries for your shopping habits.
AND IF YOU ARE STILL STRUGGLING…. BOOK A STYLE SESSION WITH ME AND I’LL GET YOU UP AND GOING. IF YOU HAVE DONE THE SUGGESTED ABOVE… YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE THE FIRST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT. (WINK)
Let me know in the comments if this helped, and if your’e going to give it a try.
if you made it all the way through …thank you!
Tori Shalea’
