Feeling like you have “A closet full of clothes and nothing to wear?” You’re not alone!

Statistics tell us the typical American wears about 15-20% of their clothing 80% of the time.

What makes you reach for those favorite items over and over again? And, why is the majority hanging there, collecting dust? It really comes down to identifying your personal style, and that is mostly comprised of understanding these three key things: 

1. Your Unique Body Architecture.

What silhouettes and proportions truly flatter you?

Every person needs different cuts, shapes, and fabrics to fit and honor their unique body. If you try something on and it doesn’t fit right, that is NOT a problem with you; it is a problem with the clothing! Take this furniture analogy: there are a LOT of different sizes and shapes of tables out there. When buying a tablecloth, it’s not the round table’s fault if the rectangular cloth fits funny (and vice versa). Similarly, with our individual bodies, different cuts and shapes of clothing work better for different bodies.

Therefore, don’t beat yourself up or wish you could modify your body when something doesn’t work – those items are not worth your time or self-esteem. I frequently tell my clients, “The clothes audition for us, not the other way around.” Leave those subpar pieces behind for someone else and learn what highlights YOUR amazing features.

2. Your Personality.

Do your outfits truly reflect who you are on the inside? Your outfits should make you feel more like yourself!  

Think of a time when you were shopping with a friend: you tried something on, and she/he said, “That looks amazing on you! You HAVE to buy it!” You felt uncertain, but bought it anyway, then NEVER wore it. It probably did look great on you, but the clothing personality elements were off.

Nearly every one of my style clients tells me they want “to look put together,” but that formula is very different for each individual. There are many ways we can dress a body beautifully, but not all of them will feel like you! What feels authentic and not like you’re wearing a costume or someone else’s clothes? Personal style is much about identifying which elements you need (with my clients, we call these details “points of interest”) and which will sabotage your look and how you feel.  

3. Your Lifestyle.

Think of your wardrobe as a toolbox, smoothing the way as you go about your day-to-day activities. Having the right tools for the job is key; otherwise, putting together the perfect outfit will become a frustrating challenge. Are you a mother of small children? You’re probably not going to do well with lots of light-colored, “dry clean only” fabrics. Do you head to the office every day? A closet full of athleisure may not support your professional goals. 

That said, you do need outfits for all the occasions from casual to dressy, you just need to have the proper proportions for your lifestyle (I don’t know too many people who will benefit from a closet full of ballgowns, no matter how fun!). Regardless of how you spend your time, you need items that help you move confidently, comfortably, and without distraction.