Transcription
I used to think that the secret to having good style was to simply buy more clothes, but you want to know the truth? I was a shopaholic. I was trying to buy my way into confidence through clothing, and I still somehow had absolutely nothing to wear. What I had to learn the hard way is that dressing well and feeling stylish isn't about what you buy or how much. It's about your mindset and your habits.
So, in today's video, I'm going to share with you 15 simple habits that you can start right now to make your wardrobe start to work for you, and not the other way around.
Number one is get organized. They say a cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind, and I say a cluttered wardrobe leads to a bad outfit, or just you grabbing a hoodie and leggings every single day. Even if you're not actively thinking that you need to declutter and organize your wardrobe, every single morning when you open it up to get dressed, it immediately signals things like stress, overwhelm, decision fatigue, and I think can easily start your day off on the wrong foot. And I find when you organize your wardrobe, you almost create opportunities to make it easier to get dressed. You know what it is you own, you know exactly where it is, and if you did do a declutter, then you got rid of the things that you don't actually wear or even like. So not only is it important to have a wardrobe of clothes that you actually want to wear, that you enjoy wearing, and that is functional for you, but it needs to be organized in such a way that it's easy to get dressed, it's easy to see what you have, it's easy to grab and go, get out the door, and get on with your life feeling good and looking good.
Next is the three outfits rule. This is something that you can think about next time you're out shopping to add something to your closet, and that is, before you end up buying a piece, make sure that you can style a minimum of three outfits before buying it. If you can't come up with three outfits on your own, thinking about what it is you already have in your closet and how you're going to wear it in your everyday life, then, and I would say, don't buy it. And the fun thing about this rule is, if you can come up with those outfits, it gets you so excited about that piece where you almost can't wait to wear it. And I think that is awesome. That is how it should feel when we're buying something for our wardrobe. And when you already have outfits in mind lined up and ready to go, or you know the exact role this item is going to play in your closet, then I feel like it's going to be that much more exciting to add to your closet, and you're going to feel that much more intentional and good about that buy.
Don't buy a problem. So I'm talking about items that need more items in order to work. Things like it needing special underwear in order to actually wear it, it needs extensive tailoring that you'll probably never actually get around to doing, it's itchy, it's fussy, it doesn't fit, it causes blisters, or actually hurts you. Those pieces always end up being regrets. They end up being the pieces that you never wear, and they even end up being bully pieces in your wardrobe that kind of taunt you every time you open up your closet. So when it comes to your wardrobe, don't buy a problem. And if you're decluttering your wardrobe, get rid of the problem.
Number four is to put more focus on accessories over clothing. In my experience, I truly feel like the key to taking any outfit from feeling boring and basic to stylish and cool is through having great accessories. So this is where I think you can have a lot of fun with things like jewelry, belts, watches, and bags.
Which brings me into the sponsor of today's video, Songm. When it comes to chic, stylish, but functional and well-made bags, Songm is it. Some of my most worn bags in my wardrobe are all from Songm, and I have been so happy with the style and the quality of these bags. They can really stand up against a lot of wear. And my favorite thing about them is that a lot of their bags are designed to be worn in multiple different ways. So if you're really looking to maximize cost per wear and versatility in your wardrobe, they've got you. My all-time favorite from Songm is their viral Luna bag. It's so chic and minimal, but really unique at the same time. It's a full-grain leather, so it has a really nice texture to it, but you don't have to worry about things like scratching and being too precious with it. The hardware is fade-resistant, and you can wear this bag in four different ways. And the Luna bag is such a favorite that I have it in two different colors. Another fan favorite is the Song bag. This is the medium Song bag in mint green. This is a great little everyday bag that's still super functional and chic. You can also wear this one in multiple different ways. It comes with a long strap so you can wear it crossbody, hands-free, or you can wear as a little handbag like this. I also like that the Song bag also comes with this removable leather pouch to carry cash and like little lip glosses and your small belongings. It has little snaps inside so that pouch isn't going anywhere, and a magnetic closure for a little bit of extra safety. So if you're looking for bags that are a little more stylish but still versatile and really hold up, definitely check out Songm. Their bags can really help take your outfits to the next level. They come in so many different colors and textures. They come in suede and vegan leather too. And if you are interested in any of the bags, I'll leave them all linked down below along with a little bit of a discount.
The 10-minute rule. I think there's a bit of a misconception that getting dressed should be hard and take a long time. Even an extra 10 minutes in the morning or the night before to lay out your clothes, plan your outfit, or just give you that little bit of extra time to make some tweaks and sort of jiggle your outfit once it's on your body can really make all the difference in how you feel and in your experience when it comes to getting dressed. There doesn't have to be a lot of pressure, it doesn't have to be rushed, and I think you can get a lot more done and learn a lot more about yourself and your style in as little as 10 minutes a day.
Stop waiting for the right time to get dressed. There is never going to be a right time. And I truly believe that how we spend our days is how we spend our lives. So what more of a reason do you need to just get dressed every day? Create those opportunities for yourself. So if you have errands to run, why not throw on that cute pair of shoes? Going for a coffee with a friend? Try that new outfit. I think it's really important to get use out of your clothes and start to learn to wear them. Styling is a skill which takes reps and practice. And think about it, when you do have that big event and you haven't been getting dressed, you haven't been getting to know what it is you like and how you like it to fit and what you actually like to wear in your everyday, when it comes to that big event, you're going to feel even more stressed and overwhelmed because you haven't been putting the reps in ahead of time. Think of your everyday as a new chance to get dressed, a new chance to have some fun, to show up, practice, and build that muscle of styling.
The wish list and weight rule. Wish lists are my number one favorite way to create some distance between yourself and a potential impulse buy that you might regret. And I guarantee you, as soon as you start implementing one, you're going to be shocked at how many things that you forgot you even wanted in the first place. I started tracking my wish list in my very own Minimalisti journal. This is a journal that I wrote that is now available everywhere at Walmart, Target, Barnes & Noble, Chapters Indigo, Amazon, Amazon Canada, anywhere you buy your books. I wrote this journal to help you buy less, live better, and find more joy in what you already have. And I also included a full-on wish list section. But you can essentially use your wish list to help you see what it is you actually want versus what you just had an emotional reaction to in passing. And I'll leave it linked down below if you want to check it out.
Learn to own your bad outfits. This is such an important habit to learn because you're not going to knock it out of the park every single time. If you're learning to use your wardrobe, figure out your personal style, and just figure out what it is you actually like in your closet, you need to let yourself be brave enough to try something new and for it to not be a 10 out of 10 every single time. Trial and error is how you refine your style. And I think it's just as important to know what it is you don't like compared to what it is you do. And honestly, if you never have a bad outfit, you might even just be playing it too safe.
Learn the difference between inspiration and aspiration. I love outfit inspiration. It teaches me so much about style. It teaches me about what's cool, what's new, what's interesting. But there is a fine line to walk between inspiration and aspiration. Being inspired by what you're seeing and trying it yourself with what you already have versus wanting to replace those things to become like this other person at the cost of yourself. That's where I think style and influencing and all of those things can become very toxic. There's you, and then there's fantasy. Make sure that they play well together.
Number 10 is Big, Slim, Skin. This is a styling principle that I learned about a few years ago from Amy Smic, the founder of Tibby. And it's essentially a styling principle that you can use to help bring back some sense of proportion and balance into your outfit. And it's really as simple as it sounds: mix something big with something slim, and show a little skin somewhere. And it's not to say that the proportions of big on big on big or slim on slim on slim are bad, but big, slim, skin is a tool that you can use if you're feeling overwhelmed or a little bit out of balance in your outfit. This is really all about how it's perceived to you as the wearer. I like to use this as more of a principle rather than a rule, and that's how Amy intends for it to be used. Basically, something that you can turn to to troubleshoot an outfit when it does feel off. A lot of the times, I think when we don't like an outfit, we feel like we need to start all over again, but it's really just like a rolled-up sleeve here, maybe switching out a top, adding a belt to create different proportions and shapes. You can play around with the outfit once it's on your body using this principle instead of feeling like you need to start from scratch.
Which brings me into the next styling tool or principle that you can use, and that is One, Ton, or None. This is also from Tibby, and it's basically a take on color theory and combining colors when you're getting dressed. If you want to learn a little bit more about this, I did make an entire video on the Tibby color wheel and Tibby color theory that can really help change the way you see color combinations when you're getting dressed. So I will make sure to leave that linked here for you. But the idea of One, Ton, or None is essentially creating outfit combinations that feels restful for the eye. So One, you can consider your pop of color. Ton, you can consider lots of colors. And None, you can consider your neutrals and monochromatic styling. If you take a look at all of these outfits, the eye tends to know exactly where to go. If it's a One, it goes straight to that one color, which is usually a white or a bright. Versus if it's a Ton, yes, it's a lot of different fun colors, but the eye isn't really darting all over the place. And with a None, it's monochromatic. I just kind of look at the outfit from head to toe. I don't stare at one thing right away. It it feels like a really calm and cohesive sort of taking in of the outfit as opposed to something like a Two, where it's like, I don't know if I need to look at the shoe or the bag, or the shoe, or the belt. And it could feel a little bit more disjointed. Again, these are not hard and fast rules, these are principles. So take them or leave them. But I found when I started incorporating these techniques into my styling, it made getting dressed a whole lot easier, and I just felt like my styling and my outfits felt a lot more harmonious, and I knew how to troubleshoot an outfit when it started to feel off.
Find Your Heroes. These are your go-tos, they're your old reliables, they never let you down, and they always make you feel good and put together. These can be specific pieces, or they can be outfit combinations and style uniforms that you turn to when you just don't know what to wear, but you want to feel good and you want to look good. For me, I'd say my wardrobe hero is always a blazer. I feel like I can just throw that on and immediately feel put together. It's kind of like my cheat code for feeling chic, no matter what I'm wearing. But for you, it might be a just white button-down, a t-shirt, a really great belt, a really great bag. And by the way, your heroes also don't have to be basic. These can be pieces with a lot of texture, a lot of pattern, a lot of fun, but they're basically your go-tos when you just feel like you need something more, and you can kind of rely on them to feel good every time you feel like you need it.
Next is to get into the habit of shopping your closet. I think it's so easy to feel like we need to add more and new stuff into our wardrobe all the time for it to feel fresh, exciting, and stylish. But as a former shopaholic, I'm going to tell you that is not the case. It's really just going to add more confusion into your wardrobe, not to mention a whole lot of buyer's remorse and wasted money. So a new way to reframe the idea of boredom or just searching for novelty in your wardrobe is to think, "Do I have this already?" And if you don't, is there something in my wardrobe that can serve the same purpose? And I don't like to think about this as the carbon copy of an item. It's thinking sort of beyond the piece itself and breaking it down into what it is is about the piece that you actually like and that you're attracted to. And when it comes to recreating outfits, for example, recreating a Pinterest outfit, I think a lot of the times it can feel like a flop because we focus too much on the fact that, you know, for example, she's styling a white button-down shirt, but this button-down that she's wearing is a bit more sculptural versus the one that you might have is a bit more oversized. But you know, can I tie a knot in the back to make it a bit more of an hourglass silhouette? Can I add a belt to cinch in the waist to help create that shape that I know I'm attracted to in this outfit? And you know what, this is harder to do upfront rather than just adding to cart and buying the thing. But before you buy, try shopping your closet first. See what you've got, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Number 14 is to make sure you can afford it. And I'm talking in all aspects of buying it. Being able to afford something doesn't just mean you can pay for it in full when you buy it upfront. Because especially when it comes to clothing, there's other hidden costs that you might not be thinking about. For example, if the item doesn't fit quite right, are you willing to pay a tailor to do the alterations that it needs? Are you willing to pay to dry clean it because you can't machine wash it? Not to mention other ways that you're paying for this item, like, do you have the space for it? Do you have the time, energy, and money to maintain it? If you can't pay for it in full, then you can't afford it, period. But if you can, there's still those other things to think about. So are you willing to pay that price after you bought it?
And finally, the ready-to-wear rule. This I think goes hand in hand with having a decluttered, functional, and organized wardrobe, but you want to make sure that your clothes are ready to wear when you put them away. If they're wrinkled, peeling, missing a button, have a loose thread to them, then you're not going to reach for them and you're not going to get your money's worth. So every laundry day, I like to make it a habit to steam my clothes if they need it before I put them away. Every season, I like to depill my sweaters. And if something needs fixing or tailoring, I make sure to set it aside and that I do it that week, or it's just never going to happen. So when you keep your clothes steamed, depilled, and ready to wear, you're going to wear them so much more, and you're going to feel and look better in it too.
So those are the 15 simple rules and habits that will instantly improve your style and make it easier to get dressed with no shopping necessary. Because I think that good style truly comes from putting in the work and putting in the reps, not necessarily about buying more. Let me know in the comments some of your best habits that helped you level up your style. And if you learned something new, let me know what habit you're going to start today. And if you're looking to buy less, shop smarter, and curate your life a little bit more, don't forget to check out my journal. I'll leave it linked down below. If you want to see more YouTube things, you'll like this video, and I'll see you next Sunday. Thanks for watching. Bye.
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