What to Wear When You Have Nothing to Wear: 3 Easy Fashion Hacks
Stuck in the paradox of: too many clothes but nothing to wear? We’ve all been there!
Follow along to learn how to shop your closet and get a few ideas of what to wear when you have nothing to wear.
I use 3 jumping off points to help me get ready in the morning, especially when I’m feeling uninspired.
The overwhelming feeling can come from not being able to see what you have or not having enough time to be creative.
Tip 1. Consider contrast
The first guidepost that always helps me is: Do I want high or low contrast? A high contrast outfit appears more striking to the eye:
A low contrast look is something more harmonious and feels “easy”:
When I talk about low contrast, this doesn’t have to mean wearing neutrals or monochrome from head to toe.
Instead, I’m referring to where the eye is drawn. For example, below, the high contrast look is using contrasting colors which draws the eye to certain points.
The low contrast look uses different colors but there’s no strong point of contrast.
In high contrast outfits, besides using contrasting colors, you can also create contrast via style tension.
To create style tension, for example, you might pair an especially dainty item with something more sporty or harder and more “rock and roll”.
Humans are multifaceted, containing endless personalities and unique styles.
You can play on 2 different styles within you or go completely relaxed, for example, in head-to-toe athleisure!
Simply by determining if you feel like going high or low contrast will help you narrow what to go for in your closet.
Tip 2. Follow your function
Many of us get frustrated with our closets because we’ve built up a fantasy self that we want to live and that we’ve purchased for, yet our regular, day-to-day lives don’t have room for some of these purchases.
To avoid this frustration, consider: What is your primary agenda today? Use the answer to guide you when picking your outfit. Often, some of the most creative outfits come from the limitation of function or have a utilitarian element to them.
If my agenda includes traveling around the city on public transportation, visiting clients, I know I’ll need to base my outfit around comfortable footwear.
My footwear will need to withstand city streets, public transportation, lots of movement etc. This doesn’t necessarily mean flats, but something city-ready. Then I’ll build the rest of my look around the shoes.
To make that function more stylish and interesting, I like to go for something on the opposite end of the spectrum.
If I know I can move with confidence because of my comfortable footwear, I can have fun with the rest of the outfit.
Tip 3. Dress according to your mood
The flip side of dressing around function is building an outfit around your mood. A lot of people in my online community (The Studio) have shared that they get dressed in the morning with their mood in mind and how they want to feel.
Try asking yourself: How do I want to feel today? It might not be in line with some of the key, style descriptors you tend to gravitate toward. That’s ok!
What to wear when you have nothing to wear
Ultimately, learning how to shop your closet and appreciating your wardrobe is about making sure that our clothes make us feel good. Looking good will be secondary when we feel good in our clothes.
Starting with our mood and how you want to feel throughout the day is an excellent jumping off point. You can eliminate the items in your closet that aren’t going to serve your mood that day.
The next time you’re wondering what to wear when it feels like you have nothing to wear, consider these 3 style tips! Comment your favorite of these fashion hacks down below.
Next up, check out these Italian fashion hacks to create summer outfits inspired by Italy.
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