Rewear/Restyle/Repeat

Better Your Style AND Your Savings in 2020!

Happy day, dear reader!

I pray that if you have made resolutions for 2020, that they are proving easier to keep than you expected. And if they have already gone by the wayside, thank goodness you can pick right back up and try again! I’ll pry… Is saving money or buying less one of your goals this year? If so, I wanted to write a post just for you! (And me.) Let’s tackle the 3 R’s and I’ll link to some other posts about saving stylishly as we go!

First, knowing your WHY, and appreciating what you already have makes any change easier. If you feel like your closet is a place of scarcity, that’s something you need to explore. Not by buying more, but by trying to understand where that feeling is coming from. I have yet to meet a woman (or man, for that matter) that didn’t already have enough clothing.

When I teach a business dress workshop, I demonstrate how 12 carefully selected pieces can give you more than 60 outfits. That’s three months of work days! And the numbers grow with the pieces you have. If you don’t believe me, read how you can create more than 400 outfits with 39 pieces of clothing. Then go count what you own. If that doesn’t shift your feelings to abundance (or overabundance), that’s okay. Your brain being convinced can help, too!

Rewear

Recently, a new ‘grammer was asking how often I post outfit pictures, and how do I do a different outfit every time. (I DON’T!) “Doesn’t that get expensive? Or do you borrow clothes?” she asked. You might think this was from someone of a younger than boomer generation, but it wasn’t. It just goes to show how social media makes for strange thinking… At any age! No, I don’t borrow; I post the same clothes all the time. On purpose. Real life, real style, and a budget are NOT mutually exclusive! Style doesn’t mean new things all the time. It means loving and rewearing what you have. If my old Levi’s 501’s aren’t proof of that, I don’t know what is! I think I must wear them about 3 times weekly…

• 

• 

• 

Restyle

If repeating outfits frequently bothers you, restyling is your secret weapon. And accessories, your ammunition! The same top and bottom will change mood and refinement level depending on how you accessorize. Where to begin? If you are jeans and tee kind of woman, try 5 Ways to Style Jeans & a White Tee. If a blouse and trousers is more your style, try 5 Ways to Style a Silk Shirt. (Or simply enter “Ways to Style” in the search bar!) If accessories are “fussy,” practice combining your pieces differently. I see clients all the time who “always wear that shirt with these pants.” Try a little Closet Play; mix things up!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

To make accessorizing dead easy, pull yourself together a Beauty Bundle or two.

Hunt through your closet for some of the seven Style Staples to give your outfit a lift. Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One. (I bet you have most of them in your closet already! You just need to get them out and wear them…)

Repeat

Combine Rewearing and Restyling until you run out of combinations. For some more inspiration, read about the 10 X 10 Challenge I did this past fall. Try it yourself. You might find it makes you a lot happier with what you already own! No, it wasn’t scary. And yes, you can do this.

• 

• 

Refashion

And because three is never enough, you get a fourth! For freeeeee! Refashion. You may find that something you loved just doesn’t ring your bell any more. Or that your closet wears something because it’s just not comfortable for you. Maybe it needs tweaking. I took my wide legged jeans from spring and cropped them for my winter capsule. Now they make me happier, and will get more wear! (They were getting grubby around the hem, and had shrunk just enough that they were too long for cropped and too short for long.)

• 

• 

You can also overdye clothing that is faded or stained, or because you want a color change! Just as simple is to paint shoes that have seen better days and need a refresh. Take it from this crafty-challenged girl. Painting shoes really is easy! TIP: Prep the shoes well. Multiple thin coats works best.

So, what are you up to for 2020? Is saving on your agenda? Are you greening your wardrobe, or is this your year to splash out? Do let me know what you’re thinking for 2020, I’d love to know how I can help!

Stylishly yours,