3 Antidotes to I-Have-Nothing-To-Wear

We’ve all faced it; even as a personal stylist I grapple with it at times.

You feel defeated, paralyzed, trapped – you are looking into a closet full of clothes and you have nothing to wear.

You tell yourself: “I have to go shopping right now,” and while a little closet refresh might indeed be necessary, you will feel infinitely better, empowered even, if you start with what you already have.  And besides, you would need to get dressed to go shopping anyways.

Some of my clients coped with this issue on a daily basis, others only when they had an occasion and needed to dress outside their comfort zone.  Whether the feeling is constant or occasional, I have designed three strategies to combat the desire to throw a belt around a bed sheet and pretend it’s the next sartorial trend.

The 3 H.GrantStyle Antidotes:

1) Start With Your Shoes

How awful is it to put together an outfit only to realize you don’t have the right pair of shoes to compliment it?  Reverse engineering your look by starting with your soles is incredibly effective.  Think: how far do I have to walk? How much time will I spend on my feet? Most importantly, what’s the weather? Start at the bottom and work up from there; you are sure to have a look that truly will carry you through any day, any event.

2) Wear Something You Never Wear

All those beautiful pieces you purchased that now languish in your closet? Well, this is the time to take a new, fresh look at them.  It might be a few years old but if you think outside-the-box, something old paired with something new or totally unexpected might actually work.  Even if you don’t end up choosing any of these forlorn pieces, the journey of trying them on will likely bring you somewhere closer to the perfect outfit.  And, along the way, you gained a whole new perspective on items you hardly wear.

3) Subtlety Rules

It’s amazing what the smallest detail can do to a piece of clothing, or an outfit in general.  For starters you can roll your sleeves (short or long apply), unbutton (or button) an extra button or cuff your jeans (big or small roll) to show some ankle and alter the proportions.  Could a top be belted and bloused?  Tied or partially tucked? Just a slight tweak can take you from frumpy to fab instantly.

I hope these 3 H.GrantStyle Antidotes will aide you in your search for the perfect, effortless outfit everyday.  And if you do wear that bed sheet, I hope it’s because you really want to; and that to you, it looks and feels like a ball gown.

Helena Grant is a Boston-based stylist specializing in helping women build wardrobes that make them look and feel amazing no matter what they wear.  She is determined to make every woman feel effortless and empowered every day.  Check out her website hgrantstyle.com or Instagram @hgrantstyle