If Your New Year's Resolution Is To Revamp Your Personal Style, Read This
Many of us have a certain personal style, whether you've always opted for all-black, gothic chic since middle school, love the flowery vibes of cottagecore, adore Parisian chic with its boyfriend jeans, boots, and cardigans, or simply have a casual day-to-day style that involves lots of neutrals and basics. No matter your ingrained fashion style, chances are your wardrobe is stuffed to the brim with the kinds of clothes people associate with you — the kind of pieces your BFF would point to in the mall and say, "hey, you would love that." While having a certain comfort zone when it comes to clothes is fantastic, sometimes, the new year brings in different vibes, and you might want a refreshed sense of style to match.
While many of us have heard the expression "new year, new me," few of us actually end up adopting it in our daily lives. You might have had New Year's resolutions in the past that you didn't hold onto — whether trying out going vegan for just about a week and a half, sticking to a 5-day-a-week workout routine, or slowly treading through the path to forget that seriously toxic ex (2022 is all about leaving ex's in the past!). While these resolutions are considerably more difficult, if you've resolved to revamp your wardrobe, there are tons of easy tips and tricks you can do to get there. Ahead, find all the best ways to shake up your style.
Creating a mood board
When adopting a new personal style, start with the basics. Think about the reasons you want to revamp your wardrobe: Is it to match a new corporate job after years of casual leggings you wore to college classes? Is your 2022 wardrobe meant to put environmental sustainability first, or is the revamp set to bring in tons of rainbow brights into your closet after way too neutral purchases last year? Or, one of the most common reasons of all as of late is after a really difficult 2020 and 2021, you want a wardrobe refresh that brings to mind new beginnings, fun, and joy. You should think about the ways your wardrobe revamp will function in your daily life, and why you want to work on it in the first place.
Once you figure out your reasoning, you should delve into sources of inspiration before getting started on clearing out your closet, or purchasing anything new. Life Savvy explains that this process is akin to putting together a "mood board," which involves cutting up pictures of fashion magazines and pasting them together on a piece of construction paper you can hang in your room. If you prefer to go the digital route, then try "saving" fashion inspo pictures on Pinterest or Instagram, creating folders you can easily access when stumped about what to wear. These pictures won't just give you last-minute ideas about what to wear, they will also educate you on the style you gravitate towards now.
Cleaning out your closet
You should also plan out getting rid of the clothes that just don't feel like "you" anymore. We know it can be really difficult getting rid of that Rolling Stones t-shirt you've had since you were 14 or that crossbody bag that's on its last thread after way too many nights out, but sometimes, you have to do what you have to do.
Open up your closet and analyze what's working for you, and what will properly fit into your 2022 revamped wardrobe. As explained by Ion Image, look for the "essentials" that will form the basis for your new style. If you want to create a sustainable capsule wardrobe consisting of easy, basic pieces you can mix and match, then your best bet is picking your neutral, high-quality pieces to stay. Clothing items that would definitely have to go in that scenario? Anything too colorful, printed, embellished, or including frilly details like ruffles or fringe. On the flip side, if you want your 2022 style to gravitate towards all things boho, then the opposite strategy should be applied.
You should first pick the pieces you "cannot do without," and then move on to all the stuff you're definitely done with. Keep your mood board in mind when going through this process to make sure it's aligned with your goals, and that you are tailoring your wardrobe to fit exactly what you want it to be. This also makes getting dressed every morning much easier.
Break the rules
Another less expected tip? Allowing your new personal style to shift and expand depending on your day-to-day. As drawn out by Life Savvy, rules don't exist when it comes to fashion — even when you want to change your style. Sure, your mood board and closet clean out will go a long way, but once you get used to emulating your favorite Instagram blogger's outfits, you can step away from the board and trust your own amazing instincts. Even if your 2022 resolution is to dress clean cut and office appropriate, keeping a few rocker tees and cut-off shorts for your day's off is always a good idea. Plus, your resolution next year might be to go the opposite route. So, you definitely don't want to give away everything.
Speaking of giving away clothing, do not throw away your pieces, which will end up in a landfill somewhere and pollute the environment. Try going one piece at a time and think about exactly the best way to get rid of it. Could it be sold on a resale website like Poshmark? Could your local church or shelter make use of it? Make separate bags for each category and go from there. Similarly, when it's time to purchase new items, try going a route that's just as sustainable. Invest in just a few key pieces you know you will wear time and time again, making sure they fit properly, and are made out of high-quality fabrics like wool or silk.
Making the best possible new purchases
Just like Rome wasn't built in a day, your new and improved 2022 closet won't be either. We love the idea of slowly furnishing a home with objects, trinkets, chairs, and tables found in little corners throughout the world. Take this ethos and apply it your closet instead. Once you have your new look idea and your mood board set in stone, and have properly cleaned out your closet of anything that doesn't fit with you New Year sensibilities, it's time to get to shopping.
As mentioned previously, if you want to go for a capsule wardrobe, try building it with a few key pieces in neutral hues. That being said, if you simply want a brighter, more colorful wardrobe, or a closet that brings all the boho, preppy, or cottagecore vibes, there are a few ways of going about it. Explained by the New Yorker, shopping vintage pieces is a great way to be sustainable while still nabbing tons of cool things from decades past. The outlet also recommends splurging just a bit on luxury pieces you'll wear for years, and adding statement accessories to your wardrobe that give a certain je ne sais quoi to even the most basic, neutral outfits. Life Savvy has an unlikely suggestion we love: Go for impulse buys if you do so please. While an unusual recommendation, buying impulsively means you are following your heart, and you try using your "intuition" around your style more often.