How To Define Your Style Goals

Have you decided to set style goals this year? Need help on where to start? You are in the right place. First off, you might be asking yourself, what are style goals? This can mean different things depending on where you are in your life. At the most basic, it means establishing what you identify as your personal style. Do you identify as preppy, trendy, classic, edgy, exotic or bohemian, for example? This is not an exhaustive list. Your style could also be a combination of these and others. 

Style is incredibly personal. Look at your closet and see what your current wardrobe says about your style. Is this style in line with your personality? Reconcile what your current wardrobe reflects and what you want for your personal style. Once you have a handle on that, you want to find ways to build your wardrobe around that style. If you’re a little further along in your style journey, your goals can vary:

• To looked polished and put together
• To pull a look together more efficiently
• To streamline your wardrobe
• To dress age appropriate
• To elevate your look

When deciding on your style goals, think about your daily/weekly wardrobe struggles. Where do you identify in the following statements? (Yes, I am using a lot of bullet points here but I think it may make it easier for you to digest. It is also the direct result of too many years in Corporate America.)

• You hate shopping
• You can’t pull together a complete outfit
• You don’t feel organized – your closet is a mess and you can’t easily find items to get dressed
• You look at your closet full of clothes and think… I have nothing to wear
• You want to look better in your clothes: you want to find better fit for your body type, the right colors for your skin tone, which styles flatter you
• You want to have a fresh new look if your wardrobe is aged and not on trend

Maybe you find that you agree with more than one of these statements. If that’s the case, see if you can find a style goal that will address the overall issue. For example, let’s say you want to look better in your clothes but you hate to shop. Clearly this is problematic. So your style goal should be to streamline your wardrobe. This will make it easier to shop and the clothes that you are buying will be selected to fit your body type and skin tone so they look better on you.

As I mentioned before, this won’t be easy. It will take some work on your part. You need to think about what you wear, what you buy, and how you dress. You may need to change your buying habits. You may need to clean out your closet. You may have to part with items that aren’t so easy to let go of. But you can do this.

And I am always happy to help! If you’re looking for a personalized experience see my services page for a sample of services I can help with. I am always happy to cater my time specifically to the needs of a particular client. If you have questions, always feel free to ask!

What to expect from this blog in 2017

I have so much to share this year! I have made some new resolutions for the blog and pulled together a host of new ideas to share. Over the last year, I’ve been getting great feedback from you all on what you want to hear more of and what you love about the blog. I’m planning to incorporate that into my plan for the New Year in hopes of making this your go to destination for tips, inspiration and information.

I’m looking forward to starting a series of posts on how to tackle your wardrobe. We will start with creating a great basics foundation, how to identify your personal style and how to shop smarter. I want you to be able to identify items that can make your wardrobe go further. I will show you how to incorporate trends into your wardrobe and how to reach your style goals.

I want to make your wardrobe less intimating. I want you to view leaving the house polished and put together as a less daunting task. I want to make it easy. I want to give you tips that can help make this possible.

I know that some of you find your wardrobe overwhelming. You hate to shop. You don’t have time to coordinate an outfit. Maybe you’ve never been able to find the right fit. Maybe you’ve had children and your clothes don’t fit the way they use to. Maybe your body has changed due to surgery, age, weight loss/gain and you don’t know how to dress your new body.  

I want to help. I want you to find the tools you need to tackle your wardrobe one step at a time. I want you to get dressed in the morning and feel polished and confident. I want you to smile when you look in a mirror.

All of this is possible. Maybe not all at once but it can be accomplished one step at a time. Make this the year that you set aside a little time for style goals. If you feel good in what you are wearing, it will have a positive impact on every aspect of your life. Start here. Start now!

Weekend Tip ... Do you know a tailor?

As you are trying on your summer wardrobe and maybe adding a few choice pieces, always keep in mind what you might be able to do to make a piece work better for you. A tailored piece of clothing that fits you like it was made for you, can give your outfit the little something extra. We are all different heights and sizes and body styles. So how can we expect that the clothes we buy will fit all of us the same way? We can't! And they won't. Chances are that we'll need to have something tailored.

Sometimes the fix is an easy one, such as shortening a pair of pants. Sometimes the fix is a bigger one, such as having a dress fitted. No matter what the need, having an item of clothing tailored to our body can result in a polished, professional and confident look. Not having items tailored can result in clothing pieces that can make us look sloppy or disheveled.

Items of clothing that we hold on to over time might need to be adjusted to our changing bodies. Whether we lose or gain weight, have a baby or babies, or just get older, our bodies are always changing. We shift how we carry our weight. The clothes that once fit us perfectly, now look different. This doesn't necessarily mean we need to go shopping. We just need to understand if we can make what we have work better for us. One of the people you want to talk to about that is a tailor.  A great tailor can advise you on changes that can be made to an article of clothing so that it will fit better.

So, if you don't already have a regular tailor, it's time to find one. I recommend going the same person every time so that they get to know you and your style. Over time they can make recommendations and better tailor items to your liking.

While a good tailor can be hard to find, start with recommendations from friends. A good tailor will have a positive reputation and clients who have had great experiences will be quick to tell you that. I know a couple of wonderful tailors that I am very happy with and I have recommended them to a number of friends. Most tailors rely on word of mouth for business so if you have had a good experience, be sure to share it!