Spring is finally here, and with the (hopefully) warmer weather comes a change in wardrobe. However, as you stare into the deep, dark abyss that has become your closet (or at the giant pile of laundry sitting on that chair in the corner of your room), you may find yourself feeling that your style needs an overhaul.
So, rather than put on that same old oversized sweatshirt and pair of leggings that you’ve been wearing almost every day to class these past couple of months (no judgment here, we’ve all done it!), why not try something a little different?
{RELATED POST: How to Change Your Style – The Ultimate Guide}
In this post, I’m going to tell you how you can completely make over your style — in only four steps — so that you can feel excited about getting dressed again, just in time for Spring!
Table of Contents
Step #1: Think about what you want from your wardrobe
The first and most important step to overhauling your wardrobe is to think about what you want your wardrobe to be doing for you at this point in your life as a college student. For example, do you need clothes that are good for wearing to class? What about job/internship outfits? Do you have lots of special events or parties to go to? If so, do you have appropriate clothing for these occasions?
Take stock of what you currently have, give away or donate what you no longer need, and make notes of any gaps in your wardrobe. Then, the next time you go shopping, you’ll know exactly what to buy, and won’t make the mistake of, say, buying yourself yet another gray sweater, even though you have enough that you could literally wear a different one every day for a week. (Not that I would know anything about that *cough*.)
Step #2: Set a weekly fashion goal(s)
Now that you have everything that you need, clothes-wise, you need to make sure that you don’t get stuck in a fashion rut; after all, what’s the point in having a nice, well-balanced wardrobe if you always reach for the same three pieces every day?
To prevent this, set at least one weekly fashion goal for yourself. This goal can be small (e.g., wear at least one accessory or one piece of jewelry every day), or it can be bigger (e.g., try a new trend, dress up for class at least once this week).
Whatever your weekly goals end up being, write them down somewhere important, and, at the end of the week, see if you ended up accomplishing them, and how they made you feel. If achieving a goal made you feel good, then consider making it a regular part of your life. (So, for example, if your goal was to dress up for class, then you may want to turn it into something you do every week, or even every day.) However, if you weren’t too crazy about the end result, or didn’t end up achieving it, then try again with something different, until you find a goal that you actually like and feel you can incorporate into your everyday life.
Don’t worry if this process takes time, especially if you’re just starting to figure out what your style is. The point of this step is to get you to try new things, and to make the most of the wardrobe that you have.
Step #3: Wear something that you’re scared to wear
This step ties into Step #2, and could very well be one of your weekly fashion goals. However, even if it’s not, it’s very important in fashion to push yourself to step outside of the box.
In fact, if you think of someone whose style you admire — whether they’re an edgy celebrity like Rihanna, a whimsical and feminine style blogger like Blair Eadie of Atlantic Pacific, or even a super-stylish friend or relative — chances are that one of the reasons you like their style so much is that they stand out in some way and wear things that you wouldn’t necessarily expect them to.
Therefore, whether it’s a daring trend that you feel you could “never” pull off, or something that you’ve been told that you “can’t” wear because of your size, it’s time to just go for it!
Of course, it may take some time to warm up to the idea of wearing something you’d normally feel uncomfortable in, so if you choose to take baby steps to get there, that’s totally okay too! The main point of this step is to simply get you to be comfortable with the idea that you can pull off a lot more than you think you can, and that fashion “rules” are meant to be bent, or even broken!
Step #4: Think about how fashion “extras” fit into the puzzle
Have you ever put on a cool outfit and just felt like something was missing or off? Perhaps it was just that you forgot to think about the seemingly minor details — hair, makeup, jewelry, shoes, and other accessories — fit into your look, and that’s why things don’t feel quite right.
After all, extras are a vital component of any fashionista’s overall look, and can even go so far as to make or break it.
Therefore, whether it’s a killer pair of heels or a bright red lip, the right extras can take your look from ordinary to fabulous. Don’t be afraid, then, to set aside a bit of your clothing budget to go towards getting a trendy new haircut, buying a piece of statement costume jewelry, or picking up a unique bag from a local thrift shop (though not necessarily all at once, of course!). You just might find that it’s what your style has been missing all along!
What do you think?
Were these tips helpful? Do you have any more to add? Have you ever given your style a make-over, and, if so, how did it turn out?
Let me know in the comments!