What To Do When You Have Nothing To Wear ~ Part I

This is a companion post to shop your closet.

Have many times do you go into your closet, full of great clothes, and sigh in exasperation that there is nothing to wear?  Come on, I know you've done it at least once in the past month, admit it!  I have.  It's weird how clothes can be so exciting and inspire great outfits one day and the next everything looks blah.  One great thing about starting this blog is that it keeps me on my toes to try new clothing combinations and to work through any "mental blocks" I may get when I look in my closet.

When I get the feeling that I don't want to wear anything that I own, I have a few different things that I do:

1. Pick out an item that I haven't worn in awhile and form an outfit around it.
2. Check Pinterest
3. Look at other fashion blogs

I'll explain each item in more detail below.

1. Pick out an item that I haven't worn in awhile and form an outfit around it
The first thing I try is picking out an item of clothing or an accessory that I haven't worn in awhile, such as a top or a pair of shoes.  Then I'll form an outfit around this item.  I am a visual person, so I'll look around in my closet at what I have and try to envision what would look good with my item.  Many times once I get 1-2 other pieces picked out, the rest of the outfit comes together easily.  I try to keep my closet organized by color so it is easier to find items.  I have an example below.

2. Check Pinterest
Even when I'm not necessarily in a style rut, I'll check out the outfits I've pinned on Pinterest.  When I scan through them, I try to look for an outfit that has similar pieces to what I own and can easily recreate, color combinations that I like, or a specific item that I want to style, such as a cardigan.  Many times I pin things on Pinterest and then forget to look back at them, so this blog has definitely helped me stay in touch with what I pin (at least fashion-wise). :)

I will have a couple examples of Pinterest inspired outfits in a future post!

3. Look at other fashion blogs
I love all the different fashion blogs that I follow.  They offer great inspiration and new ideas to try.  They also are a great inspiration for finding new pieces to add to my wardrobe.  It's hard to keep up with all the new styles and brands out there and seeing what others like (and similar items) can help you find a new favorite piece for your closet!  That is why I link to items I am wearing in each post (or similar items if what I'm wearing is no longer available), in case you see something you love and want to purchase it! :)  Also, many times, if I see an outfit on another blog that I absolutely love, I will pin it to Pinterest so that I have all my favorites in one place.  I encourage you to do that if you see an outfit on my blog that you love so it's easy for you to find it again if you need inspiration!

Magazines and clothing store websites are also other places to look for outfit inspiration.

Here is an example of number 1 on the list above.  I started with a pair of shoes that I haven't worn in awhile.  I tend to pick accessories since they seem to be the things I neglect the most in my closet.  These shoes are a bit wild, but that's what I love about them.

Next, I looked at the silver/gray items in my closet to see if anything caught my eye.  I saw my silver jacket that also had a sparkle to it.  Since the jacket and shoes had some flash to them, I decided to go for a simple black top. 

I loved how the outfit was coming together so far.  Next I needed to add some color.  These coral jeans were perfect!

Now I had to decide which bag to pair with the outfit.  I wanted another pop of color but wasn't sure what color would work.  I held up a few different bags against the coral jeans and when I came to this blue one, I was sold.  It was different, but it worked.  Then I added another hint of blue with my necklace and went for neutral earrings.

I'm not sure if I would've ever put this together otherwise, but through my simple process I came up with a fun outfit to wear.  I hope this gives you some ideas and that if you're ever in a style rut, give this process a try and let me know if it works for you!

What I'm Wearing

Black Top ~ Target
Blazer ~ WHBM (similar)
Jeans ~ Limited (similar)
Shoes ~ Steve Madden (similar, calmer flats version here)
Clutch ~ Express (similar)
Necklace ~ not sure (similar)
Earrings ~ Limited