Levi’s 501 90s | 100% leather motorcycle jacket (black, distressed brown)
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What exactly defines WARDROBE WELLNESS??
In my experience, there are a few attributes that suggest the presence of a carefully chosen, wearable wardrobe owned by a woman who knows her style!
The Indicators
Signature(s). In style speak, a signature is a distinct piece (or a few pieces of clothing) that a person wears frequently enough for the inner circle to associate those items with that person. For example, mine are Levi’s 501 90s and leather motorcycle jackets. I would say next in line would be oversized button up shirts (always mens) and blazers. A signature is usually something that stands out a bit, or is worn in a different way than typical. An example of this would be wearing Levi’s 501 straight, non-stretch denim even when the majority is wearing skinny jeans. Another illustration might be wearing an oversized button down shirt untucked when it is more common to wear it tailored, tucked in and belted. A person’s signature(s) won’t come and go along with trends because they are tried, true and loved. They are a deeply ingrained element of the individual’s personal style.
On Repeat. A woman with strong personal style will likely choose each piece with careful attention to quality, versatility, and wearability. She won’t buy something unless it is perfect for her and she is confident she will wear it for years. Practicing this restraint and attention to detail is the best recipe for building a closet consisting of loved pieces worn often. This is a primary point of interest for me! I love lived in clothes…styled often in different ways.
Less is more. Quality over quantity. The absolute simplest way to make sense of this pivotal concept is to reflect on how you will need a lot less when your wardrobe is comprised of your ideal pieces. The excess creates mental chaos and confounds your style! I speak from experience when I advocate for a streamlined, diligently curated closet. Personal style is an art. You are the artist. You must intentionally create and develop your wardrobe as an artist creates a masterpiece. Wardrobe wellness is a process that takes time and patience, however; the result is well worth the effort.
Mix it up. Another noteworthy aspect of wardrobe wellness is choosing pieces that work with most of the items in your closet. The goal is to have a collection of pieces that you can mix and match to create several different outfit possibilities. Let us delve a bit deeper into the on repeat idea from earlier, shall we? One sure fire way to run right into a wardrobe roadblock is to fall into the trap of buying “outfits” compromised of pieces that really only work when paired with each other. There are few habits more limiting when it comes to developing personal style! Versatility is a key component of building a wardrobe that will flourish.
Levi’s 501 90s | 100% leather motorcycle jacket (black, distressed brown)
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How to attain wardrobe wellness
Pinpoint your vibe. You can’t skip this one! It is imperative to begin with some research. I’m a huge fan of Pinterest for this purpose. My love for Pinterest stems from my need for visual inspiration and the opportunity to asses the patterns illustrated by groups of observable cues. Pinterest provides the opportunity to look at a variety style aesthetics and pinpoint what you are drawn to. You will begin to identify the similarities in the looks you pin, and attending to these mutual qualities is the beginning of identifying your personal style!
Streamline. Allow yourself to be selective. It is not helpful to keep clothes that you don’t love and feel comfortable wearing immediately! My wardrobe began to come together quickly when I allowed myself to part with every single piece I put on and did not absolutely love! I believe giving myself permission to donate or sell these items supported my wardrobe wellness in a couple of ways. First, it diminished the chaos brought on by excess, undesired articles leaving room for creativity. Also, like Pinterest research, it was instrumental in clarifying the types of looks I love. I allowed myself to ‘feel’ my clothes, to note what being absolutely sure I love a piece feels like. No more forcing it from a place of guilt and fear. I was able to take these realizations and use them going forward as a guide when adding pieces to my wardrobe. In short, don’t keep anything you don’t love enough to pay full price for now! There are many ways to sell second hand clothing today. Something you are holding onto out of guilt or fear of not having the resources to refresh your wardrobe could be a piece someone else will love. From experience, I have learned that it is better to have a temporary gap in your wardrobe than to have something in your closet that is not right!
Be open minded with sizing. I understand this one can be challenging. The truth is that if you want that laid back slouchy look pictured on the model, chances are you will need to size up across the board. Sometimes way up! When it comes to blazers and button ups, most likely you will feel like you’re in a straight jacket if you don’t size way up! There is no shame in this. In fact, I’m pretty sure it will lead to joy! Wardrobe joy! I own many sweaters, jackets, and button ups in size large or x-large. JOY.
Be mindful of fabric composition. Get into the habit of looking for garments that are primarily cotton, linen, or a soft wool or cashmere. This greatly impacts the quality and longevity, as well as, how the piece looks on your body. Granted, natural fabrics will be more expensive… but there is Quince! I’ve been able to find some perfect 100% cotton t-shirts at Gap and Old Navy often on sale! Another option is thrifting. I know this sounds cliche but most retailers don’t make em’ like they used to! All of my blazers pictured below (100% wool) are thrifted. My Ralph Lauren button ups are all thrifted as well. Another option for high quality cotton or linen button up shirts is Gap mens section.
One more wardrobe conundrum to be mindful of is the unfortunate act of loving something on someone else (friend, influencer, model), buying it and then NOT loving it on you. Chuck Taylors and Doc Martins are two instances where I fell into this supremely frustrating lapse in judgement. Style intuition does develop over time, and you begin to know the difference between liking something and knowing it will work for you. In the meantime, if you do happen to end up in this situation, and you are past the point of returning the item, do not beat yourself up…and do not force yourself to wear it. Simply sell it or donate, and chalk it up to an opportunity to hone your personal style instincts.
Jesus is my creative director!
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks the door shall be opened. -Matthew 7:7-8
This post contains links to shop pieces in my wardrobe. I promise these are my favorite tried and true wardrobe staples. If you purchase from these links I will make a small commission at no cost to you.
