Nothing to wear? Or is it decision fatigue?
Do you ever feel like you spend too much time getting dressed? Or that you don’t feel confident in your choice of outfits? You may not have to change your look–you may just need help making up your mind.
Some of the clients I’ve worked with have experienced what’s called ”decision fatigue.” The American Medical Association (AMA) describes decision fatigue as “a state of mental overload” that can hinder your ability to make decisions. It hasn’t helped that the COVID-19 pandemic added even more levels of complication to our lives and our decision-making processes.
Now, not all of my clients have experienced decision fatigue, but every single one of them has admitted that they have just way too many items in their closets, making it more time-consuming to get dressed. For some of us, too many choices can be overwhelming. Try-on – Take off – Try-on – Take off. It can feel exhausting–not to mention a waste of time and a blow to your self esteem. In the end, you may just settle on wearing something boring just to make a choice and move on. That’s no way to start your day. Or your night.
Many people find it difficult to articulate that the problem is the “mental overload” so they fall back on the thought that they just “have nothing to wear.”
For example, my client–we’ll call her Lauren–is an executive at the company she’s been with for many years. She was asked to appear in several videos for the company. Lauren always wore black, because it was easy. She wore either jeans or leggings with boots and a black shirt. This was her “style uniform.” She added a splash of color through her eclectic shoe selection. She has great shoes.
When we got started, I took everything out of Lauren’s closet and, as we began to look at each piece one at a time, we started putting together items that she had never worn together. We created outfits that paired her quirky personality with her unique shoes. Just by simply looking at her wardrobe from a new perspective, she was able to put together entirely new outfits that matched her style and made her feel more comfortable and confident on camera. Every time I see those videos, I get to see the results of our work together.
What was the secret? We reduced the amount of clothes in her closet without reducing her choices of outfits.
We spent a lot of time in Lauren’s closet making sure that everything in there was not only a great fit and up-to-date, but also that every color, cut and fabric worked in harmony with the other pieces. Here’s how you can do the same thing with your own wardrobe:
Start out by simply getting rid of all the clothes that are stained, ripped, or otherwise unwearable. What should you do with them? I recommend the organization Helpsy for this. Helpsy lets you find a bin or a partnered thrift store by searching your zip code right on their website. They may even pick up your donations from your home. I like Helpsy because there are always a lot of bins and they sort items by color and remove the dye from them to create new thread and fabric to make clothes. I think that’s pretty cool.
Next, get rid of anything that no longer fits. These may be fine to pass along to someone else, but if you don’t have someone in mond, partner with vintage or second-hand stores in your local community. Creating a relationship with the owner and understanding what inventory will be accepted really goes a long way. It also shows your support for a small business owner. I support HiGoose Vintage in Bayonne, NJ.
Then, get rid of things that are not retro or vintage–they’re just old. For old shoes, I partner with Soles 4 Souls. They’ll take your unwanted shoes, in any condition, and either recycle or repair them. They help people in developing countries launch and sustain their own small businesses selling refurbished donated shoes and clothing, creating opportunities to gain financial freedom.
Finally, separate everything that’s left in your closet into two categories: main pieces and accessories. Your main pieces are things like dresses, pants, shirts and sweaters. Your accessories are belts, scarves, shoes, handbags, jewelry, hats, etc. When I work with a client, we take this time to look at how many different combinations you can make with the main pieces and the accessories. Many times, an outfit can go from business to casual or say to night, simply by changing your belt, your shoes, or your jewelry, or adding a hat.
Simply getting rid of your excess clothing, and then taking the time to figure out how to pair different pieces to make multiple outfits, can go a long way to helping you overcome the feeling of having “nothing to wear!” Be creative! Explore new concepts! Have fun with this! Some of my best shopping trips happen right in my own closet.
Of course, the process can be tiresome and, if you’re already feeling fatigued simply by looking in your closet, you may need some help getting started. If that’s the case, get in touch with me! Together, we can help you feel more confident in your choices and make getting dressed fun again!