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"I Don't Deserve Nice Things"

There's this phenomenon I learned early on when I first started styling (6 YEARS ago, whoah) where someone will have this one really nice item in her closet. I'll notice it and say, "oh it's really nice!" and ask what she wears it with. More times than not she'll say "oh I've never worn it, it's too nice." WHAT?

I've already broken down some the pieces we tend to buy and not wear, but today I'm talking about specifically those NICE items we end up with that are really great, wearable even, but still get passed over in favor of the same old (usually very safe & comfortable) daily clothes. This week, I'll talk about why this phenomenon occurs, and I'll share how you can start mindfully adding NICE pieces to your wardrobe so you can slowly and seamlessly build a more elevated wardrobe overall.

It's nicer than everything else

Did you end up with one really fancy shirt somehow? Maybe it was on sale or you received it as a gift. Either way, it's super gorgeous, you love looking at it, but you never put it on because you can't seem to make it look right with the rest of the clothes you own. It just looks too fancy!

  • Solution #1: Usually a nice top (or blazer) will look awesome with jeans--try a distressed pair or some super-dark ones. The contrast will make the fussy-seeming top look more effortless.
  • Soulution #2: Take the nice item shopping with you and mindfully select pieces that go with it (the salesperson can help you!). This will not only solve your outfit dilemmna but you'll start building a more elevated wardrobe overall.

It's too nice for my life

This is a popular one: not wearing something because you think it's too nice to integrate into your regular life, or because you think your regular life will ruin it (i.e. you'll spill your meal all over it).

Now, if this is a question of "should I buy it or not," then yes, these things should be considered. But if you already own it, what is the point of having something you are terrified to wear? Will you be sad that something you never wear is gone? If you have a reason to wear it, something to wear it with, and you actually like it, then (solution, here) WEAR IT. You can get a stain removed, a hole mended, and you can enjoy living in your nice clothes.

I don't deserve nice things

Now here's the root of the problem for a lot of us. You might have a lot of conflicting emotions about what it means to wear nice clothing. On the one hand, you feel that you work hard, are successful, and would like to show this to the world somehow (nice clothes do look & feel really nice)! On the other hand, you may feel that liking nice things makes you superficial, like maybe it's silly to look like you like clothes. Or perhaps you feel guilty because you're wearing something expensive, and you're used to putting all your resources towards your family. Maybe deep down you don't think you deserve to wear nice things. Yikes, we are complex aren't we?

  • Solution #1: Get clear on what you deserve. Ask your family and friends what they think. Start a dialogue. My suspicion is that if you're willing to talk about it, there's a part of you that believes it's probably ok to Treat Yo Self.
  • Solution #2: Start small and mindfully. Try elevating just the items you know you wear a lot. These are things you'll get TONS of wear out of so it's actually better to invest extra in them (jeans, everyday shoes, a nice blazer or jacket).
  • Solution #3: Shop locally and/or humanely. Purchase items created with less of a footprint (environmental and human) so you truly have no reason to feel bad about your splurge. Here's a great resource for ethical fashion brands.

Are you ready to integrate nice pieces into your wardrobe - pieces that showcase your awesomeness to the world? I'm ready to help you, and spring is the perfect time to start! Let's do this! Sign up for a free style strategy call today.