None of these tips are a replacement for determining the shapes and silhouettes that you feel best in - or for getting clear on what you want your style to be. But all of them can help you to prevent regrettable purchases, construct more interesting outfits, and generally have more fun with your clothes. Here are five tips that I use all of the time with my style coaching clients:
Simple Tip #1: Find a good shopping partner. This can be your best friend, your sister, your romantic partner…or for many of my clients it’s me! This person doesn’t necessarily have to go physically shopping with you, but they need to be able to give helpful feedback when you try things on (via photos or in real life). Honesty is a plus, and so is honesty that doesn’t hurt your feelings so badly that you never want to talk to them again. Ideally, this person knows you well enough that they’ll be able to talk sense into you when you swear you’re going to wear something that you definitely won’t. It’s also a bonus if they can gently push you out of your comfort zone and suggest new or interesting things for you to try.
Simple Tip #2: Shop with a plan. Aimless shopping can be fun and spark creative purchases, but if all of your shopping is of the aimless variety, you're probably going to wind up with a wardrobe full of things that don't go together. Balance fun shopping with “I’m on a mission” shopping. Sometimes you need to focus your efforts on finding a couple of work-appropriate dresses, or a comfy pair of walking shoes. I keep a running list of clothing items I’d like to acquire during the current or upcoming season. This keeps my wishlist top of mind. Don’t forget to ask yourself strategic questions when shopping, like “What am I going to wear this sweater with?” or “Does this dress capture the essence of what I want my style to be?”
Simple Tip #3: Try things on, even when you think they might not work. Obviously, use common sense here. If you know that anything mini-length looks terrible on you, don’t waste your time repeatedly trying on mini dresses. But looking at something on the hanger is really no substitute for trying it on. Sometimes that sleeve you thought looked weird on the mannequin is actually great once you put it on your real body, or that boxy cropped sweater has a nice drape and flow against your waistline compared to how it looked on the hanger.
Simple Tip #4: Don’t fall for the myth of variety. How many times have you bought something because it was different from everything else you had, but you never really wore it? It’s totally okay if most of the items in your wardrobe resemble one another in style - in fact, it probably means that you know what you like, and you know what works for your body. There are plenty of opportunities to introduce variety into your outfits without reinventing the wheel, like choosing new colors in your palette, accessorizing with jewelry or scarves, and playing around with different necklines. There’s room for outlier pieces, but make sure they fit into the larger context of your style, and that you’ll actually be motivated to leave the house wearing them.
Simple Tip #5: Photograph your outfits. Seeing ourselves through the lens of a camera can help us to be more objective about what we and our clothes actually look like. You can photograph yourself in a mirror, set up a tripod, or have someone else take your photo. Pictures can help us see what is and isn’t working about an outfit, from fit and proportion issues to colors that don’t quite make sense together. It’s also really convenient to to be able to look back on your outfits over the years. Bonus: Combine this tip with tip #1, and find a trusted person to give feedback on your outfit photos.