Do you look at your closet and feel like you have nothing to wear even though you spent a lot of money buying nice clothes? Or you just don’t like anything in your closet. This post will help you find the real reason behind why you feel that way and more importantly help you fix it.
If you are reading the post then I am sure you have at some point in time, have looked at your closet full of clothes and wondered why do I still feel like I have nothing to wear. I hear you girlfriend and I know exactly how that feels because I have been there.
3 Years ago I was there, I walked into my closet and it felt like I have no idea how I ended up there. In that year of fixing the big problem, I discovered a lot of things that I was doing wrong that lead me to get to that point.
And I want to share that with you, so you can also start your journey the right way. If you are starting your wardrobe from scratch this can also be a great for you to find out what NOT TO DO so you end up here.
So, without dragging further, lets get to what are the real reason you might have nothing to wear even with a closet full of clothes.
What I am covering in this post:
7 Real reason why you have nothing to wear
Reason 1: You Have No Idea What Your Style Is!
This was my biggest problem. No matter how much you love shopping or love looking at fashion magazines, or you like the next IT bag, if you have no idea what your style is, you will never enjoy what you buy.
This is the main reason I made this the first reason because this is also the foundation of your closet and style. If you know what you like to wear, you will obviously shop for those items and you will enjoy wearing them always and hence you will never feel like you have nothing to wear.
Reason 2: You are always Looking for the Next Shiny Thing
I was on this boat for the longest. I always wanted to wear something new so I was always on the hunt for something better. While I did enjoy what I wore, but later on they would just be another piece in my closet that I will never wear because well, I never found another occasion fit where I could wear them. Are you relating to this?
There are many reasons for this to be happening, while for me it was peer pressure of proving that I needed to wear something new every month just to prove that I am stylish.
Style is totally not that, I don’t want to bore you with the philosophy behind style, but it was doing the exact opposite. I had a closet full of items that didn’t compliment each other, so whenever I would try to put together an outfit, I always felt like I had nothing that look good together and as a result I always felt like I literally had nothing to wear and got on the shopping bus again to do this all over.
While I love shopping, and I will never say not to do that. I strongly advise being a smart shopper. You should think before you buy a piece whether:
- It fits in your existing closet and style that you have.
- Whether you really like it or you are just shopping because it looks cute on the model and you want it.
- Can you create multiple outfits with the piece that you are buying. If the answer is YES, then by all means, go for it.
Reason 3: You Always Buy The Same Things
This is the exact opposite of reason 2, but it is also very much a reason for why you don’t like anything in your closet and feel like you literally have nothing to wear. This does not mean that you need to buy all different styles of pieces. Or buy clothing items that you probably would never wear to begin with.
Its important that you try different shops for the same item. Lets say, you love wearing graphic tees, but you always buy it from a single store always. Rather than heading to the same store, next time try a new brand or a store, you will be surprised how your brain is wired to look at that clothing piece as different even though it is the same style. Plus, you might like the shop and love their clothes as well.
Reason 4: You Don't Have the Basics
This is an obvious one and you might have heard this before, but it is also completely worth it to be said over and over again.
Basics are the foundations of your closet. And you absolutely have to invest in them.
Now, no-one is saying to go and buy really expensive pieces. Shop according to your budget, but you need to own these basics that will help you build the outfits that you always wanted.
Basics are always different for different styles, so my recommendation to think of what your basics are. I am explaining that in detail in my post about 5 wardrobe upgrade steps to build your dream wardrobe.
You always need the right clothes to create the style that you will love and truly enjoy to come back to. And without basics in your closet you will not be able to achieve that at all.
Once you start pairing your statement pieces with the basics you already own, you will always come up with outfits effortlessly and will never feel frustrated that you have nothing to wear.
Reason 5: You are not buying the Right size!
This can be a deal breaker. If your clothes don’t fit you properly, then you will never look good in them and you will never wear that piece again.
I used to think that I am size small in everything and that made me frustrated and upset always, because there would be clothes that would be way too tight for me and I felt uncomfortable in them and as a result never wore them again.
If you are not making that mistake, then its amazing, but if you are then please stop. Your wallet will thank me later.
Reason 6: You Are Not Trying a New Style
Remember, I said style and not clothes. Let me explain this one, because you might think this is contradicting to what I said earlier.
For the longest, I would pair Skinny Jeans and a fitted T shirt and though that could be the only way you wear this combination. And I was so wrong, the moment I swapped the fitted T shirt with a relaxed fit T shirt, gosh my style changed and I honestly looked way better.
I also wore a fitted T shirt with a relaxed jeans and found that I look amazing in it. Now, this rule has become my style rule for life and helps me create outfits in no time with any clothing piece without putting in a lot of thought into it.
Reason 7: You are Always On The Trend Wagon
Another obvious one, but you don’t have to wear all the trends to be stylish, in fact I would say don’t wear them at all till you finally have a closet that works for your style. Because every time you spend money on something trendy, you are one clothing item away from the basic that would have lasted you way longer.
When I started doing this, there were two awesome things that happened:
- I stopped wasting money on clothes that I just wore a few times in a season and then just tossed them or donated them.
- I found ways to incorporate the trend in my daily style without having to buy a whole lot of trendy items.
What to do when you have nothing to wear?
Immediate Steps when you feel like you don't have any clothes
I wanted to share some steps that you can take that will help you to get out of the nothing to wear slump you feel when you are getting ready for the day or any special event. These are also steps that I personally follow because trust me, I also feel the panic sometimes when I have an event to go to and I suddenly feel that I don’t have anything to wear and I should have bought something new.
- Think of where you are going: This will help you to come up with outfit ideas that will be appropriate for that occasion.
- Find one item that you can wear: Find one clothing piece rather than an outfit which is always easier. This makes you start thinking logically rather than feeling frustrated that you can’t find anything.
- Find some inspiration: You can try to find some inspiration, and it does not have to be social media, you can think of how you wore that item the last time, which can make it easier to come up with an outfit, or you can try Pinterest which is always an excellent source of outfit inspiration.
- Accessorize: You might still not like it. But if you accessorize it correctly, that will definitely change your mind. I love adding blazers or cardigans to my outfits which look plain or boring and not so fun to wear. This adds a personality to my style. You can do the same with a scarf or a hat as well as jewelries.
- Change Your Hairstyle: Sometimes, changing your hairstyle is also a quick way of looking a bit different in the same outfit. And you don’t have to do the full thing. You can simply add a hair accessory, or add some curls or part your hair in a different way. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.
- Change Your Makeup: Change your lip color or apply a thicker eye liner and that changes your look and brings in a fresh perspective to your outfit.
How to never have a nothing to wear moment
Honestly, this is close to impossible for us women because we naturally always want to look nice and look pretty, but its also important that you don’t have these moments very often.
And when do feel like you have nothing to wear and are ready for shopping something new, you know exactly what you should shop for.
Find Out What is Your Personal Style
There are some easy ways you can do this, and you don’t need to strictly follow it, because your style will gradually change and you need to modify your style eventually, but that gradual change will help you have clothes that you will absolutely love.
- Finding Your Style Categories? Your personal styles are the style that are your Go To. Its the pieces that you naturally would put together specially when you are in a hurry and it comes natural to you.
- Finding your Color Palette or Aesthetics: Finding and looking for your goto colors that you naturally like or more like love wearing becomes your color palette and color aesthetics.
- What are Your Basics: Based on your lifestyle, you need to pick your go to pieces and they become your basics and they don’t have to be what everyone else is wearing.
- Finding Your Statement piece: This is key because this is what defines your signature style and sets your style apart. Its that special piece or pieces in your wardrobe that you tend to wear on days when you want to feel the most special.
- Find Out Styles That Flatter You: It’s a combination of two things actually, finding pieces that will fit you properly as well as pieces that are flattering and you can easily identify both. Find that sweet spot and you will realize that you not only love your style, you want to flaunt it and in the process have created your signature style.
- Only Buy Clothes You are Comfortable In: While you pick out all of these pieces and have fun with it, remember that you should be comfortable, it kind of backtracks to the first point as well. But if you are not comfortable in an outfit, it wont look flattering and you wont enjoy wearing it.
If you rather watch the complete video where I explain everything. I am sharing it below:
Try a New Style to Enjoy What You Wear
You don’t have to be a copy cat to do this. Let’s say you are having trouble with a particular outfit or you want to try something new with it, I always like to head to Pinterest and create an outfit inspiration board where I can add all the styles that I love and want to try.
I then try to see if I have pieces in my closet to recreate that look my own way. This helps me to use my existing pieces but try something new.
This is one of the best ways I was able to find what I love and create my own personal style.
Try it and if you are on Pinterest, do give me a follow and checkout all the outfit boards I have created to help you.
Outfits for when you have nothing to wear
You don’t have to come up with outfits, I have a complete 30 days of outfit plan with 5 popular bottoms, jeans, joggers, leggings, slouchy jeans and pleated skirts.
All these staples will help you always come up with outfits and I have created just that.
There are 30 outfit ideas and an outfit calendar, so you can get used to wearing them. This outfit plan will help you in getting used to styling more and buying less.
Enter Your Information Below & Download the Outfit Plan!
If you think there are some more reasons we should add to this list, then drop a note in the comment section and don’t forget to save this post and share it with your friends.
Amazing tips and everything was completely accurate for me…I was reading all the reasons why I have nothing to wear (despite having a full wardrobe) and was like ‘yes that’s me… yes that’s also me…’ ha! Great tips thank you!
Thanks so much for replying! All these mistakes I have also done personally and learned over the years