RTÉ intern Ofu Obhakhan shares her tips for making the most out of the clothes you already own.
For many of us, fashion is a fun form of self-expression that should make us feel confident and comfortable. So, why is it that we often end up looking in the mirror and absolutely hating our outfits?
If you've ever felt this way, you’re not alone. When we see a jam-packed wardrobe filled with 'nothing to wear', it's all too easy to start scrolling fast fashion sites for our next look.
However, this high turnover of poor quality clothing is doing no favours to our pockets or the environment. So, how can we shake up our relationship with our wardrobes?
Here's why you may not be in love with your style:
1. Lacking inspiration
When it comes to ourfit inspiration, we can pull ideas from all sorts of places, but overtime we may become heavily relient on one source - which can quickly become tiresome.
Take Pinterest, for example. Although it’s a great platform for aesthetic inspirations, constantly turning to it for ideas can stunt your creativity. If you’re just pinning outfits to recreate exactly as shown, you’ll eventually become bored and start to feel that your personal style is missing from your looks.
Instead, take inspiration from a variety of sources that resonate with you. The more diverse your influences are, the more you can create outfits that truly reflect who you are.
2. Falling into the 'Trend Trap'
Thanks to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, there seems to be a new 'must-have' trend and micro-trend popping up every other day. It’s easy to be swept away by the latest craze when you see it appearing in your feed, but it may lead you to buy pieces that you may not actually like.
Without considering the quality and capability of a piece, you’ll likely feel frustrated with it after one or two wears. Before you snap up an item, ask yourself: Do I love this piece or am I just following the crowd?
You can still have fun with trends without over consuming. Build your wardrobe on timeless staples such as a classic white top, fitted jeans, and versatile jackets. You can then incorporate these staples with a trendy piece for a balanced look.
3. Not accessorising
Buying a whole new wardrobe when you have you 'have nothing to wear’ is unnecessary. With a few simple accessories, you can completely transform an outfit and pull an incredible look together.
Accessories such as jewellery, scarves and glasses help to add your individuality to your outfits, while also elevating them. Have fun with accessorising and allow your personality to shine through.
When it comes to buying pieces, try to invest in good quality items that will be versatile enough to enhance multiple outfits over a number of years. Find necklaces that can be layered or a statement ring to treasure. Accessorise with intention and stay true to you.
4. Holding on to wrong pieces
When you look at your wardrobe, do you see a selection of options ready to go? Or are there a pile of jeans you're just waiting to fix holes in, dresses you're holding onto for the ‘perfect moment’ or that shirt that you're going to get tailored any day now?
The reality is, a pile of clothes that you may potentially wear down the line leaves you with nothing in the present moment. Pieces that don’t fit or don’t suit your lifestyle will only serve to stunt your creativity.
Buying for your fantasy self is something that many can relate to. Envisioning a future version of yourself, and building a dream wardrobe around it, can be inspiring - but if the pieces don't reflect your current lifestyle, it’s time to clear it out.
Make way for the pieces you can wear to death and enjoy every second of them.
5. Caring too much
Putting outfits together should be a fun experience. Overthinking, aiming for perfection, or caring too much about what people think can cause you to hate your style.
Let go of other people’s opinions. Feel free to experiment with your looks, whether you're playing with colours, accessorising, or styles. You don’t need to follow the latest trends or compare your outfits to others to build a great collection of clothes.
Do what makes you feel comfortable and your true style will shine through.
