How to Escape a Style Rut

We’ve all been there…that moment when you step into your closet and “have nothing to wear,” despite the collection of clothing items hung up right in front of you. Lately, I’ve felt very uninspired, particularly with fashion. A few people even started to notice my sudden change in style—I shifted from put-together, posh outfits to sweatshirts and black pants. It’s totally normal to have a day like that every now and again, but for whatever reason, I was dressing down for weeks…While I’m still struggling a bit, I think it’s safe to say that I’m finally crawling out of that fashion-less hole. If you’ve ever been or are currently in a style rut, here are my best tips to escape it. 🙂

• Search the interwebs. Do people still say “interweb”? I don’t know. What I do know is that the internet (and social media) is full of creative and stylish people. Sometimes scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest can be sensory overload and actually make it harder to feel inspired, but taking a step back to really soak in the fashion (and forget about the perfect photography, amazing pose, or gorgeous model that makes you feel less than enough) can spark an idea for an outfit. I especially love searching “stylish outfits” or something similar in Pinterest while watching TV, or even checking out some of my favorite fashion bloggers. (Wink wink)
• Do your laundry. Okay, this probably sounds silly, but doing my laundry really inspires me to create outfits. Usually I end up finding an article of clothing at the very bottom of my hamper that I completely forgot I owned. Then of course, I think of ten new ways to style it! Or sometimes simply seeing all my clothes piled up on top of each other can give me an idea for an outfit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve realized two pieces would look great together after seeing them lying next to each other in the hamper.
• Watch TV or a movie. Okay, so “Law & Order” or Fast & The Furious  probably isn’t going to give you much outfit inspo, unless you’re into tube tops and shorts that only cover half your butt. But girly shows and movies like “The Mindy Project”, The Devil Wears Prada, “Pretty Little Liars,” or Clueless  might give you some ideas. I even wrote a blog post about the most fashionable shows on TV.

• People watch and window shop. I love people watching on a good day, but going out to a public place can show you a variety of styles and articles of clothing to get your juices flowing (or show you exactly what not to wear!). And while you’re out, stop by the mall or downtown to do a little window-shopping. Of course you can also go real shopping, but I feel like that defeats the purpose of getting out of your style rut—just buying new clothes is like cheating! Even when I’m not shopping, looking at the mannequins in windows or the latest styles on the rack can inspire me to rework what’s in my own closet.
• Re-wear an old outfit. I’m allll about outfit repeats; after all, it’s just not realistic or sensible to wear a different outfit every single day of your life (!). Especially if there’s an old outfit that you really love! For example, I wore this grey floral blouse and grey maxi skirt back in 2014 when I went to Cape Cod. Putting this look back on reminded me of all those fun memories. Sometimes just one outfit is all it takes to get you out of your style rut, and a sentimental ensemble can do just the trick.
• Finally, just get outside and clear your head! Inspiration really can come from anywhere, and chances are, if you’re feeling uninspired, you are probably stressed/have too much on your mind. Getting some fresh air by going on a run or the like can do wonders for relaxing your mind and taking a step back from all the craziness of everyday life. Who knows, maybe the blossoming trees or blue skies will remind you to pull that one sundress out of the back of your closet. 😉

Have you ever been in a style rut? How did you finally break through to the more stylish side of life? Leave me a comment below to let me know. 🙂 (Hey, that rhymed.)

Miles of smiles,

Grace

Grey Floral Top: Nordstrom Rack, $20 // Grey Maxi Skirt: Nordstrom Rack, $20 // Mint Sandals: Younker’s, $20 // Printed Sunglasses: Charming Charlie, $7