Fashionable New Year’s Resolutions

Happy holidays!! Can you believe that Christmas Eve is already tomorrow? I still have to make a few gifts, but hopefully I can finish those up today… I wanted to share one last festive outfit before Wednesday, which would be perfect for a holiday party or Christmas Eve mass. I love that this look also feels a little work appropriate, like a spicy Christmas boss lady. Weird to say? Probably.

This year, I wanted to share some ideas for specific fashion-related New Year’s resolutions to make sure 2020 is as stylish as possible. It’s easy to fall into a style rut and wear the same outfits on repeat (nothing wrong with re-wearing outfits, but it can get a little old week after week). Or, if you’re like a lot of college girls, you get swept into the cycle of wearing sweatshirts and leggings over and over again, while letting all the cute clothes in your closet go to waste.

I’ve always liked dressing up and putting effort into my outfits because it makes me feel more confident than what a pair of sweats would feel like. Sure, it may not be the easiest thing, especially when I’d rather be sleeping in those extra ten minutes, but caring about my style has always been worth it in the long run. If you’re wanting to step up your style game in the new year, whether it be to gain confidence, get your money’s worth out of your clothing, or just look a little cuter, here are some resolutions to start in 2020 (or right now):

Wear an item from the back of your closet once a week. We all have those pieces… the things we never wear that get shoved to the back of our drawers, or even worse, fall off their hangers and collect dust bunnies on the floor. Sometimes these items are there for a reason—because we don’t like them. But lots of times, these clothing pieces end up at the back simply because we don’t know how to style them. In 2020, I challenge you to repurpose these items and create one outfit entirely around a “forgotten” piece. Maybe only do it once a month, if weekly is too much for you, but I guarantee this resolution will upgrade your style. Not only are you avoiding the clothing items you always wear, but by interacting with the pieces in your closet, you’re also forced to experiment with creating looks, which can lead to new outfit combinations and ideas altogether.

Rock a bold lip on Mondays. Sometimes the smallest detail, like red lipstick, can transform your entire outfit and instantly elevate your style. Even if you don’t usual wear lipstick, a subtle pink shade can be the perfect gateway—it’s not so much the shade of the lipstick, but it’s the act of putting it on. When you plan on wearing a lip color, chances are you’ll plan a more stylish outfit to go with it. You’re not going to wear lipstick with a t-shirt and leggings, right? I chose Mondays to practice this resolution because for me, Monday is usually the most tempting day to just throw on some sweats and go… But don’t give in!

Check out the post below for more tips on pulling off a lipstick:

How to Rock a Bold Lip

Shop for items with details. Next time you go shopping, try to avoid buying the “plain” pieces. For example, instead of just purchasing regular jeans, try buying a pair that has a stripe down the side, or an interesting cuff, or a unique wash. Shopping for items with cool details is a tip I’m still working on myself, so I understand how tempting it is to buy the most generic pieces (you want them to go with the greatest number of things, right?). BUT, if you intentionally purchase pieces that have unique little details, your overall style will be dramatically increased. Think about it. Which outfit sounds more interesting to you: a cute floral blouse with plain jeans and pink rounded flats? OR a cute floral blouse with moto jeans and pink flats with cut-outs? Plain pieces make an outfit work, but unique pieces make an outfit interesting.

Wear a different pair of shoes each day for a week. Usually when we get dressed in the morning, we create an outfit and then decide on a pair of shoes, based on the clothing. But for one week in the new year, I challenge you to pick your shoes first, and then build an outfit around them. By picking a different pair each morning, you’ll be forced to think more about your clothing and find something that goes with your shoes, rather than just “throwing something together” and settling on a pair of shoes at the last minute. Of course, you can do this for less than seven days or more, depending on how many shoes you have.

Intentionally mismatch. Similar to my tip about shopping for items with unique details, go shopping in your own closet for items that work together but don’t perfectly match. Just like Stacy and Clinton would always say on “What Not to Wear”, create interesting outfits by intermingling color, pattern, texture, and shine. Being matchy-matchy, like pairing the same colored shoes, belts, and purses together, can look dated and boring. But mixing a textured blouse like my red shirt in these photos (color + texture), with a plaid skirt (pattern), and silver and gold accessories (shine), makes my look more visually interesting.

What did you think of these ideas to upgrade your style? My biggest tip for making these fashionable resolutions work, or any resolutions for that matter, is to set parameters. You probably noticed that I mentioned timelines like, “Do it on Mondays,” or, “Try it once a week.” Pick whatever parameters work for your lifestyle, just as long as you have them. Choosing a resolution like, “Dress more stylishly,” has no guidelines or ways to measure progress, making it harder for you to turn that resolution into reality.

For more New Year’s Eve and resolution-themed posts, check out the links below:

3 New Approaches to Resolutions and The New Year

Fashionable Fitness Resolutions

A Casual (But Not Boring) NYE Outfit

Have a wonderful Monday, and as always, thanks for stopping by!

Miles of smiles,

Grace

Red Blouse: Liz Claiborne via JCPenney, $18 // Camel Coat: Macy’s, was a gift // Plaid Skirt: Cabi Clothing, was a gift // Black Tights: Nordstrom Rack, $10 // Black Pleated Heels: DSW, $40 // Belt // Red Purse: Kate Spade, was a gift