Breaking Out Of Your Style Box

You’ve built a style box around yourself and it’s time to get out. We’ve all been there. Whether it’s because of comfort, insecurities, boredom, feeling stuck, or an array of other possibilities as to why us humans choose to stop growing, your style - and therefore your brand - is suffering. Luckily for all of us, it’s never too late to change the way we look and feel!

Here are 5 simple tips for getting uncomfortable and unstuck in the box you’ve built. 

1. Add Color

I’m a firm believer of wearing black. I think it’s beautiful and flatters almost everyone. But even it has limitations in an outfit. If you’re feeling that your current wardrobe is rather drab, try adding some color with lipstick, a new bright top, painted nails, or necklace to give it an extra kick. Wear a color that you haven’t worn before. Try something new. 

2. Add Accessories

With the plethora of options that is available to us through brands ranging from Forever 21 to Kate Spade, adding accessories seems like a simple fix to an otherwise lackluster outfit. However, I’m always amazed by how many people don’t do this. Even I was guilty of it at one point (thankfully my sister helped me overcome my excuse for not wearing jewelry or lipstick). Adding an accessory or two adds depth, visual interest, and sophistication. It takes time to get comfortable wearing pieces you might not have previously worn, but it’s so worth it! So the next time you put on a cute dress, try out some flashy earrings or a chunky necklace. Done right, it will change your outfit for the better. 

3. Add Layers

Adding layers can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are 3 examples: 

• Start with a simple dress, pair it with a belt, and top it off with a denim or leather jacket and a hat. 

• Try out some high waisted jeans, put on a cashmere sweater, add a light vest, and top with a colored scarf. 

• Throw on some colored chinos, tuck in a button down shirt, layer with a boyfriend cut blazer, and add a cute belt and necklace.

See, I probably just named three outfits you already have in your closet, now you just have to go find them! (Hint: find pieces that are cut well and don’t make you look slouchy. It’s rare when a cardigan is the right layer move.) 

4. Add Prints

There are too many damn prints out there not to have a little fun! You’re feeling funky? Add geometric. Fierce? Add cheetah. Girly? Add floral. I can keep going, but the point is prints are amazing and match both solids and other prints (they just have to be in a similar color palette). Prints and patterns also say a lot about who we are and what we’re feeling on any given day. A note with prints: the print size should be proportionate to your frame. If you have a larger frame, wear larger prints so they are not lost on you or look disproportionate. Conversely, if you have a smaller frame, wear smaller prints so that you are not lost in a large pattern and so your clothes look like they are made and cut well. 

5. Add Heels 

This might be controversial, but you’ll realize soon (if you haven’t already) that I generally have hot takes on most things. Quite simply, if you’re looking to amp up an outfit add heels. Girls love them, guys love them. Now, if you’re someone who can’t or won’t wear high heels, fret not, there are plenty of options that won’t cause pain! Try out a small kitten heel (literally half inch), a cute pair of low booties, or a closed-toe heel with an ankle strap. These, among others, are much more comfortable and easier to walk in. If there is anything good that came out of 2020, it’s that almost all trends can be worn from previous decades (including this one) and they are considered “in style” or fashionable. (Disclaimer: I say this knowing that there are many adorable flats out there! I own a few pairs myself. But there’s something about a great pair of heels that just says, ‘I am woman, hear me roar,’ - sometimes subtly and sometimes not.)

Hopefully you’ve found some nuggets of inspiration or just some helpful tips. At the end of the day, what’s most important is that you feel AMAZING, inside and out, about what you’re wearing. YOU matter, and you’re worth it. 

I can’t wait to see what elements you add to your next outfit!