10 pieces that NEVER earn their place in my wardrobe
As a Style Coach for the past 6 years, these are the pieces that no longer EARN their place in my wardrobe.
Keep these in mind the next time you want to go shopping.
1. Pieces that are a bit too small in hopes that I eventually fit into them (screw oppressive beauty ideals). My body is a GOOD body and it deserves kindness and compassion. Putting clothes on it that fit NOW is and act of respect and love.
2. Clothes that I don't love or really need just because it's a good deal or on sale. I've had to release so many pieces over the years because it was a good deal. I ended up settling on something just because it was cheap and I didn't really have a plan on how to wear it or even love it. I love a good sale, but shop with a plan and a list FIRST. Then wait for it to go on sale if you are shopping on a budget. You can shop the sales rack...but ONLY for pieces on your list.
3. Clothes that are not on my list. In my experience, the pieces I don't mindfully or intentionally shop for, rarely are worn and then are usually donated. Know HOW and WHEN you are going to wear the piece. Make sure that it can be easily implemented with your current wardrobe and you can create outfits you love.
4. Clothes that I don't like. This seems like a no brainer right?? But I used to not have this clarity. I was buying floral blouses and tops with ruffles. I never wore them! It turns out... It's because I don't like ruffles or florals on ME. I like them on others, but they don't connect me to MY personal style and how I want to feel. I only like geometric patterns, stripes, plaid and animal print and I prefer clean lines over ruffles. Getting clear on what I LOVED and didn't love has made a huge difference in building a sustainable & supportive wardrobe.
5. Pieces that I can't style more than 3 ways. If it’s not versatile, it’s not getting worn enough. I want to wear what I own and buy less.
Example:
In this example, I added a new white linen blend pant to my Spring/Summer wardrobe. Before I took the tags off, I made sure that I can style it multiple ways. Mission accomplished!
6. Pieces that don't support my life. Fuchsia is an accent colour in my wardrobe and it can be hard to find. But this year, I found a beautiful fuchsia wide leg dress pant at a favourite shop. I didn’t even try it on. Why? Because I don't need more dress pants in my life. I rarely wear dress pants and the ones I currently own work for any occasion that I may need them.
7. Fast fashion pieces that are only good for a handful of wears. I'm currently writing a FREE e-book that dives into this topic more because there’s a human cost and an environmental cost. Look for that e-book soon!
8. Shoes that hurt my feet. You know all those PRETTY shoes that are screaming for you to buy them, even though you KNOW they are going to kill your feet? I used to own SO many pretty heels that hurt my feet. NEVER AGAIN.
9. Clothes that hide the rolls on my stomach or the big birthmark on my leg. I don’t need to hide a damn thing about my body. I acknowledge that society (diet culture, anti fatness, weight bias, beauty industry) has influenced (and made billions) how I've felt about my body in the past. NO MORE. Fully embracing all parts of my body is my way of giving these oppressive systems the middle finger 🖕
👉 However I acknowledge that my body holds a lot of unearned privilege due to it being straight sized. Those that live in larger bodies are marginalized, shamed and oppressed in our society. They don’t have access to the same privileges that my non-disabled straight sized body has access to. So YOU do what ever you need to in order to feel safe in your body. 👈
10. Clothes that are I don't like or fit my shape. There are NO RULES about what my body "should" or "should not" wear. But I know that my body is made up of shapes and clothes are made up of shapes...and some clothes were not made to fit MY shape. I don't blame my body. I blame the clothes. Always. I know that there are better fitting clothes for MY body. I just need to practice patience and resilience.
xoxo,
Amanda Hanson
Feminist Style Coach
