5 Style Resolutions for the New Year

As 2014 ends and 2015 begins, you may find yourself analyzing your life and ways to improve it. One of the easiest is through your wardrobe.

This new year, set some style resolutions to help you achieve your other goals. How you look on the outside can greatly affect how you feel on the inside, which in turn affects your ability to chase your dreams and make life happen. Are you making life happen? Are you dressed appropriately for your dreams?

When you go to a wedding, you put on something fancy. At a football game, you wear your team’s colors. And when you go out on date night with the love of your life, you style yourself sexy. You know to dress for the occasion.

Well, your life is the MAIN EVENT! It deserves better attire than dresses that are too baggy and blouses that are too tight. Celebrate your life by wearing the right wardrobe. Dress for the occasion that is YOU!

Having said that, I also recommend that you dress for the life you want. That doesn’t mean going into debt purchasing a $1,200 Michael Kors handbag because you want the life of a jet setter. It does mean, however, that you retire your shabby canvas tote and carry a sleek top handle satchel with the same chic look as a luxury bag.

Think of style resolutions as the stepping stone to the other resolutions you want to set. Do you want a new job, to finish school, live a healthier lifestyle, or start a savings account? Great. Once you have your personal style in order, you’ll find yourself filled with the optimism and confidence necessary to accomplish these goals.

So, here are five simple style resolutions you can set for the new year. Start 2015 with a fashionable bang and bring yourself closer to achieving the life you deserve.

1. Organize your closet. An organized closet makes it so much easier for you to see your clothes and get dressed in the morning. Eliminate from your life the stress of running late because you can’t decide on what to wear. That’s a negative situation you don’t need in your life. Take the time to organize your closet. You can do it yourself, ask a friend to help, or hire a professional. Do what it takes to make your wardrobe manageable.

   

2. If it doesn’t fit, you must omit. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a woman refuses to let go of a too-small dress because she’s planning on losing weight. Here’s the deal: love and style the body you have now. Believe me, I get it. Two years ago you were a size 6 and now you’re a size 10, and you’re having problems accepting that. But let’s get real. If you haven’t gotten back down to a size 6 by now, you aren’t going to. And that’s okay. You’re just as worthy of a beautiful wardrobe at a size 10 as you were when you were a size 6. So let the size 6 dresses, blouses, and pants go and shop for the size you are now. When something fits your body really well, and complements it, the size on the tag won’t matter, especially when everyone is complimenting you on how good you look. If you’re struggling to successfully style your new, larger size, I highly recommend the wrap (or faux wrap) dress. This type of dress looks good on everyone.

   

3. Every time you buy something new, get rid of something else. Now that you’ve got your closet organized, don’t cause it to explode. If you buy a pair of new shoes, get rid of that pair you haven’t worn in a year. Bought a new LBD? Ditch the faded one. You can pass things onto your relatives, friends, or coworkers. Or, you can donate. Or, you can try and make a buck by selling your used fashion at Buffalo Exchange, on eBay, or taking it to a consignment shop.

   

4. Dress for the life you want and manifest your dreams. If you want something more (and we all do, right?), then think about upgrading your look. I did, and it totally worked for me. Now, don’t go into debt doing so. But, do look at the people you look up to, the people who you wish you could be like (entrepreneurs, CEOs, fashion editors, creative directors, etc.), and emulate their style, while staying within your budget. Open your mind to the shopportunities around you. Shop second-hand stores, TJ Maxx, flash sales and upgrade your look so that you can project an image of the life you want. This concept works for any desired lifestyle, such as an organized stay-at-home-mom or fun-loving retiree. Don’t think the idea of dressing for the life you want applies only to the career-oriented. It’s applicable to any life you want.

   

5. Add a dash of Marsala. It is the 2015 Pantone color of the year, after all. Sometimes all any wardrobe needs is just a minor update. Incorporate a splash of this brownish-red hue into your style and spice up your new year.