What day do I get dressed up? Not just getting ready; but dressed up, as this “Finding My Method to Style” seems to suggest I do?
I CAN TELL YOU DOWN TO THE EXACT DAY OF THE WEEK
Dear sister, I hope you know where I”m going with this. That day, is any damn day you want. Everyone hates Mondays….maybe that’s the day you need to put some pep in your step. DRESS UP. Everyone loves Fridays…that’s a no brainer. Dress up!
WE GET TO DECIDE HOW WE PRESENT OURSELVES ON A DAILY BASIS
We get to choose, each day, how we want to present ourselves to the world. Somedays are busy, and it is GO TIME from the moment your feet hit the ground! I just don’t want you to use these days a reason to never dress up. We sometimes like to hide behind our “busy” to avoid thinking about something that feels hard.
STORY TIME
I will always remember working with my good friend Elizabeth Lopp. She is an amazing Home Decorator in The Woodlands, Texas. Her company is called The Painted Door (@painteddoortw on Instagram and here is her website). Her business was starting to really take off so she reached out to me to help find a style that worked for her. Below are pics of the colors she HAD in her closet – past tense as they are in a pile on the floor, and what we changed over to! She wore it for her brand photo shoot!)
When meeting with potential clients to discuss the space, the goal, the budget, all the business things, she needed a look that was professional; but not corporate. Portray that she ran a thriving business; but not a causal / everyday street style kind of business. Liz knows that how she presents her personal style, could be what resonates with potential clients. NOT just her vision for the work. (First impressions are key!)
TWO DIFFERENT STYLES FOR TWO DIFFERENT SIDES
The other style challenge that Liz had was when she was hired and moving around, placing and hanging all the decor for the clients space. What do you wear? She would be sweating, lifting, reaching, bending, squatting….all of it! Yet she knew that the trusty go to of yoga pants, sports bra and workout top would not be appropriate. it wasn’t quite her vision of the brand. So, we spent a long time culling through her closet, and discussing different articles of clothing she felt super comfortable in to do the room transformation.
Liz and I discovered what she was comfortable in first, then created looks. I think that is so important. Because when you KNOW what you have to pick from because you like it, it’s comfortable and you feel like an elevated version of yourself in it, that’s when you hit gold. So now, Liz goes out to secure, create and execute her vision for her growing client list, looking professional, poised, focused and capable, whether she’s sealing the deal or moving the couch. Her style reflects the mission of her business, and she doesn’t have to think twice about if her shirt is riding up, or her shorts are too short while she’s building someone’s dream room.
WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU?
I wanted to share that story, because for Liz, her business activity may have dictated how she would dress each day; but since her style evolved, while she just elevated her old look to be more current, colorful and represent this new growing business, its became a habit. Seeing Liz on the street, she has honed her Method to Style for this phase of her life. And so can you.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY PHASE OF LIFE HAS A UNIFORM
Yep, stay at home momming seems to corner the market on workout wear; but the cute factor diminishes quickly. Working at an office requires a certain time of professionalism to the wardrobe; but sometimes it feels to stuffy and structured. Nobody “cares” what you wear in those crucial behind the scene jobs like stocking shelves, counting inventory at a warehouse, working on your own from home, etc, etc so just throw on whatever, as long as you are getting the work done, right? But just because you “don’t have to” doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
PICK A DAY, ANY DAY
So my advice on the EXACT day you should get dressed up, is to pick a day. Any day. Maybe you say, “OK, Tuesdays are my day to change it up and “get dressed” no matter what I’m doing!” Whether you are home or running errands, hold yourself to it!
This is your day to experiment with a new combination of clothes like I talk about in my Shop Your Closet post! Yes girl, you incorporate that front tuck! This is your day to put on jeans (not yoga pants) and roll the cuff differently , a cute top (not a workout one), slide on some cute sandals, pointed toe flats or fashion runners, and go about your day!
HOW TO DEFINE YOUR STYLE
I’ve got a blog post coming that will help answer this question; but until then I want to leave you with this. There comes a time when we all need to level up a bit. We are older, in a new phase of life, live somewhere totally different (hey Expat Ladies, I see you!) and need to dress for a totally different climate, or you are just plain tired of the same old, same old. Embrace it, don’t fight against it. It’s time for to find your NEW Method to Style, and girlfriend, I am HERE FOR IT!
xoxo Taryn