Style Tips For Women

What To Wear When You Have Nothing To Wear

Today’s post features 10 reasons why you have nothing to wear and how to fix it. Have you bought outfits for someone else’s body type? Are you falling into the trend trap? In today’s post, I’m sharing these and more style tips for women.

Related: “How To Declutter Clothes Virtual Workshop“

One of the things that I hear most from clients is that they feel like they have nothing to wear. However, when you walk into their closet there are so many items that it can be overwhelming. Can you relate? If you’ve looked at your closet and said, “I have nothing to wear”, read on for stylist insights and style tips for women for what to wear when you have nothing to wear.

Learn how to go from feeling like you have nothing to wear to having a wardrobe you love in these easy 10 style tips.

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10 Reasons You Have Nothing To Wear | Style Tips For Women

1. OCCASION SHOPPING.

When you’re guilty of shopping last minute for events or occasions this is the first reason you feel like you have nothing to wear. Anytime you have an event coming up whether it’s a wedding, a dinner, or a work meeting you shop for something to wear. You feel like you don’t have anything in your closet for these occasions so you try to find something that’s going to work.

What usually happens when you run out and buy something last minute is that it may not fit perfectly. You may not even love it but because you need something, you feel the pressure to buy it. This is definitely one of the reasons that you may feel like you have nothing to wear. Your closet is filled with items that you don’t really love because you bought them last minute for an event. Instead, make sure you have all the closet essentials in your wardrobe. This way you have your foundation wardrobe in your closet and no longer feel the stress of finding something last minute.

2. YOU’RE MISSING WARDROBE ESSENTIALS.

The next reason why you feel like you have nothing to wear is that you’re missing wardrobe staples. You tend to spend your wardrobe budget on non-essential pieces. Closet essentials are the items that you should be spending more on. These are the pieces that you need in your closet to get dressed easily every day no matter where you’re going. The items are classic, high quality, solid neutrals that mix and match effortlessly.

You can print it out, go in your closet, check off the items that you have, and make a shopping list of the items you’re missing.

3. TREND SHOPPING.

Another reason you may feel like it’s hard to get dressed is that instead of having wardrobe essentials, you’re buying mostly trend pieces. Trend items are meant to come in and out of style every season. You also may not be spending as much on them so they tend to fall apart quickly.

If you don’t have your classic foundational pieces first, I recommend holding off on trend pieces. Once you’ve invested in your closet essentials then you can start playing with trends and picking one or two a season to incorporate. I also recommend spending less on trend items and more on your closet essentials.

4. NO SHOPPING LIST.

have a shopping list, styling tips for women

Not shopping with a thought-out list. When you don’t have a plan for shopping there’s a good chance you’re not being strategic with your wardrobe. You buy things you like without knowing if they will work with anything you already have. Or you’re not even sure if you need it but you buy it anyway.

Shopping is a stress releaser for a lot of people. It’s also something social you can do with friends. But when you don’t have a plan you may end up with items you don’t need and that you don’t love. However, if you have an expendable budget or if you have the closet essentials this probably won’t leave you feeling as unhappy with your shopping choices.

If you step into your closet and feel like you have nothing to wear, then I recommend creating a shopping list of missing items and making purchases based on that. Ask yourself what are the gaps in your wardrobe. What are the items you need to get dressed easily? The capsule wardrobe checklist will take you through all the items I recommend having in your closet before purchasing other pieces.

5. NOT ENOUGH GO-TO PIECES.

Another reason it’s challenging getting dressed is that you don’t have enough everyday pieces like cotton dresses. Pieces you can throw on and wear from day to night simply by switching your accessories. Having easy items that you know work for your body and lifestyle are a must in your closet.

6. YOU’RE MISSING STAPLE SHOES.

Missing your essential shoes is another reason you may have a hard time getting dressed. I’ve seen this many times in a client’s wardrobe. They’ll have a ton of clothes but only one or two pairs of shoes that are comfortable enough to wear all day. Or their shoes consist of mostly sneakers or heels but nothing else. You want to make sure your shoes are comfortable. That you reach for them instead of passing them by again and again because you don’t want your feet to hurt. I understand having one or two pairs of heels that you only wear for special occasions but in general, your essential shoe collection should be comfortable enough that you can wear them all day. Learn the essential shoes every woman needs in her closet. See what shoes you’re missing in your closet and add them to your shopping list.

7. NOT ENOUGH LIGHTWEIGHT LAYERS.

The next reason why you have nothing to wear is that you don’t have enough lightweight layers like cardigans, leather jackets, and denim jackets. Layers are items to have in black and in neutral colors first like gray, ivory, beige, taupe, and blush. These items easily transform any outfit and they’re also a necessity for changing weather.

8. FAST FASHION.

style tips for women, avoid fast fashion

Shopping fast fashion isn’t only bad for your wallet and your closet, it’s also detrimental to the environment. Fast fashion is where you’re consuming quantity over quality. Sometimes when I’m working with a new client they may have so many items in their closet but they only have a few items that are good quality and that will last. If your focus is on having more because you think you’ll have an easier time getting dressed, the opposite is true. The more quality pieces you have in your wardrobe, the easier it will be to get dressed not the other way around.

According to Marissa Geannette of Clever Girl Finance, “fast fashion has personal consequences, too. Even if each individual item is cheap, excessive shopping and over-consumption can really add up to significant costs. When you build a fast-fashion wardrobe, you have to constantly replace it because nothing is of good quality”.

9. YOU NEED TO ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET.

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If your closet is a mess and your clothes are all over the place or shoved in drawers, you have probably felt like you have nothing to wear. Having a disorganized closet does not help you get dressed in the morning. It does not help you know what to shop for. One of the style tips I recommend first is to organize your closet. Know what you have and make sure every item is visible. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked into a client’s disorganized closet. As I’m organizing everything there are several items they forgot they had.

Hang your items and make sure you can see them. If you don’t have the space it’s probably time to start getting rid of items you’re not wearing or that you don’t love. I love this tip for getting rid of items from Jo-Lynne Shane, “If I’m unsure about something, I keep a ‘may be’ bin in my closet with the things I just can’t bear to part with but don’t think I will wear. I allow myself to go into the bin and retrieve something if I change my mind during the season. This helps with any feelings of remorse over getting rid of perfectly good clothing. At the end of the season, anything I didn’t retrieve goes to the donate pile”.

According to a OnePoll survey of 1,000 American women, 10% say they feel depressed every time they open their closet doors. For the steps I use when organizing a closet, you can grab my free guide, How To Organize Your Closet.

10. SHOPPING FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S BODY TYPE.

The final reason you have nothing to wear is that you’re buying clothes for somebody else’s body. This happens when you’re purchasing items you saw on influencers or from clothing subscription boxes. You may not be looking at what is going to work for you and your lifestyle. Instead, you’re buying things that you liked on someone else without thinking that they’re right for you. I recommend following influencers with a similar body type to you for style ideas. Also, take into account if the item will work for your lifestyle. It’s helpful to create a Pinterest board of looks that you love. Find people that have a similar body type and coloring to you. That will be a good indicator that if you like how something looks on them you’ll probably like how it looks on you too.

If you follow these style tips, I promise you you’ll never walk into your closet again and feel like you have nothing to wear.