It’s a new year, which means it’s time to get started on your fashion resolutions 2021! Haven’t set any yet? Not to worry. Let’s talk about how to get started.

You are not alone if you spent 2020 rotating through sweatpants and old t-shirts. It’s easy to do when you’re spending more of your time at home, work meetings are virtual, and social events are less frequent than ever. Now, it’s time to break the habit. Get dressed in a way that makes you feel confident! It’s such a great way to boost your mood and creativity throughout the day. This year, resolve to elevate your personal style.

What do you want your 2021 fashion resolutions to be? The answer will be different for everybody. Do you want to find your fashion identity? Do you want to take more risks with clothing? Is it time to make your wardrobe a better reflection of your lifestyle? Whatever the answer may be, we can help. Reach out today for a little extra advice and support as you work toward your fashion goals. There’s no barrier too large; we would love to help you move past whatever has been holding your style back. Keep reading for ideas of how to get started.

Find Inspiration and Create a Mood Board

Before you can begin revamping your look, you will first want to find some inspiration. This will offer direction as you work toward your 2021 fashion resolutions. You may already have a loose idea in your head of what you want your style to be, but it’s crucial to have concrete reference materials.

One way to start could be brainstorming adjectives that describe your ideal style. What impression do you want yourself and others to have of you from this point forward? Some example adjectives are as follows: bold, sexy, refined, playful, artistic, confident, strong, feminine, effortless, classic, and edgy. Of course, there are endless possibilities to choose from, and we each have a little of everything on the inside. Try to choose the three or four adjectives that speak to you most and write these down.

Next, start thinking of visuals that encapsulate your ideas. Look at how people on the street are dressed. Flip through a magazine or scroll through Pinterest. Ask yourself what you’re intuitively drawn to and start putting together a mood board of these images. Again, this mood board can be a tangible item or a board on Pinterest, whichever you prefer. Don’t overthink it! As you gather images, patterns will naturally emerge and give clues to what your style is. Check out our Pinterest to get your ideas flowing. Then, watch Alli explain how she creates her mood boards to give you extra guidance as you create yours.

I love starting a wardrobe refresh this way because it allows you to get out of your head and consider what ideas excite you instead of limiting your ideas to what you think you’re able to pull off. If you begin by going to a store and hoping inspiration will strike there, chances are you will grab the same pieces you always do. Keep an open mind. After you’ve developed your ideas, then it’s time to adapt them to your body type and lifestyle.

Consider Your Style and Wardrobe

Now that you have the inspiration and momentum toward your 2021 fashion resolutions, you can start paring down to the ideas you will pursue.

Consider the needs within your daily routine. Where do you spend most of your time? When getting dressed for your most common occasions — such as work, date nights, or casual weekend looks – which are you most dissatisfied with and why? You might hate your work looks because your office-appropriate pieces look dated. Maybe you feel like your outfits for running errands are boring and uninspired. If one of the trends on your mood board is compatible with your lifestyle and wardrobe needs, it could be a great idea to pursue.

Don’t forget to consider how the trend will translate into your existing wardrobe! It can be tempting to start from scratch if you hate everything about your current wardrobe. Realistically, though, this isn’t always possible. Transitions happen over time. Prioritize the trends on your list that can be seamlessly incorporated into what you are wearing now. Skip the “contingent trends” – those that require investing in 20 different pieces before they will realistically work with what’s in your closet now.

A contingent trend can either mean that the piece is too trendy, or it doesn’t truly fit your style. For example, if you have a preppy style and want to incorporate more edgy themes, you may struggle to do this comfortably. Alternatively, if the trend you want to add to your closet is too trendy, you may feel like there are only one or two “right” ways to pull it off. Achieving those looks would require investing in all the newest pieces of the season. This isn’t a sustainable approach.

It’s best to instead pursue more general ideas in fashion rather than chasing the it-girl details of the moment. This helps you build a wardrobe that you’ll continue to love for years to come. You may be obsessed with the leather trench coat that a fashion blogger wore. Instead, consider adding a classic trench to your closet to participate in trends more subtly. Ironically enough, essential layering pieces like this are very “in” right now.

Incorporate New Pieces Slowly

You’ve decided which trends will work best for your fashion resolutions of 2021 and you’re ready to buy. Pace yourself! Just like you shouldn’t jump into potentially unrealistic trends, you also shouldn’t invest in every seemingly realistic trend at once. It’s possible that they won’t work out as well as you’re expecting. Maybe you simply don’t love the new items as much as you thought you would, or perhaps they don’t pair as well with your wardrobe as you imagined.

It’s best to add a piece or two to your closet, try them out and observe how they work for you, and adjust your approach to your wardrobe as you go. Pushing your fashion boundaries isn’t about buying tons of pieces that are outside of your comfort zone. It’s about buying a new item or two that will transform the way you wear your current wardrobe. These will often be modern updates on foundational pieces, such as a straight leg jean. Keep in mind that each purchase should be strategic for your wardrobe overall.

To ensure this, peek inside your closet. What would you wear that new item with? Try to put some outfits together that includes the piece you want to buy. If you can’t create at least four or five looks with the item, it’s probably not a great purchase for you right now. We want you to be excited about the new additions to your closet, but even more so, we want them to be practical!

Wrap Up

Who doesn’t want to feel more stylish this year? It’s an ambiguous goal to work toward. Get started by setting clear fashion resolutions for 2021 and implementing them using these steps. It will put you on the right path to finding the personal style that’s been inside you all along, coming up with a plan to bring that style into your wardrobe, and doing so in a way that truly works for you.

Don’t be afraid to push your fashion boundaries this year! You have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Besides, a style update is easier than you might think. It’s incredible how a few intentional purchases and considered styling can revamp your whole look. We would love to help you reach your fashion goals. Here’s to a new year in style!