Nov 16, 2017
Today’s episode is about how to steal back your energy by looking amazing. Many times in my podcast, I talk about food, and exercise, and how they relate to energy, but looking and feeling spunky and sexy is equally as important. When you look at yourself, and you think, "Girl, you're just looking awesome," that gives me a lot of energy.
Today I want to share with you my five kickstarter tips to feel amazing and gain back energy by looking amazing.
Let me explain where this started. I have been a studio owner and working in the fitness industry for a long time, close to 30 years now. When you picture us as personal trainers or fitness entrepreneurs, you see us walking around in those super comfortable yoga clothes with a t-shirt over it, and then a super comfortable jacket. Working in a pilates and yoga studio, I often walk around barefoot as well.
I love wearing this attire when I work with clients because I can move quickly and be comfortable all day, but when you need to go out for a quick bite or to the grocery store, you always look like a “fitness person.” There’s nothing wrong with that because these kinds of clothes have become streetwear, and athleisure is now “on trend.”
You see it everywhere, and many companies are selling these clothes to be worn from the yoga studio to the coffee shop. They can look super cute and make you feel good, but you know what? After 30 years living in those clothes, as comfortable as they are, I wanted a change. I tried to mix it up because I wanted to feel as cute as my clients and friends looked in their cute blouses and dresses.
As I talked about in my last podcast, my nest is empty, and I have a bit of extra money. I want to spend this money on changing my current look.
Recently I started letting my hair go gray. However, I still use some color and get it cut regularly. I like my partially gray hair, and it doesn’t look old or outdated.
The next part was the clothes. There are a couple of problems with this. I don’t shop well. What does that mean? Number one, I hate to go to the mall and go shopping. Number two, I hate trying on clothes. The whole business of putting clothes on, taking them off, then another round of clothes. You start sweating; things don’t fit correctly, then you can’t find anybody to help you find a different size. I just hate it.
Another thing I don’t like is spending a lot of money on clothes. I have to admit that for years, I’ve shopped at Target. There’s nothing wrong with Target if that’s where your budget is at the moment, but, for me, I can spend more yet have continually opted for ill-fitting summer dresses and blouses.
My next problem is that I don’t know what looks good on me. I looked back over the years and at how I dressed. At some point, I dressed like my daughter, and I looked way too young for me. Then I would dress the opposite way and look old and dowdy.
Finally, my last problem is that I never felt like I found clothes that fit my age, but also fit how old I feel. I’m 56; I feel young, I feel spunky, I exercise regularly. I love my body, but I just do not know how to dress it. I always go for the same striped shirt and jeans look, and then I pick between 2 dresses when I “dress up.” If you’ve seen me on facebook, then you’ve probably seen my favorite outfits more than a few times.
It has gotten to such a point that even my daughter commented that I need to buy different shirts. At that point, I hadn’t thought about the type of clothes that I’m drawn to. I love my striped shirts; they’re comfortable. I felt I needed that comfort. I don’t need something that ties me in at the waist so I can’t breathe or lift my arms.
These are my problems I’ve had while overhauling my look, but I also have learned some tricks to help me overcome these insecurities. Here are my five kickstarted tips to feel amazing and gain energy because you like the way you look.
#1 - Clean out your closet.
When you look at your closet, you may have everything nicely organized, or everything shoved in haphazardly. Everybody’s different, so I want you to look in your closet and pull out one stack. Look for the clothes that are worn out, frayed, have a stain, or are just not flattering anymore
Remove all of the clothes, shoes, purses, belts, that fit into this category. I am not saying throw everything away, but use a critical eye while going through your clothes. When I did this, I found that one of my favorite shirts had a big, ugly stain in the center. Of course, nobody tells you that there’s a stain on your shirt, or that it’s starting to fray on the ends.
This process can take as long as you need. I know that throwing away possessions can sometimes cause anxiety, so we want to do this nice and easy and have the process be a fun one.
#2 - Reassess the pieces that are in excellent condition
Look at the cloth that you have not worn that you think are still in good condition. You can take these pieces to a consignment store and sell them, or see if you can have them altered to fit so that you will wear them.
If you’re having the item altered, check to see if the price is appropriate, or if it’s more cost effective to sell or donate the item. For example, I recently re-discovered my wedding dress. You typically wear your wedding dress once and then never again. I came across the idea on Pinterest where a woman altered her wedding dress for a Halloween party. This may not be for everybody, but it could certainly be a fun way to reuse a dress that is usually single use.
#3 - Use Pinterest for ideas
An excellent source of clothing inspiration for me has been Pinterest. If you don’t know what Pinterest is, it’s a virtual picture board where you can add photos about literally everything - hairstyles, outfits, recipes. One of my boards is “Women Over Fifty.” On this board, I save all the pictures of outfits that I come across that I would potentially wear. When I am going shopping, I will first go through my Pinterest board to focus on precisely what I want, like a cute jacket. I then compare shop based on of what I have already Pinned.
#4 - Online shopping
Online shopping has been a saving grace for me. I don’t have to go to the store, and I can still get cute clothes. I’ve also used an online service that selects clothes for you every month, and then sends them to your door.
So how does that work? Well, I went with a service through Nordstrom that matched me with a clothing consultant. I will go to her and say, “Hey, I want a dress for spring.” She will then discuss with you online about what exactly you are looking for - style, colors, fabrics. Then you get a board of options, and you can say precisely what you do and do not like. In my most recent box, I got 15 pieces - it was everything from pullovers to jeans to boots. Some things were not my style, but three of those pieces I really liked and ended up keeping. Three may not sound like a lot, but when I usually go shopping, it’s hard for me to even come home with one piece.
Having someone else picking your clothes can be a matter of trial and error. However, once you have someone who really understands your style, then these tools can be a great alternative to shopping. It started me off in a different direction, and now I am looking at things that I would never think to buy because I thought they were “too edgy” or “too different” from the style that I currently had.
#5 - Go shopping with a friend.
Shop with a friend whose style you like, but also someone who can help you push your boundaries of what you wear without dressing you up as her. Then you can have a fabulous girls afternoon, whether shopping in person or online and maybe even get some new clothes out of it.
Now when I look in the mirror, I like the way I look. I feel spunky, and I feel sexy. I have even now been branching out without my consultant and trying new styles on my own. Sometimes I will still consult my husband or daughter about a specific piece that I am not 100% sold on, but they’re just reassuring what I have already developed
I am so excited about my new wardrobe, so I hope that you've found some inspiration in my kickstarter tips, and don't shy away from trying something new.
Next time, I want to talk to you about how to survive the holiday frenzy without going bonkers. Until then, I'll talk to you next time. Ciao.
For inspiration and education head on over to my website!
Head on over to my Pinterest board and see what I like.