The feeling of having nothing to wear is all too common.  Women everywhere stand in front of their stuffed closets with this exact feeling.  How can it be possible that in a sea of clothing options, all assumingly purchased by these said women, they can’t find anything to wear?  It’s rather funny when you think about it.

Yet, it happens, all the time.

When things go astray it is usually for a reason.  The key to changing a pattern or behavior is to get to the root of how it got the way it did in the first place.  In today’s post, I am going to give some thoughts on what having nothing to wear is trying to tell you.

What Having Nothing to Wear is Trying to Tell You

You have outgrown your current style

Like anything else, style changes and evolves.  While you may have plenty of options hanging in your closet, none of them may be exciting you any longer because your style has changed.  It might just be time for a change-up.

The good news is that your whole wardrobe doesn’t need to be thrown away.  Often the key pieces, like your pants, basic tops, and more classic base pieces can remain.  What usually goes are the more novelty items that are more defined and directional in trend or look.

If you feel you have outgrown your current style.  Cull through your wardrobe and separate the classics from the trendier items.  Next, start a Pinterest board or do a magazine exercise of noting what fresh styles you are drawn to.  As you add things back to your wardrobe, look to these inspirational photos as guides for wear to go next.

You have worn the same things the same way

They say that the average woman wears 25% of her wardrobe 75% of the time.  Therefore, it is highly likely that you are rotating the same few key wardrobe pieces more often than you are wearing everything else you have tucked away for safe keeping in your closet.

The first thing you want to do is ask yourself what it is about the few pieces you are wearing that makes them what you grab first.  Clearly there is something about these things that are more appealing than the rest.  Next, you want to take these few items you do wear and create fresh looks.  The key here is to create outfits just as simple and wearable as the ones you wearing.  Lastly, it’s time to let go of the things that don’t make the cut in your new outfits.  While it may seem smart to hang on to things just to have more variety, it’s not variety if you’re not wearing it, it’s just stuff.

You need to purge

If you have a closet of clothes and nothing to wear, your gut reaction might be to buy more because, clearly, nothing in your closet is cutting it.  Before you hit the stores, the first thing you need to do is purge.  Sure, maybe some shopping is in order, but you won’t really know what you need until you clear out.

Years ago, I helped a client edit her closet.  After leaving her with only what she wore, she emailed me telling me that I got rid of all her clothes.  I emailed her back and said, “I didn’t get rid of your clothes, I got rid of your false sense of security.”  It wasn’t like she was wearing any of what we tossed.  Purging gave us clarity and it also gave us a clear plan of how to move forward.

It’s not counterintuitive to purge your closet when you don’t feel like you have anything to wear.  Too many options create paralysis and overwhelm.  Cut your losses and move on.

Your life has changed but your style hasn’t

Like our styles, our lives change too.  I have worked with many women who have held onto things from a “previous life,” like a time they worked before having children, more corporate attire they no longer needed, and so on.  The logic is often the thought that they might need what they are holding onto in the future.  The problem with this rationale is that holding these items for later just create clutter in the present.  It’s also why a closet is filled with things that don’t get worn, they don’t work for the current life being lived.

There is no point hanging on to things that no longer serve you.  A few nostalgic pieces, okay, but a closet full of useless items?  That’s a waste of real estate and brain power.  It’s also one of the reasons you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear.

You aren’t listening to your inner signals

The biggest thing I try to teach my clients is to listen to themselves.  I can assure you, never have I fought with a client to keep something that they aren’t enthusiastic about.  So, trust me, if you aren’t excited, or find yourself passing on something over and over again, you don’t need it.  Your inner signals telling you something has to go are right.

You have good pieces but nothing to wear with them

It’s not uncommon to have a closet full of nice things but lack the right pieces to complete the looks.  If your closet has become an orphanage of incomplete looks, it’s time to do an outfit session.  By working on putting looks together you can more easily narrow down specific pieces that will make cohesive outfits.  By putting a nice list together by creating outfits you will be assured your shopping will be more purposeful and you will avoid stuffing your closet with nothing to wear.