STYLE RUT | How to Prevent Style Rut

A post I saw on @cassiedavies Instagram page influenced this post. In that post, she talked about style rut and how she manages it.

What exactly is style rut?

You can read about style and what style works for you here. A style rut is exactly what it sounds like; rut! Oftentimes we get too comfortable with a particular item in our wardrobe and keep on wearing it over and over again.

For instance, I bought a two-piece from AMY garments (@amy_garments on Instagram). It’s purple in color and I love it. I am comfortable with this color of scarf hence; I wore this scarf every time. I wore it the same way because that was what made me comfortable. I felt good the first few times I wore it that way but after sometimes it became boring! It became a uniform, nothing exciting anymore.

Every time people saw me wearing it they already knew how I was going to style it. Now, that is style rut. There had been a rut in my style.

Imagine I bought this same piece and wore it differently every time. I would get excited every time I want to wear it because I would always look forward to styling it differently. This would also show that I have a good sense of style.

A lot of different things contribute to style rut. I’m sure you’ve had those moments where you want to go out and you conclude you have absolutely nothing to wear even after having so many pieces in your closet. Trust me I’ve been there so I know how it feels. You are not alone!

How do you prevent style rut?

• Do a wardrobe detox: Have your clothes become very uninspiring to you? Do you often find yourself uninspired to dress up? Are there certain clothes you cling to simply because you love them so much or you always wear a top because it is blue and blue is your favorite color?

Chances are you are swimming in a style rut and your wardrobe is due for a detox. If you have been wearing the same type of t-shirt for the past few years then it is time to switch things up.

The beauty of personal style is that it is varied. What you wear should never become a redundant pattern.

Same shirt, different looks

Bring out all your clothes and let go of the ones that no longer serve you.

• Pick out clothes for the week/ 2-3 weeks: So you’ve done a wardrobe detox and part of the reason you find yourself in a style rut is that you only pick the clothes closest to you in your wardrobe and ignore the ones at the back. Salvage this by rearranging your wardrobe frequently and bringing forward the ones you’ve not worn. This particular one is very major for me as I have limited space for hanging clothes in my wardrobe. What I do is that I leave some of my clothes in my suitcase and hang the ones I want to wear for two to three weeks. After wearing I put them in the suitcase and continue the cycle. By doing this, I’m able to touch every cloth and not just keep wearing the same clothes over and over again.

• Employ slow fashion: Mind you when I say I pick out clothes for 3 weeks I don’t mean I have entirely different pieces every day for 3 weeks. What I do is I create a scheme in my head for those weeks and also have a signature piece or signature pieces. Slow fashion simply means discovering new ways to style existing pieces and enjoying the process. I pick out some neutral colored pants, different tops and maybe two free gowns for lazy days and try to wear them in different unique ways. After 3 weeks I drop those and pick a new set.

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• Try out your outfit the night before: Remember the last point was about setting out clothes for a few weeks. Check the clothes you set aside and pick what you want to wear the next day and try styling in different ways in front of a mirror. I used to stay in front of my room window when there was no mirror. My point is, check out how you look beforehand or if you live with someone you trust their judgement allow them to be your mirror. My friend is usually my mirror most times when I’m not alone. Well, it’s not every time one has the strength to try out clothes night before, So, I try to create a mental picture of how a style would look in my head. It works for me but this might not work for everyone. That’s why you have clothes for lazy days, clothes that need little or no effort to look stylish. Its gowns and Abayas for me.

• Have multi-use pieces in your closet: Example of this are a black jacket, a black or navy blue skirt/ wide-leg pants.

This black top and pair of pants are a very essential part of my closet

• Explore more colors and pattern: If you are someone who wears a lot of plains, neutral colors maybe it’s time to spice up your wardrobe with a little bit of color and some more pattern. Try something new. Who knows, you might fall in love with it!

• Try out accessories: This last one is also for me, lol. I used to be an accessories person when I was much younger. Wearing a ring on every finger and bangles but along the line, I just lost it. I guess that was my style rut. I am no longer interested in all those big bangles as I used to be although I still try to accessorize in my little way. Oh, I love necklaces so much!

Accessories add a statement to your look, they give it so many details. Accessorizing can be the difference between a “great” look and a “just okay” one. Make sure to invest in belts, chains, necklaces, shades, wristwatches etc. Invest in as many accessories that suite your style as possible and see how your confidence goes from 1 to 100!

A lot of people think you need to have a thousand and one clothes to be stylish and that the only solution to a style rut is buying more clothes. I think not!

If you love it wear it every day with everything and remain stylish!

I offer one on one consultation in personal styling, styling for your next event and wardrobe detox. Click the link here to book a session with me lets have the most fun of our lives.

See you next Wednesday!

Love,

Naimah Bint Lukman

The Fashion Architect