My Clothes Don’t Fit And I’ve Never Felt Better!

…. and it’s not because I just won a shopping spree to buy all new clothes in my size! (though that would be fabulous, universe, just putting that out there!)

Summer is here, but the most I’ve done to transition my wardrobe is pull out my sandals. A closet full of dresses and I’m still wearing the same jeans I’ve been wearing since the winter. I’ve gained weight, so I don’t even know what still fits. I even joked in my Facebook Group, Get Dressed with Tricia, about my new jumpsuit that seemed to have shrunken itself while hanging in my closet! And for the 1st time since my son has been born I actually have to look professional and face the public everyday, as opposed to the comfy and uber casual clothing I’ve been wearing for the past 2 summers.  And of course I have broken  my 1st rule and went shopping for some new pieces rather than looking in my closet to see what I actually have that I could be wearing. “But my closet is just full of pieces that don’t fit me anymore, isn’t it?” Asks the client in me. “Of course that’s not the truth!” exclaims the stylist in me.

So what happened to turn my mood around?  I made time for myself. I faced the fact that I had gained weight. That I have a closet full of clothing that I can’t wear as often as I would like.  But most importantly whether I am going to set off on a weight loss mission or not, I need to look and feel my best every day right, now now, regardless. I have a job to do, people to help and a son that not only looks up to me  but also leaves me zero time to myself in the mornings. I know that being organized, taking note of what clothing I have and trying things on so I know what fits (which is the dreaded part) is key to turning my mood around and make getting dressed easier.

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So I set aside the time this past Saturday. Put my son down for a nap, grabbed a caffinated beverage and took 2 hours to invest in ME. I pulled out my summer wardrobe, tried things on, edited out items and then most importantly I separated them into 2 sections in my closet. For me, my summer wardrobe is determined by my shoe. I am short, so I have dresses that I can wear with flats and dresses that require heels. Ones that require heels unfortunately are not ones that I will be wearing on a daily base as they are more per occasion. So I put those secondary. And face front in the middle of my closet now hangs all of my summer items that fit me, that suit my lifestyle on a daily basis and that I actually like! Now don’t get me wrong, trying on a bunch of clothes, especially those that no longer fit or look good, can be discouraging and upsetting. But you’ve got to switch your mindset into how empowering it is to finally be in control. To take charge of what you have, and how you will look. To own it. To rid yourself of anything making you feel less than because it was your size 4 years ago. (except for your mirror. You DO need your mirror! You may not toss your mirror because it’s not showing you at your goal weight. Feel free to cuss at it though if you please.) Cleaning out and organizing is so therapeutic to me anyway, but I know having taken this time today is going to help save me time 10 fold during the week. And it’s going to save me money! Rather than going out and buying what I think I need to fill in gaps in my seasonal wardrobe I know now for sure what I can use and how exactly it will fit in. So while I am not super happy that my fitted backless maxi dresses from a 5 years ago no longer fit, and that I just had to throw away my favorite pair of jeans because of the holes caused by my thunder thighs rubbing together, at least I know how to dress my body accordingly for right now. And you’ve got to start somewhere! I still have those dresses but they are now in the back of my closet. Post baby body will take some time to fit into them again, if ever. But knowing what fits right now, what looks good on me and what I actually like is the most powerful thing to help me regain confidence and start on a plan to change the things I want to change.

Of course this is what I am always doing for my clients. I recognize how difficult it is when you are not in love with what you see in the mirror. When your body has changed and you are unsure what looks good on you or what your style even is anymore. When you don’t want to invest a ton of money to buy clothes that fit now when your plan is to fit back into what you already have. My number one advice to people in this situation is to remember that while they are going through a transformation or working towards their goal they still have to face the world and look and feel their best every day. Taking the time to organize and prep myself and understand what I have that fits and organize it accordingly made me immediately feel 10 pounds lighter. I highly recommend taking the time to do the same for yourself, or hiring a professional such as myself to take care of it you.