6 Steps to Ease Your Wardrobe Into 2019

As our schedules fill up with holiday events, shopping lists, and a few too many cocktails, it can be easy to get eaten up by the frenzy. You know what I’m talking about. That part of us that just falls into the holiday madness and forgets that this isn’t exactly regular life. I’m not saying it to be a Scrooge - no one loves jumping on the holidays as quickly and fully as I do (as you may have witnessed in my holiday styling session). But you know what I’ve noticed in the past couple of years? I’ve found that when January hits, there’s a letdown. A letdown that feels worse the more I lose my mindfulness around the holidays. Every single year, there’s a sense that all the fun and sparkle and indulgence is coming to an end, and we’re left with the reality of where we left off with our lives before the holidays began. A picking up of the pieces that needs to happen. It can be especially noticeable in our closets, when the party clothes need to be replaced with our everyday clothes.

So this year, what if we make it a point to be more mindful throughout the holidays? Today, I’m sharing my 5 steps to staying grounded through the holidays, and ease your wardrobe into the new year with grace. Here goes…

1. Do a closet check-in. If you participated in Fall Closet Prep with me, you may remember that there were certain items I said to keep around in September and put away in October, like white linen, straw hats, and some lighter weight dresses. Well, did you ever go back and put those things away in October? If you forgot, no worries. The fall gets so busy and we can get distracted. But now’s the perfect time to settle your wardrobe in for winter. There should be no remnants of summer at the forefront of your closet, and your sweaters and boots can be front and center now. Before the holidays come and go, it’s a great time to make sure you’re getting the most out of your cozy wardrobe this time of year, and clearing out the summer stuff is a great way to honor the current winter collection.

2. Shop with intention around the holidays. Hopefully you spoiled yourself a little during Cyber Weekend and maybe even purchased a few things from my holiday shopping guide (awesome!). Now, it’s good to keep in mind that this is a fleeting time of the year, and we may only wear our sequins once or twice before putting them away again for awhile. Think about your wardrobe as a whole when you shop the rest of the holiday sales or make your Christmas wish list. What are some items you’ll still be happy to have after the holidays are gone? After you have your holiday parties covered, anything else that feels super specific to December might be ok to skip… like the non-holiday holiday pajama theory I talked about in my Holiday Styling Session.

3. Make a donation run to a shelter. After you’ve done your closet check-in, there’s nothing better than clearing out some clutter during a time where we tend to accumulate more stuff. Plus, there are plenty of people out there who have a need for the exact items you’re parting with. Check with your local womens’ shelters to find out how to donate your gently worn items. Maybe a sweater you bought 2 years ago and don’t love anymore can be another woman’s daily go-to this season.

4. Treat yourself to new hangers. How amazing would it be to open up your closet on January 1st and already have beautiful, streamlined hangers? This could even be a great thing for your wish list for Santa. I’ve made it easy for you by creating a Supplies Shop with all the best hangers. My favorite velvet ones even come with rose gold and gold hooks now! Yessss.

5. Visualize your life as 2019 rolls in. Come January, we all have a different set of needs. The excitement of the season now shifts into a more reflective, self improvement focused mission. We’ll be ready to assess where we are in our life, and make our lists of things we’d like to see be a little bit better. Maybe jot down a few thoughts in your journal.
- What would you add to your wardrobe to reflect these changes?
- What would you maybe take out?
- What’s a side of you that you would like to show more with your personal style?

6. Get your styling package set up now. Maybe I’m a little biased (or a lot biased), but I personally think hiring a stylist is the perfect way to set your wardrobe up for success come January. If you’ve been thinking about biting the bullet on one of my packages, it could not be a better time! Both because you’ll be making the investment now to create your dream wardrobe as you welcome 2019, and because you’ll get a gift with purchase til this Friday! If you feel stuck and uninspired every time you go to get dressed, then you know it’s time. I love nothing more than supporting my clients through building their style from the ground up. Whether you’re coming out of the baby phase, generally hate shopping, or just needing a refresh, my packages are designed to help you feel like your absolute most authentic and confident self when we’re done. Let’s kick 2019 off together, so you can have your most stylish year yet!

I hope this was helpful for you as we dive into this season (or let’s face it, we already dove in the day after Thanksgiving). Now go enjoy your holidays!

Photography by Ashley Burns