Are you still wearing the same hairstyle you wore when had your senior class photo taken twenty five years ago? When you go shopping, do you gravitate to the same colors and styles you’ve worn for the past fifteen years? If so, you may be stuck in a fashion rut. It can happen to anyone. You find a style that works and you’re afraid to break out of your comfort zone. The problem is your face and body change over time and what looked simply smashing on you then may look dated now. What can you do to break out of a fashion rut and develop a more contemporary image?
1. Read Fashion Magazines
You may be limited on time but skimming through fashion magazines such as Vogue and Glamour can help to give you a fresh perspective on fashion and keep you updated on the current trends. Having this awareness doesn’t mean you have to jump on every fashion trend that hits the catwalk. You can learn how to subtly adapt the clothing and accessories you already have to be more in tune with what’s in style. Spend thirty minutes at your local bookstore with a cappuccino in hand skimming through the latest fashion magazines every month or so and you may avoid becoming a fashion dinosaur.
2. Get a Cosmetic Counter Makeover
Are you still wearing the pale blue eye shadow you wore in the seventies? If so, it may be time for a cosmetic update. Make an appointment for a makeover at one of the cosmetic counters at your local department store. For once, let them do what they please. Even if you look like a clown who got too enthusiastic with the face paint, you can wash it all off when you leave the store. Be sure to bring along some sunglasses in case you need to leave the store in cognito. On the plus side, you may find a new look you love and would never have considered on your own. It’s sure to be an enlightening experience.
3. Try Something New
There’s no need to completely overhaul your wardrobe to break out of a fashion rut. Test the waters by trying a new fashion item you would never have considered wearing every few months or so. Try the item on in the privacy of a dressing room at your favorite boutique or department store. What’s the worst that can happen? You can have a good laugh about how bad it looks on you and immediately return it to the racks where it came from. Or you may find a new look that fits you perfectly.
4. Reassess Your Hairstyle and Color
The quickest way to break out of a fashion rut is to change your hairstyle or hair color. If you’re still wearing the same hair you wore twenty years ago, chances are you need an update. Even though it may have been perfect at the time, your face has probably changed since then. If you feel lost as to what look is most appropriate, visit some of the sites online where you can do a virtual makeover. Once you upload your photo you can try various hairstyles and hair colors online. Once you find one you love, print it out and take it to your hairdresser. At the very least, you’ll have fun experimenting.
As you can see, it’s not so hard to break out of a fashion rut. Is it time for you to reassess your style?
About Guest Blogger
Recently the designers at Ulla Popken gave me a make-over. They stretched my comfort zone. They reminded me, happily, that being a mature, plus size women has so many possibilities I hadn’t considered. I’m so glad I turned myself over to them, because I wouldn’t have embraced several of the styles without a push and I’m sure glad I did.