5 Steps To Prep Every Outfit You Wear During The Holiday Season
The holiday season means you’re at a 10 on the busy scale.
Juggling kids on break, gifts to buy, and parties to attend makes life way more complicated and overwhelming.
And before you do any of that, you’ve gotta get dressed. (Didn’t leaving the house naked? Check.)
Your outfit is one of the first things you deal with every day. If you simplify how you pick it out, you automatically streamline your day and are more likely to stay on track with all your tasks.
So this week, it’s time to plan ahead. The good, the bad, and the awkward moments of the holidays are around the corner, but no matter what’s headed your way, you’ll look like a boss while tackling it all.
Here’s how to get ahead on November and one-up your holiday season…
Step One: Purge
I know you’ve already done it this year, but it’s time for another clean out.
Need a refresh on the right way to clean out? Here what to consider when doing the clean out.
There are two ways you can go:
BEGINNER: If you don’t want to get rid of any fall/winter clothing until the end of the season, you can instead clean out some of the spring/summer items that don’t suit your style currently.
Even if you’re just using these pieces for layering now (items like tanks, tees or sundresses), clearing up this space allows for more creative energy and helps you spread out your fall/winter gear.
The more fall/winter stuff you can easily see, the more you’ll use (and I want you to use 100%).
ADVANCED: If you’re feeling brave enough to tackle winter and fall at the top of the season, dig in!
Doing cold-weather clean out at the front end of fall/winter allows you to look at old pieces you haven’t seen in a while with a fresh perspective. Dust off your sweaters and ask yourself, “Is this still me?” While some pieces will still feel like your style, others that seemed awesome once upon a time — not so much. And that’s okay! Even if there are some pieces that only made it through one season, be as honest with yourself as possible about what you should keep and what to toss. If it’s time to go, sail them away.
Try this as your benchmark for how many items you should get rid of.
Do you have…
A spacious walk-in closet or multiple walk-in closets? Try getting rid of 20 - 30 items.
A medium-size closet? Try sifting out 10 - 20 items.
A minimal closet with little more than the essentials? Pull out 5 items you no longer love.
Step Two: Map Out Your Month
I live by my calendar, and if you do too, use it to plan ahead with outfits.
Look at your calendar and highlight/add a color to any event that will need lots of creative energy to put together an outfit for.
Next, write all those occasions down on a sheet of paper and what category of formality they fall under.
Is the occasion…
Casual?
Dressy Casual?
Business Casual?
Cocktail?
Black tie?
Not sure what category fits with the activity? Read this.
Take your sheet of paper and move to the next step.
Step Three: Pinspiration for the win!
You know what you like, every woman does. But bringing your holiday style to life takes more than spotting what you’re attracted to.
You don’t want to cut, copy, and paste outfits from Pinterest onto your body; this will take away from your creative edge. You do however, want to review and pin outfits you like or love to inspire your own style.
Each outfit you create should compliment your unique body, color palette, and style, but look to Pinterest for fresh color combinations, boot/jean combos, jacket additions, and accessories ideas.
Hit the category of formality you need for each upcoming event by searching “dressy casual holiday outfit” if you need an outfit for dinner or brunch. Search your favorite color and the formality of the event, such as “emerald cocktail attire.” Search your favorite type of item and the formality, such as “jumpsuit black tie.”
Give yourself 10 minutes to explore, then once the time is up, move to your closet.
Step Four: Outfit Prep
Having a clear idea of what you’re going to wear beforehand is super important to staying on track. This applies for every day and for special occasion, so this step is a two part-er.
First, continue on with your usual outfit prep every Sunday. Need a refresh on how to? Read this article: How To Outfit Prep For The 5 Day Work Week
Second, create your outfits for all the upcoming activities you have planned. You’ll create all of these outfits during one time, so carve out an hour outside of your usual outfit prep for these looks. Adjust your time according to how few or many special event outfits you need.
Make sure to do it one outfit at a time, so you don’t get overwhelmed.
If there will be different people at each event, don’t worry about repeating pieces in different looks. Same crowd? Be mindful to avoid using statement pieces multiple times.
Take pictures of your full outfit styled with jewelry, outerwear, shoes, and scarves. Print your pictures and add them to your closet or create a folder in your phone (Dropbox is my fave) to store them in.
Step Five: First-Aid Style Kit
You’ve probably got a drawer or shelf for make up, hair products, and other tools you need to feel prepared for the day, so add style to the mix!
Just like makeup and hair products, create a small space or clear out a drawer for all the styling tools you might need before you head out the door in your outfits.
This drawer should include:
Steamer
Iron
Pasties (if you feel comfortable going braless for some special occasion looks)
Lint Roller
Ready to put it all into play? Leave me a comment below and share which tip you’re most excited to try in your closet. I would love to hear from you!
Lots of love and joy,
Raquel
