It’s easy to fall victim to your comfort zone — trust me, I would know.
I once wore the same pair of jeans for six years. Not because they fit exceptionally well, or because they looked different to all other styles of denim on the planet, but because I was afraid of switching things up.
Just the thought of change *shudder* can be scary.
But beautiful things can happen when you step out of your comfort zone. Just ask fashion-obsessed Leigh Campbell and Mia Freedman, who managed to get out of their style ruts by making a few important pivots.
Image: Supplied.
On this week’s episode of Nothing To Wear, Leigh and Mia take a walk down memory lane and talk about what they used to wear, and how they successfully switched things up.
For Leigh, motherhood inspired her to swap out her tight, bodycon dresses for more oversized, comfortable pieces. Mia, on the other hand, was tired of wearing the same things day in and day out.
Listen to Permission To Pivot Your Style here. Post continues below.
Remember when Mia was known as the sequin lady? Yeah… not anymore.
So if you’ve reached a point in your life where the wardrobe from your 20s isn’t reflecting who you are in your 30s, 40s and 50s, then read on for Leigh and Mia’s key advice.
You don’t have to follow the latest trends.
“If you follow every trend, that’s not a pivot and it’s not so much about who you are, it’s more about what the fashion industry is saying you should buy,” Mia said.
“It’s incredibly expensive [to follow trends] and that’s how you fall into the trap of fast fashion where you find yourself constantly buying something new only for none of it to go together.”
Create a ‘basic uniform’ for yourself.
“To some degree, I think it’s helpful to have a basic uniform, and by that, I don’t mean a capsule wardrobe,” said Mia.
“I believe everyone should have a ‘basic’ look. It doesn’t mean you wear it every day, it just means you have an outfit made from foundational pieces in your wardrobe. Then you can go in and add to it.”
Always pick your outfit the night before.
“Styling requires some time, and you never want to do that in a hurry,” said Mia.
“I always like choosing my outfits the night before, because I can’t tell you how much stress it removes from my morning. The extra time also allows you to be creative and think, ‘How could I wear this shirt differently?’”
Treat Pinterest like a Bible.
“I’ve talked many times about Pinterest, but when you’re stuck on how to style something, just put ‘sparkly loafers’ for example into Pinterest and you’ll get so many outfit ideas that you wouldn’t have thought of,” said Leigh.
Don’t rush the process.
“You can’t force a pivot,” said Leigh.
“It’s like when you buy or rent a new apartment and you want to kit it all out so you do it in a couple of weeks, but then you think, ‘I don’t really like that new lamp’. Give yourself time to think about what you like, what’s urgent and what you actually need.”
Thrifting is a great place to start.
“Thrifting is a great way to pivot. I am obsessed. And look, it’s a rummage but thrifting allows you to make cheap mistakes instead of expensive ones because you will always make mistakes while pivoting,” said Mia.
Bougie & Budget.
On Nothing to Wear, Leigh and Mia shared their favourite bougie and budget items that will help transform your style.
Bougie.
Maison Essentielle Buckle Dress, $325.
Alemais Chunky Infinity Necklace, $595.
Budget.
H&M Ankle Length Pants, $44.99.
Cotton On Beach Boys The Oversized Band Tee, $34.99.
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