What Better Time to SHOP YOUR CLOSET (then during a pandemic)

No matter where you are in the world, it probably feels like March 58th to you too. Except it's April. Almost May. And from where I'm sitting, it looks like we're gonna be staying home and social distancing until March 124th. 

Speaking of time-not-exactly-flying-by... do you know WHY so many gals wear the same things over and over again, even if those clothes don't make them FEEL good?

Because (I've been told) they don't have the capacity to explore what "styles" DO make them feel good.

By "capacity" they usually mean TIME + MONEY. 

Well good news my friend, because I wanna invite you into your very own closet. It's only a minute away, the cost-of-goods is free-thirty-free, and it contains EVERYTHING YOU NEED to learn EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW about your own "personal style".

After 5 years of teaching Style School, it never ceases to amaze me how many women know exactly WHO THEY ARE and WHAT MAKES 'EM FEEL GOOD... and then stuff all of that knowing right into the back of their proverbial closets.

Having the guts to say THIS IS ME is scary is hell. Wicked vulnerable. And downright liberating.

I just wrapped up the 19th session of Style School last week (which we've aptly named SSSCovid-19), and with the whole world shut down, gals did all of their "shopping" right in their very own closets instead of in the stores. And HOLY MOLY you should SEE what they found, and WHAT THEY LEARNED!  

Lucky you, they said I could share it all with you right here in a fashion show exposé.

First up is my gal Saskia (SSS15 Rosie Squad + Big Sister to SSS19 Amelia Squad), who FINALLY pulled these AMAZING earrings outta hiding after realizing they were not "too much" after all. 

"I saw these sparkly, leather, feather-shaped earrings in Boston last summer, gasped, and thought “I MUST have those, and I will NEVER wear them in public.” The “too much” jiblet is looouuud, but they make me feel giddy and flashy and magical--kinda like a mermaid. This is their “public” debut."  

If you don't know, "jiblets" are those negative voices inside your head that say mean things to you when you're brave enough to SHOW UP. (It's Style School speak.) Well, Saskia put those jiblets in their proper place (outside, pounding sand) and wore the dang earrings because she KNOWS there is no such thing as "too much". 

Do YOU have any jewelry stuffed away that you're afraid might be TOO MUCH? How about flexing your brave muscle and wearing them... today! 

And now, let's take a gander at Claudette (SSS19 Maya Squad), and check out this incredible dress she's had in her closet FOR 10 YEARS, but has NEVER WORN!

"I was feeling a little rebellious today - our last day before lock down kicks in this evening. I have had this dress for about 10 years and never worn it. Today I felt like it needed a chance celebrating my waist."

I about FAINTED when Claudette posted this photo. She had this hanging in her closet for 10 years before pulling it out for a full day's wear during a stay-at-home-global-quarantine-day-with-kids!! 

What do YOU have hanging in the back of your closet that you've never worn!? How about giving it a go this week?

Next up is my gal Holly (SSS19 Rosie Squad) who pulled a pair of swashbuckling boots out of her closet that SHE HARDLY EVER WORE because she didn't think she was "cool enough" to pull them off. 

Not cool enough? No way.

She told that "not cool enough" jiblet to head outside and go pound sand with Saskia's jiblets. Because HELLO, she is SOOOOO cool enough to wear the dang boots. Can you believe they've been sitting in her closet virtually UNWORN for all these years?

Most of us have at least one "I'm not cool enough" piece in our closet. What's yours? Can you commit to wearing it THIS WEEK?

And now, let me introduce you to Style Sister Kathryn (SSS19 Rosie Squad), who bought a fancy-pants necklace while traveling on vacation, and then stuffed it in a drawer because her friend didn't like it!  

"I bought this necklace from an artist in London while visiting a friend. Friend’s response was lukewarm about it when I showed her and that was enough to bury it away...never to be worn! How absurd is that??"

Gals, what other people think about what you wear is none of your damn business. (Yes, I said none of YOUR business. Other people can make what you wear their business, but you don't need to make what they think any of YOUR business.) You get dressed for YOU - to feel good in YOUR body - to connect to your SOUL FIRE. Kathryn re-realized that the second she put this necklace on. Shazam!

Do YOU have something in your closet that you LOVE... but somebody made fun of it, so you tucked it away and stopped wearing it? How about wearing it THIS WEEK!

Next up is my super-fly Style Sister, Cindi (SSS19 Rosie Squad) who had an unworn dress AND denim jacket sitting in the back of her closet for A YEAR before pulling both pieces out during the first week of Style School. She somehow got it in her head that she couldn't wear stripes... because you know, RULES. 

"I didn't think I could wear stripes."

Can't wear stripes? Who makes those rules up anyway? The fashion police? I'm calling their bluff. You wanna wear stripes, then wear the dang stripes! Because my goodness, this dress fits Cindi like a glove, the stripes look whimsical and fun, and the denim jacket looks amazing. She's the master of balance and proportion here, and I'll tell you what... SHE KNEW BEFORE SHE EVEN KNEW SHE KNEW that this was a smokin' hot outfit that fit her body, and her SOUL FIRE, perfectly. 

Got anything in your closet that has a pile of RULES attached to it? How about flushing those rules down the toilet and WEARING THE THING this week?

And lastly... check out the hadn't-been-worn-in-13-years blazer Danielle (SSS19 Maya Squad) discovered in her closet!

"I bought this as a suit 13 years ago, and wore the suit once for the interview for my current job. It's been in the back of the closet in a garment bag because I never wear a suit. I pulled out the blazer and I love it! Great color for me. Good length. Whoop! The pants are on their way to ThredUp because my amazing hips will never fit into those pre-baby pants again."

Do YOU have a suit stuffed into the back of your closet that just might have a top or bottom that STILL FITS, and can be worn as a separate? It's a wicked clever move. Super resourceful. And totally FREE! I mean... look at Danielle's smile here. She won the SOUL FIRE lottery, no doubt about it.

And yep, even I have taken to shopping my closet for treasures! I had bought a pair of burgundy leggings MONTHS ago, and had only worn them once. So on a regular old weekday, I whipped them out, put ‘em under a pair of denim shorts, threw on a floral crown, and called it a day. I felt downright glamorous!

Gals, this is what STYLE is all about. Finding things that fit, make you feel good, and leave you feeling clever, resourceful, smart, sexy, brave, grounded, glamorous, fierce. 

And there's a good chance you've got THOSE EXACT THINGS in your closet already.

I just ran an ENTIRE SESSION OF STYLE SCHOOL during a global pandemic, where the only place gals could go shopping was in their closet. And it was AWESOME! 

I know a lot of you are feeling the frustration that shopping is off the table because you're itching for something new... but I'll tell you what, there's a 99% chance that YOU HAVE SOMETHING NEW in your closet already.

Go digging. Find the things you've set aside because you didn't think you were "cool enough". Put on the fancy dress, the big earrings, the sparkly tank top. Wear the good jewelry. The swashbuckling boots. The gritty denim jacket. 

You might roll your eyes and say... NOW, DURING CORONA-TIME??  And to that I say YES. Now. FEELING GOOD feels extra hella good these days. 

So go for it. SHOP YOUR CLOSET. And see what you might find!

xo Stasia