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Five Ways to Love Your Clothes

By Susan Cox November 27, 2022 Beauty

I love clothes. I always have. I love how they feel. I love how they make me feel. I love how powerful they can be!

So it makes sense that I’m a confidence creator for women to get visible with their style and confidence because you cannot have one without the other.

Wherever you are on your journey, clothes matter, unless you live where clothes are optional. Clothes are an important part of our daily lives.

I want to share with each of you a different perspective on clothes. One that puts life into your outfits based on the decisions and experiences of the most important person, Y-O-U!

Here are five ways to love your clothes!

Dress for You, Nobody Else!

While we are older and, hopefully, wiser, sometimes we still rely on the approval of others. I wish I had moved away from this decades ago!

What we wear is our choice. It should reflect the following:

  • What you love
  • Your lifestyle
  • Repeat the first two bullets

When we dress for ourselves, we are in the driver’s seat and making decisions based on who we are, which, my lovely ladies, is what true style is all about.

Letting Go of Clothes that Don’t Fit and Are Not Comfortable!

When I work with my clients, one of the ways for them to embrace and define their style is to clear their path so that they can connect with what matters to them. I want your style to be simple , and I believe you do too!

To me, there is nothing worse than clothes that don’t fit – and I am talking about clothes that are too big and too small. We want to channel Goldilocks when wearing our clothes, just right!

And when I am talking about clothes, I mean everything! Starting with our underwear. How can you be comfortable and confident in your outfits when your bra doesn’t fit, or your undies are either too roomy or cut into your waist?

The simple answer is, “You can’t.”

The same applies to shoes and accessories. I cannot tell you how many times in my younger years I forced my feet into shoes that didn’t fit but had to wear because they made the outfit. So crazy. And don’t forget about jewelry. If earrings, bracelets, or necklaces are not comfortable in any way, don’t wear them!

Allow Space for Positivity

When you’re not dressing for yourself or your lifestyle, or are wearing clothes that aren’t fitting, it’s hard to create space for positive energy.

We’ve all been there.

In the past, when I wore something uncomfortable, it was all I thought about, or perhaps a better word was obsessed. I was fearful something would fall out of place, break, or rip. It was a balancing act, and whatever I was doing while I was wearing these uncomfortable clothes was not receiving any attention. I was not engaged. I wasn’t comfortable. That’s not a healthy place to be both emotionally and physically.

Of course, we want to be comfortable. That’s a given.

Yet when you aren’t wearing clothes that fit (physical comfort), chances are you will not be emotionally comfortable when wearing them. And that, my lovelies, stops today.

When we give both physical and emotional comfort the same attention when it comes to our clothes, that’s when we can start to really love our clothes.

Commit to Letting Go

I want you to visualize how you will feel when you have a style path free of clutter, negativity, and no movement. You’re starting to create a closet of things that fit your today body. Remember, you’re celebrating, honoring, and respecting your today body every single day!

When we are uncomfortable in our clothes, we are preoccupied, as I described earlier. Like spending unnecessary energy chasing our past and future bodies, the same is true when we choose to spend time in uncomfortable clothes.

Owning and wearing clothes that help us go through our everyday routine in both comfort and style is akin to basic self-care, like nourishing ourselves with good food, moving our bodies, hydrating, getting enough sleep, and surrounding ourselves with good people.

Here are some ways to start letting go.

Start Small! Break your clothes into categories:

  • Pants and Jeans
  • Tops
  • Dresses
  • Workout Clothes
  • Shoes
  • Underwear
  • Accessories

Start methodically going through these in whatever order you decide, and if an item fits, keep it; if it doesn’t, donate, sell, or whatever other way you feel is best, just remove it from your closet, drawers, or storage bins.

Some of these categories will be easy. Personally, I’m not emotionally invested in my underwear, but I do need them to fit. In fact, when I work with my clients, the first assignment I give them is to make sure they have a kick-ass bra.

This should be a positive experience. I don’t want this to be a chore. Remember, you are clearing a new path, a path that will help you love your reflection, a path that celebrates your vibrance, your magnetism.

Start Shopping!

My favorite part of clearing your style path is looking for new things that represent you! You are now ready because you’re giving yourself permission to buy clothes that FIT! Replace pieces that are no longer working for either your today body, your lifestyle or what you love!

No more dreading putting on clothes that are too tight or too big. You are worthy and beautiful, and when you’re comfortable, you are confident. Wait, what is that I see just ahead? It’s Y-O-U looking into the mirror and loving what you see!

Celebrate the upcoming holidays in style with Susan’s Holidazzle 2022 Capsule!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is your relationship with your clothes? Do you love wearing them, or do you wear them only just because you have to? When was the last time you style took precedence over comfort in your wardrobe? What about the other way around? How do you shop for clothes these days?

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15 Comments
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Anita

I spent lockdown buying clothes to fit my covid expanded body, 20+pounds. My closet is overflowing with clothes that fit but that I don’t like no matter how stylish or comfortable they are to wear. Spending money on new clothes hasn’t been the answer. Somehow I have to come to terms with my new body

Sue Legree

If I could find a bra that was comfortable I could die a happy woman. I have tried every type out there, underwire, sports, no wire, and invariably the first thing I do when I get home is rip it off. I want something comfortable and supportive, offering a nice shape I could look forward to a pain free day. I have spent I would say thousands of dollars, been to bra fitters, had custom bras made. It must be my structure. Does anyone else have this problem? If so what is the name of your Holy Grail?

Kathy Breen

I am like you. Always in search of a comfortable bra and haven’t found it yet. I am a 36C and most often wear Clearview Medical Comfort Bra. Hook front, no underwire, not much else. No real lift but holds me in and doesn’t drive me crazy. Good luck.

Claudia Abbott

I went to Nordstrom at the time of their anniversary sale and met with a personal shopper- no charge. I wanted pants and tops, Instead I came home with two amazing bras. The shopper called in their fitting expert. My size was different than what I had always wore, I was shocked! I bought two, one black and one nude. Life changing! They are so comfortable and do what they are supposed to do. Clothes look better and I feel better!

Dorothy Thuku

Thanks for the information I will sort out my wardrobe.

Kathy

This topic hits home AND brings up a bigger topic for me. What happens to our psyche when the cloths we love and want don’t fit our “today” bodies? I’ve been working on this body for quite awhile and it’s not being cooperative. How many women go home from shopping in tears or depressed at what they need to settle on? Yes~I know I am responsible for my choices and my health~not looking for any judgement on that one~ I am looking to find a way to reconcile my apparel during my journey to better health.

shaggy Maggie

Appreciate this article. My peers, here in the US midwest, seem to pride themselves on not spending $ on clothing, viewing shopping as something they” hate”. I often dress down to fit in. What I would LIKE to wear would be normal in NYC. but I am now a suburbanite. Just wearing a fedora seems to
cause constant comments…. “who does she think she is?”. sigh

Marian

Wear that fedora and know that most people are just wishing they had the confidence to dress the way you do! I am 71, have recently become single after 34 years, and one of my greatest joys is dressing the way I feel every day. I have never “fit in” anywhere anyway, thank goodness, so why start now? I would bet that more women would be inspired to dress up more if they were inspired by your example.

Lisa Stege

I hear you. I retired a few years ago, and moved from Los Angeles to Tucson, Arizona. It is so casual here, that most of my favorite things are languishing in my closet, and they’re not even very dressy. I have lovely skirts, but here, it’s shorts in hot weather and jeans when it gets cold. If I do buy something these days, though, I choose garments with comfort AND style!

Susan

I’m sure you look smashing in your fedora! Wear it with sass and style!

The Author

Meet Susan Cox, Confidence Creator and Founder of Fiercely50ish where she helps Midlife women get visible with their style and shows them just how magnetic they are and let their confidence shine through by what they wear today and forever. Want to be comfy and stylish? Checkout her Athleisure Capsule.

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