I've got nothing to wear!

I've got nothing to wear!  Any male readers who stray into this blog by mistake will no doubt raise their eyebrows at this statement, especially if they have a wife, daughter, mother or lover (hopefully not all four!) with a wardrobe bulging full of clothes.  So what triggers this cry of woe?  What are the reasons why so many of us feel that we have nothing to wear?


1.  I've got nothing to wear that fits me. 

Unless you wake up in the morning to find that you've grown several dress sizes overnight or (even less likely) that you have miraculously shed your excess weight while sleeping, this is highly unlikely to be true.  Of course you may be a hoarder like me and have lots of clothes in your wardrobe that used to fit you ten years ago but are way too small now.  If so, it's time to be ruthless: give any that are still in  good condition to the charity shop and throw away the rest.  If you can squeeze into some clothes but they are bursting at the seams, either start exercising and eating sensibly until they fit you or follow the previous advice.  If you have lost weight, then see if you can alter the clothes to fit you properly or if, like me, you're no seamstress get a professional to do it for you.


2.  None of my clothes are suitable for my current lifestyle.  

This may be true if you have a wardrobe full of clothes that were suitable when you worked in an office and you have now retired.  My life is a lot less formal now that my only job is sitting in front of a PC at home, so I have gradually replaced my suits with more casual outfits.  I have kept a couple of suits though that can be worn as separates with my casual clothes, so use your imagination before discarding everything as unsuitable.

3.  The colours don't suit me.

I can't wear this old thing again!

Well this could be true, especially if you are prone to making impulse purchases in the sales!  Also, as we grow older, colours that we used to be able to wear easily can sometimes start looking a bit too bright, or maybe a bit too dull, for our colouring.  You may be able to disguise this by wearing a scarf in more flattering colours near your face, or by putting a cardigan in a colour that suits you over the offending garment.  Also, beware of colour analysis.  I had my colours "done" twice: the first time was when a work colleague recommended someone, and the consultant told me I was a Winter; the second time was when I was made redundant from a different job and I had a free colour analysis, and this consultant told me that I was an Autumn.  Hmm.  Luckily I didn't buy lots of new clothes based on my colour swatches, as I realised that some of the colours did nothing for me, otherwise most of my wardrobe would have been suffering from this symptom!  There are of course professionals out there who do give good advice, but don't take it all as gospel.

4.  I'm bored with my clothes.

This could very well be the real reason behind your complaint.  It's too easy to thrown on the same clothes every week and wear them in exactly the same way.  Why not lay out your usual outfits on your bed (if the bed is big enough!) and see if you can change them around a bit, or get a few different items out of your wardrobe to wear with them?  If you usually get dressed in a hurry, it's all too easy to put on the red top that you always wear with that particular black skirt or pair of trousers.  Find a different coloured top and you won't feel bored any more, as you will now have a brand new outfit.

Any other reasons why you have nothing to wear?  Please share them with us.