ποΈ Mindful Shopping for a Fabulous You
Welcome back to the Santa Clara Meditation blog for Part 3 of our Her Subtraction Life series!
Those of us who used to lament, “Why do I have nothing to wear?” have made great progress. While organizing our closets, we threw away the lingering emotions attached to our old clothes, and we experienced the exhilarating joy of donating a massive amount of them. Emptying the closet is a lot like emptying the mindβit brings clarity, lightness, and a fresh perspective. β¨
Now, only the clothes you usually wear and truly love remain in your closet. (Right? Haha)
Take a close look at the clothes gathered there. What do they have in common? Bright colors? Gray tones? A common silhouette? Lightweight fabrics? Emptying your closet makes your favorite style visible at a glance. Now, open the doors of your slimmed-down closet and try having a conversation with your clothes.
Your closet represents the “current” you. As you evolve, your closet should evolve in step with you. To help you dress well while highlighting your own unique colors, and to prevent you from staring at a packed closet sighing, “Why do I have nothing to wear?”, let’s talk about 5 mindful shopping principles to keep you on track.
1οΈβ£ Know What You Own Before You Shop
This is the most basic of basic shopping principles. However, there are times when we forget the most important basics. You bought something because you liked it, but it’s similar to clothes you already own, or when you actually try to wear it, you find it hard to coordinate with your existing items.
You need to shop with your existing items in mind, considering if there’s anything that will match. That way, you achieve the “kill two birds with one stone” effect of creating various looks with a single piece of clothing.
2οΈβ£ If You Aren’t Absolutely Sure, Do Not Buy It!
“I might need it someday…”
When we see ads for massive clearance sales, we often end up buying things even if we don’t need them immediately. However, in most cases, those items end up just being stored. Wasting time picking through a mountain of clothes, wasting space taking up the closet, and ultimately wasting money because you don’t wear them. And wasting emotional energy feeling bad about it!
From now on, resolve to buy only the clothes that you love, that you need, and that look good on you. Eurachacha~!!! (Let’s do this!) Even if that means buying only three pieces with the money that could have bought twenty.
Karen Kingston, author of Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, says that surrounding yourself with things you personally find beautiful is one of the best ways to elevate your energy and invite an abundance of wealth.
3οΈβ£ Do Not Shop When You Are Feeling Down
Sometimes we shop using the excuse of needing a mood booster when we feel depressed, or to soothe anxiety and fill an emptiness. However, if you buy clothes at times like these, there’s a high probability you won’t wear them again.
Author Karen Kingston explains it perfectly:
“One day you go shopping and a piece of clothing captures your heart… Why did such an unusual color catch your eye on that particular day? It was because you were emotionally off-balance that day, and the color of your aura had changed… But the next day, once the previous day’s emotional combination dissolves, your aura returns to its original color. And the new clothes no longer suit you.”
From now on, it’s truly goodbye to impulse buying! ^^
4οΈβ£ “Is My Body Really That Terrible?” Let Go of Negative Feelings
The less confident you are in your body, the more you try to hide your figure through clothes. By wearing baggy clothes to make your body look smaller or sticking to dark colors, you lose your own style while trying to cover up.
Honestly, seeing the many flawlessly proportioned models in the media can be discouraging. Your self-esteem might even hit rock bottom as you think, “Clothes like this don’t suit me. I’m ugly, and nothing looks good on me.”
When shopping, these negative emotions are public enemy number one.
Actually, your body isn’t that terrible! You definitely have your own unique strengths that you can highlight. If you discard the standard of a fantasy body ingrained in your mind, let go of the urge to compare, and view yourself objectively, you will be able to clearly distinguish between clothes that truly suit you and those that don’t.
5οΈβ£ Do Not Buy Something Just Because It’s Trendy
We sometimes hoard clothes out of anxiety, or chase trends so we don’t look like we’re falling behind the times. However, while doing so might temporarily erase your anxiety, it makes it difficult to build your own style.
To prevent buying things just because of a trend, ask yourself these two questions:
- First: Will there actually be a problem if I don’t buy that item?
- Second: Do I already have something at home that could replace it?
Now, let’s discard the prejudice that we must chase trends and start creating our own style.
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.”
β Gianni Versace
“Fashion fades, only style remains the same… The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.”
β Coco Chanel
π‘ Tips for Building Your Style
Tip 1: The 10 Basic Wardrobe Items
Having proper basic items makes your wardrobe feel richer because you can utilize them for various places and situations. When buying basic items, it is economically better in the long run to invest in well-fitting, high-quality pieces since you can wear them for a long time.
- Trench coat
- Athleisure / casual sportswear
- Basic black dress
- Well-fitting all-weather jacket
- Casual dress
- Dress pants
- Jeans
- Skirt
- White shirt
- Cashmere sweater
Tip 2: Learn Great Posture
A youthful and attractive silhouette has nothing to do with age. French women leave a strong impression of looking chic and haughty, which comes from the feeling of an overall straight posture.
To straighten your posture, you must first correct your pelvis. Pull your buttocks in tight and draw your belly button toward your spine. If you tighten your pelvis firmly in this state, your buttocks won’t stick out and your stomach will pull right in. Your overall appearance becomes slimmer, you look taller, and you gain strength in your core! (Tip suggested by World-Renowned Fashion Consultant Tim Gunn)
If you want to clear the clutter from both your closet and your mind, come visit us at Santa Clara Meditation to learn how to let go of what no longer serves you. π±
π Reference Books:
- Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui (Karen Kingston | Translated by Choi Ji-hyun | Dosol)
- You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You (Jennifer Baumgartner | Translated by Lee Hyun-jung | Myungjin Publishing)
- Tim Gunn’s A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style (Tim Gunn, Kate Moloney | Translated by Lee Young-jin | Woongjin Livinghouse)
