No. 1 reason you can't afford the wardrobe you want (+free color palette worksheet)

A lot of women think they can't afford to build a wardrobe they love.

They believe that dressing well and feeling confident requires lots of cash that they just don't have.

But what they don't know is that knowing how to how to conquer your closet will save you more money than any Nordstrom Sale ever could.

The No. 1 reason you can't afford the wardrobe you want is that you haven't defined what it is.

Don't believe me?

Here's what happens when you finally conquer your closet.

You stop wasting money on things you never wear.

How many articles of clothing in your closet still have the tags on them? How many things have only been worn two or three times? When we shop without direction (usually informed by trends or our "safe" colors) we often end up with pieces we hate and feel guilty for wasting more money.

You'll know what works for your coloring and body type.

True story. When you invest in learning what you love and looks best on your body, you'll most likely find a veritable treasure trove of outfits hiding in your closet. One of my absolute favorite moments is when a style coaching client says, "I never would have put this together." Will you still find some gaps in your closet? Sure. But finding new (and, like, way better) ways to style your existing wardrobe is a huge confidence builder. 

If you want help finally figuring out your colors, snag a free sample of my color swatches from my ebook

You can sell what you detox.

After a closet detox, I take everything to Clothes Mentor and Plato's Closet. You can also post on Posh Mark, ThreadUP, eBay. If you'd rather donate or recycle, you can get $30 store credit at Nisolo when you donate your shoes to their shoe reclamation project in partnership with Soles4Souls (hello, win-win.)

You'll stop mindlessly shopping.

There are usually three reasons why something just doesn't feel right on you but you can't put your finger on it: it's not the right color, it's not the right shape or it's not actually your style (because you don't yet know what your style is). Once you solve the first two, color and shape, you won't waste another dime on those not-quite-right pieces. Yes, even if they're on the sale rack.

You can stop shopping based on what other people wear or what you think you should wear.

This is what I call costumes. It's when you choose an outfit based on what you think someone in your profession would wear, someone you respect would wear or someone aspirational to you. This might mean you buy clothes you think a lawyer would wear, or outfits your coach wore or pieces a celebrity reps. It's great to take inspiration from others, we do it all the time. But wearing a costume like this isn't just a waste of money, it's a waste of your personality.

Want more help? Check out Build a Closet You Love—my ebook that breaks down everything from defining your style and finding your colors to detoxing your closet.