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I love a good analogy and today I’m sharing how making dinner (one of my least favorite activities) is similar to one of my most favorite activities – getting dressed.

Believe it or not, there are many ways these two seamingly mundane daily activities are alike, and I’m going to hash them out for you over the course of the next few blog posts.

And to be clear, by “making dinner” I mean things like meal planning, grocery shopping and actually cooking dinner.

And by “getting dressed”, I mean all things clothing and style related, like  your wardrobe, shopping, and putting clothes on your body.

Are you still with me? Stick around…it’ll make sense, I promise.

Here we go…

Similarity #1: Without a list and a plan, you’re in big trouble.

I’m famous for going to the store out of desperation because “they” (my sons)  tell me “there’s nothing to eat in the house”.  I go, buy random things and then am somehow shocked when I come home with bags of groceries and not a clue what’s for dinner.

But this is how many of us  shop for clothes too.  Click on that cute blogger recommendation, buy that tee on sale in 3 colors, oh and that jacket is just so cute.  Wait, why can’t I get dressed?

It’s Called Recreational Shopping….

There’s a popular term for this kind of willy nilly clicking and buying: Recreational Shopping…and it’s the opposite of list-and-plan shopping (or strategic shopping) .

Think about it— no one goes recreational shopping at the grocery store and buys chicken breasts or ground beef or salmon filets — items that can actually be easily transformed into innumerable meals.

When we recreationally grocery shop we buy things like artichoke dip and cookie butter. 😳

In the same way,  no one goes recreationally shopping for clothing and buys the perfect black pants that may be expensive but make your butt look great and work with pretty much every top you own.  Instead we buy one-hit-wonder pieces that catch our eye, or our 100th pair of shoes (you know who you are;)

Strategic Shopping is Goal Oriented….and involves a list and a plan.

On the other hand, when you make a list of what you need, the basics tend to take priority.

The basics – in both food and clothing – are those foundational items that make it easy to cook dinner, and effortless to get dressed.

You add the fun stuff after the basics are covered.  When you do that, making meals – and making outfits – is so much easier.

What I’ve learned from working with hundreds of women over the years is that there’s really no one-size-fits-all list of Basics or Essentials.  Your collection of Basics need to be personalized for YOU. But the categories within the Basics remain pretty consistent.

For example, a white shirt could be considered an Essential Basic. But maybe you have a big chest and hate button-down shirts. Or maybe your coloring is such that you never wear stark white.

Buying a crisp white button-down because it appears on 99% of all Essentials lists just doesn’t make sense for you. Maybe instead, you get a flowy, woven blouse in ivory or cream that serves the same purpose, but works for YOU – your coloring, your esthetic, and your beautiful bod.

Capiche?

Below is a collection of timeless Fall Basics ….all from Nordstrom (many on sale) and the foundation for innumerable chic, modern, looks to get you thinking about what may be on YOUR list.

This list is like the chicken breasts, pasta, and romaine lettuce of your wardrobe…  There’s no artichoke dip or cookie butter here.

But a wardrobe of all basics would boring and dull, and not let you express your personality…which is such an important part of #justgetdressed.  

You’ll learn in the Style System Program how to add accents and personality pieces to make fabulous looks that YOU love and that fit YOUR personal style.

Just like we all enjoy different meals, we also have different style aesthetics (and bodies)  and I’m going to help you find, and develop your signature style so you can #justgetdressed and love the way you look.

Next week, we’ll talk about 4 more ways getting dressed and making dinner are similar…including how desperation and last-minute rushing, rarely ends well – in either activity.  Stay tuned!

In the meantime, the sales are coming fast and furiously (including the famous Nordstrom Anniversary Sale).

My recommendation is to focus on filling in your basics if you need to….or better yet, take a hard pass from shopping during August. Use this time to wear the summer clothing you already own, enjoy some downtime, and save your money for what your wardrobe really needs.  And I’ll be here to help you.

Until then, go #justgetdressed….and maybe make dinner too??😜

Thanks for reading and drop me a note if you have any questions. I love hearing from my ladies!

And if you haven’t already, remember to join my free, private Facebook Group…one of the most positive places on the internet. Post your questions, make connections with other like-minded women, and use the #justgetdressed mantra to live your best day!