Style starts in your closet. As much as we like to think it starts on a Pinterest Board or in a department store, it doesn’t. It starts where our outfits take shape, and that is in the sanctity of the closet.

It’s also where certain style dreams go to die. Remember that orange phase? Or the boho kick? The remnants of previous phases and trends and obsessions often linger in our closets long after the inspiration dies. Like friends, there are clothes that are in your closet for a reason, or a season, or a lifetime.

Very few items make it into the last category. Like, almost none. (Also, a lifetime is relative when it comes to clothes, and can span anywhere from 5 years to 50. )

Today, we’re going to talk about closet personalities, and how they could be contributing to your style struggles.

Minimalist vs Maximalist

The first thing to ask yourself is whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist. Be honest. One way to determine this is to ask yourself this question:

Which of these could you hear yourself saying:

“I already have a black shirt.” OR

“I only have 1 black shirt.”

And now on to the 6 closet personalities.

“All Work & No Play”

This woman shops for her professional life, and nothing else. She wears sweats and baggy t-shirts on the weekends, and often feels unprepared when invitations or events come up.

The Multiple Personality Closet

Your wardrobe is a mishmash of old trends, former phases, and other odds and ends that have somehow managed to take up permanent residence in your closet.

The Rainbow Bright Wardrobe

Your closet is a mix of every color under the rainbow, with no cohesive color palette and no neutrals to create versatility.

Shift Into Neutral

Your wardrobe is almost exclusively neutral, whether that shows up as an excessive loyalty to black or white or whether you have a mix of neutrals.

If you love neutrals, make sure you have a light, medium, and dark neutral in your wardrobe to make outfit creation easier, and also add a variety of textures for interest and style and to avoid “flat” boring outfits.

The Museum

Blank On Repeat

You’re a creature of habit and your wardrobe reflects that. You’ve never met a ____________________ that you don’t like, and so you have multiples of this item, way more than you could ever need. So if your buying habit is black leggings or band tees, think before adding another to your collection.

Your Shopping Style

In the same way that you may have a closet personality, you probably also have a shopping personality. This comes from your attitude about shopping as well as your habits.

Shopping Personalities can be broken down into 2 broad categories.

Are you a Hot shopper or a Cold shopper?

A hot shopper is someone who loves to shop, and lives for it. A cold shopper is the opposite. Here are some more ways to know if you’re a hot or cold shopper.

You may be a Hot shopper if…

• You have to talk yourself OUT of purchases
• You enjoy the process of shopping
• You feel like there is almost always something else you could buy
• You have a full closet
• You can justify almost any purchase

You may be a Cold shopper if…

• You have to talk yourself INTO purchases
• You hate the process of shopping
• You won’t buy things you need because you dread shopping so much
• Your closet looks a little neglected
• Your style needs an update

The “I Hate Shopping” Shopper

This particular type of COLD shopper hates shopping so much that she seldom goes, and when she does, she gets what she needs and is in and out quickly. She finds shopping stressful, overwhelming, and just plain annoying.

The “Never” Shopper

This type of COLD shopper just doesn’t shop. Like, at all. If she found herself in a store she would be shocked at the prices and the styles because it’s just been so long. She might order necessities online and will go out of her way to avoid a store.

The Shiny Object Syndrome Shopper

This type of HOT shopper never met a trend, a color, or a sparkle she didn’t like. She is an impulse shopper but is mostly drawn to fun, colorful statement pieces, and her wardrobe imbalance reflects that.

The Emotional Shopper

This type of HOT shopper shops whenever she is sad, or happy, or bored, and tends to overbuy not out of need but out of emotion or as a form of fantasy shopping.

Now that we’ve tackled some of the shopping and clsoet person

3 “Filter” Questions to Ask When Shopping

Would I buy it again?

Would I wear it today?

Do I like what it says about me?

These questions can make you a more thoughtful and intentional shopper. And if you answered yes to all 3 of these questions, you can feel confident that this item is something you will love and get a lot of use out of.

What did you think of these closet and shopping personalities? Do you see yourself in any of these styles? Let me know in the comments!