Feel Stuck in a Style Rut? Here’s How to Create New Looks from Old Fave
When you feel uninspired by your outfits or wardrobe, the answer is not always to head to the shops and buy more.
In my experience as a style coach and personal stylist, I’ve found that most people trying to fix a style or wardrobe dilemma tend to fall into one of three schools of thought:
“It’s all crap, let’s clear out the whole lot and start from scratch.”
“Let’s go on a big shopping spree to make everything else work.”
"I want to learn how to remix what I already have into new and fresh outfit combinations that actually feel like me.”
That last group tends to be the smallest, but it’s the school of thought I am on a mission to expand!
Because here’s the truth: you don’t always need to start over. And piling more into your wardrobe can actually make things more complicated, not less. One of the biggest shifts I help my clients make is learning how to use what they’ve already got in new ways.
Now, sure, sometimes we do a wardrobe cull. Because your space should feel like somewhere you want to be, not the emotional equivalent of being lost in a spooky wood at night.
And yes, occasionally there’s a small haul to fill in the gaps (depending on how someone’s working with me).
But here’s what I want more women to know:
You don’t need to start over.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to find your personal style
What you really need is to learn how to remix what you already own so you can easily and confidently create fresh outfits that make getting dressed feel easier, versus the daily fight you currently find yourself in.
So let me show you how to start doing that by remixing what you already got in the simplest way possible! Here's how to refresh your wardrobe without buying new clothes.
Step 1: Spot What Already Works
What’s your personal style through line?
Style through lines are the repeating elements that show up in your outfits again and again (whether you realise it or not). It might be shapes (like wide trousers or puff sleeves), details (pearls, metallics), or a vibe (mismatch, tension, drama).
Your first step is to identify some of your through lines.
Look back at the last 3–5 outfits you liked. The ones that felt good. The ones that got compliments. The ones that made you do a little mirror dance!
Then ask: What made them work? The silhouette? The colour? A specific detail? The overall vibe?
That’s how you begin to find your style through lines.
Step 2: Pick a Base Outfit
Start by picking 2 items that create one base outfit.
Pick the kind of items you reach for the most, the pieces that, when you put them on, you think: yeah, this feels good, this feels comfortable.
Maybe this base has already shown up in your through line. Or maybe it hasn’t, maybe it’s just the stuff you wear on repeat because it always works. Either way, this is your starting point. Your foundation.
💡 Side experiment: You can also create new base outfit combos you haven't tried before by mixing different base items together. For example, maybe you often wear a button-down shirt with tailored trousers, and on other days you’re always in jeans and a tee.
Try swapping them around, pair the tee with the trousers, the shirt with the jeans, and see what happens. That simple switch creates a whole new base to play with.
Step 3: Start the Outfit Remix and Create New Outfits (without buying new clothes
Now it gets fun. (Okay, maybe not everyone thinks “trying on clothes” is fun, but stick with me.) Think of yourself as the DJ of your wardrobe; you’ve got your base track, and now you’re going to remix it into something fresh.
Here’s how to start:
Add your favourites. Take the items you love most and try each one with your base outfit.
Switch the shoes. Boots, trainers, heels, try each on with your base and fav combos. You'll be surprised how he impact of a tiny change can shift a whole vibe.
Play with accessories. Got a pair of statement earrings, a scarf, or a bold bag? Try them with every combo. Especially the ones you think won’t work. Sometimes the “wrong” one ends up being just right.
Layer it up. Play with how you layer things and see how it changes the proportions. For example, a shirt can go over or under a t-shirt!
Swap the base. Once you’ve tested your first base, try again with a different one. Keep the mix going.
These are just a few items pulled from the wardrobe. Start by remixing a handful together, then keep going until you run out of possibilities.
These are just a few items pulled from the wardrobe. Start by remixing a handful together, then keep going until you run out of possibilities!
Important: Not everything is going to work, and that’s the point.
As you remix, notice what doesn’t land and ask yourself why. Was it the shape? The colour? The proportions? Those “nope” moments are just as useful as the ones that make you feel fuck yeah — because they help you refine your through lines.
💡 Pro tip: Capture the outfit for your lookbook.
When you land on a remix that feels good, snap a photo. No need to pose, and you can even crop out your head if you want. I find it helps to avoid those self-judgy spirals we can find ourselves in when looking at selfie snaps!
Side Note: On Repeating and Remixing
I spent my late teens and early adulthood in the toxic nineties and noughties, when repeat-wearing just wasn’t the done thing. In my world, you wore something once or twice, and then it was on to the next.
Fast forward to now, and I’m a proud repeater. Repetition isn’t boring, well, not when you’ve mastered remixing! In fact, IMO repetition is what defines and helps you refine your personal style.
Your repeated through lines give you a lens, a way of deciding which combinations to try and which new pieces to add in.
And here’s the thing: through lines may evolve as you do. Some might stick for life (hello, Iris Apfel and her bangles), while others fade out and get replaced.
And your goal doesn't have to be to become iconic (but I mean, why not), but just so you know, those women who are seen as “icons” are all serial repeaters of their style throughlines. Kate Moss. Victoria Beckham. Iris Apfel. Brigitte Bardot. They didn’t reinvent themselves every morning. They honed their through lines and wore them on repeat!
Step 4: Build Your Remix Lookbook
I know I’ve already mentioned this back in Step 3, but it’s worth repeating: when you land on a remix that feels good, take a full-length mirror selfie.
Store these in a folder or album, so that you’re creating your own ready-to-go library of outfits that work.
That way, on those mornings when you’re staring at your wardrobe feeling uninspired or unsure what to wear, you don’t have to start from scratch. Just open your lookbook, flick through, and boom, you’ve got an outfit that you know feels like you!
Final Thoughts
Anyhoo, to conclude, finding your style isn’t about starting over.
It’s about bridging the gap from where your style and wardrobe are now to where they need to be to feel right for you. And you do this by remixing what you’ve already got, then layering in new pieces that actually support your FYEAH style instead of creating more chaos!
Does all of this take effort? Yes. Hate to break it to you, but if you want a personal style that makes you go f*ck yeah when you get dressed, there’s no shortcut around that!
Actually, there is one...
Work with someone who can speed it up. A second pair of (experienced) eyes can help you see what you can’t yet and offer new perspectives, ideas, and styling tweaks that might take you months to figure out solo.
If you’re ready to dip a toe, start with a Style Power Hour, a focused, one-off styling session to help you remix your wardrobe with fresh eyes. Find more details here.
And if you’re craving the full transformation? My six-week Style Shift program (coming soon)is where we go deeper. We experiment, remix, and create a lookbook of go-to outfits that help you show up magnetic, confident, and you.
Catch you next time.
Sarah xxx
PS: You can grab some style freebies here
Author Bio
Sarah Duff: Visibility Style Coach, founder of The Holistic Personal Stylist & creator of F*ck Yeah Style.
I help ambitious women find their Fck Yeah personal style so they can show up magnetically everywhere — from big life moments to everyday magic. ✨ Your Fck Yeah Style is calling. Come say hi on Instagram @theholisticpersonalstylist or explore the style tools above.
