How Looking Put-Together Changes More Than Just Your Outfit
We all get dressed every day. Even on the days we don’t go anywhere, we still make a choice about what we put on our bodies. Sometimes it’s intentional, sometimes it’s purely out of habit, and sometimes it’s just whatever is clean and within reach.
But over the years, I’ve realized it’s not that we get dressed that matters. It’s how we get dressed, and what that choice does for us once we step into the day.
There are mornings when I don’t feel particularly motivated or confident. Nothing is “wrong,” exactly, but I feel a little off. And more often than not, the way I get dressed has a quiet influence on how the rest of the day unfolds. When I take a few extra minutes and put on something that fits well, feels good, and reflects how I want to show up, my posture changes. My energy changes. My outlook changes.
Not because clothes fix everything, but because they remind me I’m still participating in my own life.
A Lesson From What Not To Wear
Years ago, I used to watch the show What Not To Wear. If you watched it too, you probably remember the formula. They would go through someone’s closet and remove everything that didn’t fit properly, was the wrong color, or was stained, stretched out, or simply no longer working. Then they taught the person about proportions, color, and how to mix and match pieces that actually complemented their body.
The transformation at the end was always striking, but not because the clothes were expensive or trendy. It was because the person looked comfortable in their own skin. They stood taller. They smiled differently. You could almost see the weight lift off their shoulders.
What always stood out to me was this: they weren’t changing the person. They were helping them see themselves clearly, right where they were, not where they wished they were.
Dressing the Body You Have Now
This might be the most important part of the conversation.
We spend far too much time holding our bodies up against past versions of ourselves. The body we had ten years ago. The body we had before kids. The body we had before menopause. The body we think we should still have.
But the truth is, the only body that deserves to be dressed well is the one you have right now.
And let’s talk about size numbers for a minute, because they can do more harm than good. During a recent closet cleanout of my jeans, I had sizes ranging from 6 to 12 hanging side by side. And guess what? They all fit me the same. Different brands. Different cuts. Different years. Same body.
That little number on the inside of the waistband means nothing. It is not a measurement of your worth, your health, or how well you are doing at life. It’s just a number, and often an inconsistent one at that.
And then there’s gravity. Gravity has hit all of us. Things shift. Things settle. Things no longer sit where they used to, and that’s not a personal failure; that’s just life. Bodies change because we’re living in them.
Dressing the body you have now isn’t giving up. It’s choosing to support yourself instead of fighting yourself.
How Clothes Change How We Feel
When something fits well, you stop adjusting it all day. When a color flatters you, you see it in your face. When an outfit feels intentional, even if it’s simple, it sends a quiet message to your brain that says, I’m okay. I’ve got this.
That doesn’t mean you need to be dressed up. It means your clothes aren’t working against you.
I’ve noticed that when I feel put-together, I’m more patient. I make better eye contact. I engage more easily with people. Not because they’re judging me, but because I feel more at ease in my own skin, and people respond to that energy.
The Power of Color
Color is one of the simplest ways to shift how you feel without overhauling your wardrobe.
On days when I’m tempted to hide in black or gray, adding a bit of color can change everything. A brighter top. A colorful scarf. Even a lipstick that feels a little more alive. It doesn’t have to be bold or loud; it just has to feel like you.
Color has a way of waking us up, especially when we’re tired or feeling a little flat. And it’s worth remembering that color doesn’t have an age limit. It’s not reserved for special occasions or certain stages of life.
A Few Questions You Might Be Asking
Does looking put-together mean dressing up every day?
Not at all. Looking put-together has more to do with intention than formality. A simple outfit that fits well and feels good can do far more for your confidence than something dressy that feels uncomfortable or forced.
What if my body doesn’t look the way it used to?
That’s normal. Bodies change because life happens. Dressing the body you have now isn’t giving up; it’s choosing clothes that support you instead of constantly reminding you of what’s different.
Do clothes really change how other people see us?
Often, yes, but not because they’re judging. When we feel more comfortable and confident, we carry ourselves differently. We make more eye contact, engage more easily, and people respond to that energy.
How can color really make a difference?
Color has a way of lifting our mood and changing how we see ourselves in the mirror. Even one colorful piece, a top, a scarf, a lipstick, can shift how you feel on an ordinary day.
What if I don’t want to shop for anything new?
That’s perfectly fine. Sometimes this is just about reevaluating what you already own. Removing items that don’t fit or don’t make you feel good can be just as powerful as adding something new.
This Isn’t About Perfection
This isn’t about being polished all the time. It isn’t about trends, rules, or dressing for approval.
It’s about choosing clothes that support you instead of constantly reminding you of what you think should be different. It’s about comfort that doesn’t feel sloppy, and effort that doesn’t feel exhausting.
You don’t need a new wardrobe. You don’t need to dress up every day. You just need a few things that fit well, feel good, and help you show up as yourself.
Because getting dressed isn’t about impressing anyone. It’s about how you carry yourself through the day, and how kind you’re willing to be to yourself while you do it.
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To GOD Goes The Glory!
Verse Of The Day
Isaiah 60:1 (NIV)
1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
🙂 I loved that show too. What fun! And they always made an impressive change.
Oh so true. Now that I’m retired, I find if I get dressed and take a little effort I feel better about myself and usually have more productive and pleasant day!
😃I feel very put together today going to a church mass & dressed up makes you feel good.
😃I feel very put together today going to a church mass & dressed up makes you feel good.
🙂 This is such a great post. I loved watching “What Not to Wear”! It’s so true how if you wear something you feel good in, your perspective on the day totally changes. I wore a very slightly elevated outfit yesterday and felt so good about myself and I feel I did engage more with people. It wasn’t a big change, just a sweater instead of a t-shirt and boots instead of sneakers, still my trusty pair of leggings. But I felt so put together and I liked how I looked and felt. I will try to remember this everyday as I get dressed. Thank you so much. You and your posts are an inspiration and I’m so glad you started this and I found you so many years ago now. My wardrobe is better because of you, and my outlook sometimes too. Because of you, I’ve found so much nice clothing and items for around the house also. You are a blessing!!
Janet, it is the small choices we make everyday that makes the biggest difference. We all put on a top, the difference is in fit, style, color, etc. Choosing a stylish sweater or top, looks so much nicer than a baggy t-shirt.
This is my favorite post to date. I appreciate your encouraging words and outfit suggestions. I have learned to dress for myself. It truly is about feeling comfortable in your own skin and our clothes can reflect that. Thank you!
This is so true. I recently went through my walk in closet. I had jeans that were too big or I just didn’t wear. I must admit I love sweaters and really need to purge.
Thank you for your post today about feeling put together. As an older woman sometimes I think I never look put together because I don’t look the way I used to or how some other ladies look at my age. What you wrote was right. Thank you for the encouragement.
:)Consistently reading your site has challenged me to try a few things and I’m glad I have. Lipstick and pink shoes (Loafers) are 2 things that make me smile. They little things that people notice as positive reflections of me.
❤️❤️❤️
Love this post! I’ve learned to dress for the post-menopausal body I now have, and I need to “let go of” some clothes from the past that I absolutely love but they no longer fit or make me feel confident. Weeding out my closet and donating items to Goodwill will be liberating, so I need to prioritize that goal !!!