We all know the beginning of the season brings wardrobe changes, and with wardrobe changes often comes heavy emotion.
The emotion may not always be negative. Sometimes it’s filled with excitement that your fav denim shorts from last summer still fit. Or, in contrast we can cue the hissy fits, cancelling of events, and impulsive plans to “fix” what we think needs fixing.
But here’s the thing: Our bodies are meant to shift and change.
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but our clothes are meant to fit us, not the other way around. And as much as we’ve heard it before, it’s worth repeating: our bodies are designed to change. From growing up to building muscle, life brings shifts. If they didn’t, we’d all still fit into our toddler clothes, and that’s not a vibe.
When Your Body Changes: Remember the Facts
For those who hit the gym, this wardrobe struggle can be a regular cycle, especially when last season’s jeans don’t fit thanks to all those gains. But just because something feels tighter doesn’t mean you’ve gained weight or “let yourself go.”
Bodies can shift in ways beyond fat gain or loss; muscle growth, posture, even how much water you’ve had that day can change how clothes fit. Keep this in mind before making snap judgments or drastic decisions.
Don’t Make Decisions in the Heat of the Moment
If you’ve ever had one of those frantic wardrobe moments before a big event, you know the drill: You’ve got 15 minutes to get ready, you throw on last year’s shorts, and they’re a bit snug. Instantly, your mind races with thoughts of ditching carbs or jumping into a crash diet (don’t worry sis, we can relate).
These responses are ALWAYS deep in emotion where we:
We can’t think logically.
We’re prone to making unhealthy, drastic decisions.
Go balls to the wall approach which leads to the “1 week diet, and you’ve dropped off by week 2” cycle.
So you get it – calm down, and make an informed, less emotional, path forward in at least 48 hours.
Strategies to Help Move Forward
1. When you are in the right state of mind, do a clean out.
Pick a day when you’re cool, calm and collected and commit the time to trying on all your seasonal wear. If you are someone who is emotionally or financially connected to certain clothes, OR also suspecting they may fit again – move them away and out of sight. This prevents you from trying them again next week when you are flustered and hopeful and also having that event turn into an emotional wreck. Put them away, and pull them back out to re-try in a few months when you are cool, calm and collected again. Out of sight, out of mind.
2. Donate your clothes!
Letting go of clothes can be tough, especially if you have a financial or emotional connection to them. Donate the items you no longer wear or, if you prefer, pass them along to friends who will love them. This way, you know your beloved pieces are getting a second life and bringing joy to someone else.
3. Have them altered.
If you’re attached to a piece that no longer fits, consider having it altered! Alterations are often a fraction of the cost of a new item, and if you love the piece so much – get it jazzed up!
The Biggest Step: Understanding Why Your Body is Changing
Clothes can be replaced, but our feelings about body changes need a deeper approach. Instead of focusing on the clothing, ask yourself questions to better understand what’s really going on with your body and emotions:
What’s changed in my life recently?
Think about stress, age, big life events, holidays, or medical factors that may have led to changes. This may help provide logical reasons for bigger change.
Am I being honest about my training and nutrition?
Sometimes, our clothes don’t fit because the build we were in WORKED! F*CK YEAH! You should be celebrating that and not getting frustrated over it! Other times, it might be a nudge to adjust habits if you feel that’s right for you.
What’s the deeper emotion here?
Explore the roots of what you’re feeling. Is it about self-worth or body image? Instead of focusing on size, work on loving yourself for who you are.
At the end of the day, bodies change—that’s part of life. With each new season and every shift, use it as a chance to grow in self-love and acceptance. By tackling wardrobe frustrations with the cool, calm and collected version of you, you can spend less time worrying about what fits and more time loving your life.