Getting Dressed When Life Feels Unsettled
Why wardrobe infrastructure matters most in the seasons you don’t plan for
There are moments when showing up as yourself isn’t a branding exercise, it’s simply the only option.
I’ve never been particularly good at masking. While areas of my life are intentionally private and offline, holistically I am a what you see is what you get person. If you want to know something, you can usually just ask.
I hadn’t planned to share this chapter. In truth, it isn’t entirely my story to tell. I assumed it would be a difficult few weeks, followed by clarity, treatment, and a new rhythm my family would adjust to. That hasn’t been the reality.
Over the past few months, my focus has narrowed to two things: my clients and my family. I’ve spent more time than expected at my father’s bedside as he navigates health issues. Even with proximity to medicine and systems that should bring certainty, this experience has been humbling in ways I didn’t anticipate.
Showing up online when I can’t fully show up as myself has felt misaligned. So the only way I know how to be here right now is honestly, without dramatizing, without disappearing.
At the moment, nearly all of my creative energy goes to my clients. And to those clients: I am deeply grateful. Especially now. This work steadies me. It gives shape to days that might otherwise feel unmoored.
What’s striking is that this season has only reinforced what I’ve always taught.
In the last 30+ days of being in and out of the hospital, I’ve gotten dressed every day but three. And that small, consistent act has mattered more than I expected. Getting dressed gives me a sense of control when so much else feels out of reach.
The truth is, the days you least want to get dressed are often the days you need it most.
That’s why wardrobe infrastructure matters. Not for performance or polish, but for support. When your wardrobe is cohesive, when each piece has a job, getting dressed doesn’t add friction to an already full day. It removes it.
These are the five strategies I’m relying on right now and they are the perfect tools for you to rely on when getting dressed feels like a chore.
1. Duochrome Styling
Monochrome can look chic online, but in real life it often falls flat. Right now, I’m anchoring outfits around two colors, even if is just neutrals. It gives me guidance when selecting, keeps things cohesive without feeling sterile, and interesting without being complicated. The goal isn’t expression through excess, it’s ease with intention.
Shop the Winter White Denim & Beige Cords.
2. Repurposing (Without Shame)
Hospitals are freezing one moment and stifling the next. Layering has been essential. When I find a top combination that works, I’ll rewear it and simply change the pant or shoe the following day. Less thinking, more consistency. Repetition isn’t laziness, it’s strategy. And when it comes to personal style, repurposing outfit formulas and combinations is one of the best way to develop a memorable personal style.
Shop the Look: Leopard Pant & Denim
3. The Right Accessories
Simple doesn’t mean unfinished. My current formula is one statement necklace and tons of rings. No stacking decisions, no overthinking. There is no wrong way to layer rings and one bold necklace makes the perfect statement. Just enough structure to feel complete. Low effort, high reward strategy.
Shop the Statement Necklace (Kat15 for 15% off)
4. Comfort First (With Intention)
I’m sitting more than usual, so comfort is non-negotiable. Barrel-leg pants and trusted denim have been moved to the front of my closet — a physical reminder that clothes should meet you where you are. These pieces have always had a clear role for me: structure, ease, and presence. That hasn’t changed. (For those of you following along, these are my everyday interest jeans. More on my denim strategy here.)
Shop the Looks: Go to Barrel Jean & Trusted Denim
5. Intentional Bags
The overlooked detail. Instead of defaulting to one bag, I keep four options visible by the door. Each morning, I choose deliberately. It’s often the bag or shoe, the last decision, that determines whether an outfit feels finished or forgotten. Ensuring that those final details add to your outfit feels minor, but has major impact.
We often talk about celebrating small wins on the way up. The same mindset applies on the way through. We all experience peaks and valleys, some sharper than others, but everyone deserves tools that make the lows more manageable.
For me, getting dressed is that tool. It’s one I’ve leaned on during busy seasons, emotionally heavy weeks, and moments of quiet uncertainty. It reduces decision fatigue. It restores a sense of agency. It reminds me that I can still show up, even when the day looks different than planned.
So here’s to getting dressed, no matter the day.
That mentality, incidentally, comes from my dad. He never wears sweats. He watches TV in jeans. Always has. Apparently, we cope the same way.
xx,
🫶🙌