Resolutions

It’s officially mid January, how are those resolutions going? Did you finish Moby Dick yet? Lose those 10 pounds? Find and actually volunteer at a shelter of some kind?

Of course you didn’t, and this isn't public shaming. So many resolutions are dropped within the first few weeks or months of the year simply because the bar is set too high. And, with the pace of modern life, if it’s not accomplished by the end of January, then what’s the point at all?

Personally, I love New Year’s Resolutions, and not just because I’m uncommonly hard on myself and don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything unless it hurts mentally or physically. Along with being punishingly Type A comes the need to schedule everything in advance, so I’m careful to set goals that can be achieved over the course of the year, can be compartmentalized to specific areas of my life, and will not benefit me except to feel good about having done them.

One such area is the wardrobe. If you’re happy with your clothes and style as-is, then keep up the four-day gym visits or dry January (yawn). Otherwise, here are some resolution ideas for giving your collection a breath of new life in 2025:

1. Incorporate a new color into your rotation; doesn’t have to be loud, just a few pieces in a color you’ve always admired but never worn.

2. If you’re unsure if you like something, don’t buy it.

3. Conversely, if you love something but are asking yourself where you’d wear it, buy first and find an occasion later.

4. There’s a difference between “broken in” and “falling off of your body;” replace whatever it is, this is your sign.

5. Re-wax the Barbour coat, hand wash the pile of sweaters, get soles put on those favorite sho, etc., it’s time.

Write one, two, or all of these down on paper and put them somewhere you look frequently. Resolutions should serve as reminders. And again, these needn’t be done by March. The deadline may be solid, but you have plenty of time to achieve these style-forward goals.

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Z.G. Burnett

Z.G. Burnett is a New England-based writer who specializes in history, fashion, and material culture. She is a contributing editor for Antiques and the Arts Weekly, and her work has appeared in Ivy Style and The Vintage Woman Magazine. Burnett is currently editing her first book, The Preppy Witch Primer. Find more at www.zgburnett.com   

Image credit: Annie Minicuci Photography.

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