ERIN SIMMONS studio

This is a tough one for me because it’s the one I struggle with most personally.

I love absorbing content.

Instagram and Pinterest are like candy for me. I get a dopamine high you wouldn’t believe when I see something new or interesting.

The problem, beyond the obvious of spending too much time with my eyes glued to my phone, is that I end up confused about what I actually want in my closet.

It’s one thing to think something is interesting and completely another for something to actually work for your closet and your life.

If I buy things I find interesting before I examine whether they’re right for me, I dilute my style.

I may love the item, but if I don’t own anything I can wear it with, it just adds to the mess.

Over the years, cowboy boots have been trending. The trend is especially relevant where I live in Austin.

I own several pairs of beautiful cowboy boots.

And while I do wear them, it’s only for the very specific case of when I go country dancing.

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been dancing in the past year.

Which means all four pairs of my beautiful cowboy boots remain in my closet collecting dust.

Where It Starts to Break Down

It’s also easy to get pulled in by what the algorithm tells us we should be wearing.

Humans are wired to care about what other people think is acceptable. We are social animals. Our survival has always depended on belonging.

If we’re constantly looking at what other people are doing online, we start to overestimate how important it is to look like them.

The internet has made the world smaller.

It’s easy to see someone who lives across an ocean and feel like they’re part of your social circle.

Over time, we absorb their choices as if they are our peers.

And that starts to shape our decisions.

A Necessary Nuance

There’s also another side to this.

If you grew up feeling different or isolated from people like you, the internet can be incredibly useful.

It can expose you to new ideas. It can help you see possibilities you didn’t have access to before.

In those cases, consuming content can help you refine your taste.

But even then, it’s worth asking:

Why do I want to look like this?
Is it actually aligned with my taste?
Or am I reaching for something external?

Trends and “Should”

Another issue is the constant exposure to “this is in, this is out.”

Yes, some things will look dated over time.

But there are also pieces in your closet that are just you.

No matter how long you’ve owned them.

Letting the algorithm tell you something is no longer relevant is one of the fastest ways to get rid of something you’ll miss later.

The Real Problem

You’re constantly exposed to what you “should” be wearing.

Trends move quickly.
Aesthetics shift constantly.
The cycle doesn’t stop.

Without a clear understanding of what works for you, every new input becomes another decision to manage.

You open your closet and see pieces you like, but you don’t know how to use them.

And you end up with a closet full of things you don’t actually use.

What Actually Helps

• Pause before buying anything you “just find interesting”
• Ask: what three things do I already own that this works with?
• Reduce input for a period of time. Stop saving. Stop scrolling.
• Pay attention to what you actually wear, not what you admire