My Biggest Fashion Mistakes (That I Don’t Make Anymore!)

Fashion mistakes happen because nobody teaches you how to build a wardrobe that works in real life. You buy something cute, then you never wear it, and you blame yourself instead of the process. Most people assume style mistakes come from “bad taste,” but they usually come from rushed shopping, unclear fit standards, and outfits that don’t match your routine.

You don’t need to feel guilty about past purchases. You need to understand the patterns behind them. The goal isn’t to become perfect. It’s to stop repeating the same problems, like buying for an imaginary lifestyle or choosing fabrics that frustrate you after one wash.

In this article, you’ll learn common missteps that quietly sabotage your closet, plus the fixes that make an immediate difference. Expect practical guidance on fit red flags, balancing proportions, building outfits around your best basics, and setting simple shopping rules that prevent regret. You’ll also learn how to recover value from “mistake” items through smarter styling or thoughtful edits, so your wardrobe starts working for you instead of against you.

The Two Massive Mistakes I Made

When I look back at all my old outfits, they all have something in common. And that something is that I didn’t understand fit and proportion – mainly because I didn’t understand my own body.

Let me explain what I mean by this…

When I used to scroll through Pinterest for outfit inspo, I thought I could just use ANY sweater or ANY coat as long as it was similar. I also thought, “well, this girl is skinny and I’m skinny too, so it’ll look the same on me!”

Spoiler alert: I was making TWO gigantic mistakes here.

Mistake #1: Not Understanding Fit

The material, stiffness, and cut of a garment is what determines the overall look of a piece. For example, a lightweight blazer is going to have a VERY different look from a wool blazer because the stiffness of the wool creates a more structured vibe.

So if you see a Pinterest girly wearing thick plaid pants and you try to recreate it with lightweight plaid pants, you might think “oh well, she’s wearing plaid pants, I have plaid pants, so it should work out” – but you’re going to get a completely different outfit simply because of the weight and structure of the fabric!

Mistake #2: Not Understanding Proportion

This one’s HUGE, and honestly, it had a lot to do with me not understanding my own body.

I used to think I had super broad shoulders. Like, when you objectively look at my body shape, my shoulders are wider than my hips, so I was like “yeah, I have broad shoulders.” But then I started seeing pictures of celebrities with actually broad shoulders and thought to myself… hmm, maybe my shoulders aren’t as broad as I thought?

I pondered this for SO long until I had an epiphany: it’s not that my shoulders are broad – it’s that my hips are really narrow! Mind. Blown.

This piece of information was invaluable because I learned that different fabrics, styles, and cuts fall on my body differently than someone with wider shoulders or wider hips.

I also learned that I have really long legs compared to my torso. Some people have long legs and a short torso, some have a long torso and short legs, and some are more balanced. Regardless, clothing looks different on different proportions!

Is It A Good Outfit Or Is She Just Skinny?

Okay, these two things are kind of why I’m reluctant to agree with that whole “is this a good outfit or is she just skinny?” debate. Because look – I see skinny people with terrible outfits ALL the time!

Here’s the reality: celebrities have stylists, and stylists understand everything I just talked about. They understand fit, proportions, and how different fabrics drape around different body types. Celebrities pay good money to look good!

Everyone has the ability to be stylish. You do NOT need to be skinny to have good outfits – you just need to understand your proportions and the fit and cut of the clothing you’re buying. Make your closet work for you, not the other way around!

The Biggest Culprits In My Wardrobe

Short, Tapered Pants: These were my NEMESIS. Remember how I said I have long legs and narrow hips? These jeans were too short on me AND they tapered inward, which brought even more attention to my narrow hips. The result? Super imbalanced outfits. Swapping them for longer, slightly flared jeans changed EVERYTHING.

Too Much Contrast: Having black on top and white on the bottom created way too much contrast for my body, especially with my unbalanced proportions. Going more monochromatic made things look way more harmonious!

Chunky Boots With Tapered Pants: Tapered pants look better with narrow shoes. When I wore chunky boots with tapered jeans, it created this weird imbalance. Switching to narrow, pointy booties made such a difference!

Thin, Clingy Fabrics: I had this shirt that was super thin and flimsy. It wrinkled easily and clung to my body in unflattering ways. I was constantly messing with it throughout the day! Now I go for graphic tees with thicker fabric and more structure in the shoulders – they fall on my body like a hanger instead of clinging. So much better!

Top-Heavy Outfits: Wearing a huge furry jacket with skinny jeans? What was I thinking?! This was terrible for someone with no hips because it brought attention to the fact that there are NO hips there. Creating a more balanced silhouette with flared pants changed the whole vibe.

The Skinny Jeans Confession

Look, if you love your skinny jeans and feel comfortable in them, then keep wearing them! But if you’re like me and only wore them because they were trendy – not because they actually looked good or felt comfortable – then consider exploring other options.

Once you release yourself from the chains of skinny jeans (yes, I’m talking to you, fellow millennials!), you’ll find fashion SO much more exciting. There are literally so many different types of pants out there!

For me, with my narrow hips and really skinny long legs, high-waisted skinny jeans made me look like a pair of training chopsticks. Not cute! Flared pants create that hourglass silhouette by making the bottom mirror my shoulder line. Much more balanced!

Small Changes, Big Impact

Here’s what I’ve learned: small, intentional changes make a HUGE difference. Switching from tapered to flared pants. Going from a turtleneck to a crew neck. Choosing a longer coat that harmonizes with my elongated body. Matching my bag to my shoes so your eyes move across the whole outfit instead of just dropping to my feet.

These details matter! They’re what take an outfit from “meh, this is just clothes” to “okay, this is a LOOK!”

My key learnings you also need to keep in mind:
Understanding your body and proportions isn’t about following trends – it’s about making fashion work FOR you. Once you figure that out, everything clicks into place.

So go look at your old outfits with fresh eyes. What patterns do you notice? What fits work for YOUR body? Trust me, this knowledge is fashion gold!

My Biggest Fashion Mistakes That You Can Avoid

Fashion mistakes usually come from chasing a fantasy version of yourself. You buy pieces that look amazing in theory, then you never reach for them. The fix is learning what actually makes you feel confident and comfortable.

Big mistakes to watch for:

• Buying uncomfortable shoes “for later”

• Choosing fabrics that wrinkle or itch

• Collecting statement pieces without basics

• Ignoring your proportions and buying only trends

• Keeping items that almost fit

How to avoid them:

• Only buy shoes you can walk in immediately.

• Check fabric and stretch before you commit.

• Build outfits in the store. If you can’t style it there, you won’t style it at home.

• Tailor your best basics so you stop settling.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is a closet you actually use.