Are you feeling stuck in your neutral-zone wardrobe or with same-old, same-old look? It’s easy to get into a habit or keep a look that worked for you a decade or two ago, but maybe it’s time for a change!

A style rut can be hard to see in the mirror because you may have slipped into the “comfortable” twilight zone. The person looking back at you is familiar, sometimes too familiar, so you may need someone else to point out the obvious.

How to Recognize and Acknowledge Your Own Rut and Get More from Fashion Over 60

Sometimes we deny the fact that we are in a rut because it is too painful to think about how to get out. The question most often asked is “Where do I begin?” Many quit before even embarking on a game plan.

To determine whether you are stuck in a style rut, ask yourself these questions. First, has shopping gone from pleasurable to painful? Is there not a line-item in the budget with your name on it? Are you a repeat shopper?

Consider your habits. Could your friends and family guarantee what you will be wearing, before you arrive? Do you find yourself hoping no one recognizes the same black pants for the third time this week? Are you too busy with your family, your aging parents or your job to add “me time” to the schedule?

Finally, are you underwhelmed by your outfit before you even look in the mirror? Do you feel like you just don’t have the time to care?

Let’s Start by Taking the Emotion out of Your Wardrobe

Our wardrobes should be filled with emotionally neutral objects. We just don’t have room for that much baggage in our closet.

There are clothes you hold onto because you paid good money for them, you think they will come back in style or because you enjoyed how you felt when you wore them 10 years ago! I repeat, take the emotion out of your closet.

If these items are special, take a picture. If they were pricey, consign them. If you enjoyed feeling good in them, give them away and try and find some new clothes to feel sassy in. No doubt something new can make you look and feel fabulous again! And, isn’t feeling great the essence of fashion over 60?

Try to Pinpoint the Reason for Your Resistance

Outside forces can interfere with our sense of self such as increasing weight, hormones, health issues or life in general. Recognizing you are there is half the battle. Before jumping in to try to fix it, try to discern how it happened, how you got there, what were the detours. Giving yourself permission to define the problem thereby gives you clarity to start to work on solutions.

However, much like speedy crash diets, crash makeovers rarely work. Small twists and tweaks are more effective and longer lasting than a massive, emotionally charged overhaul. Find a way to break the rut in small incremental steps, doing one or two things each day that change the routine just enough to make you do a double take in the mirror.

Adding a scarf, wearing a statement necklace, wearing drop earrings instead of the same old posts or even just wearing red by choice! Not only will others notice, so will you. It’s natural and healthy to grow and evolve, and when we consistently opt for the same-old, same-old, we are stunting our growth emotionally and opting out of the bigger things as well. Transformation happens from the inside out. Start small and grow.

Remember it is not the destination but rather the journey. Now throw open the car window and let the wind take your hair for a ride!

Need more inspiration to drive out of the neutral zone? Grab a copy of Confidence Is Always in Style, a sassy guide for taking strategic control of your image.

Has your shopping gone from pleasurable to painful? Do you find yourself purchasing the same style and color of clothes? What do you think is the essence of fashion over 60? Is your wardrobe filled with “emotionally charged” purchases? Please join the conversation in the comments.