Dressing for the Life I’m Building, Not Just the One I’m In

There was a stretch of time where walking to my closet felt like stepping into someone else’s life. The clothes hanging there weren’t ugly or wrong—they just didn’t feel like me. Not the “me” I was becoming. They belonged to older chapters, different versions, past energies. And honestly? It made me feel stuck. Like I was reaching for a new life with clothes that only knew the old one.

But the truth is, I didn’t have the time or money to throw everything out and start fresh. I was deep in the real-life juggle—solo parenting, rebuilding, rediscovering who I was. Shopping sprees and aesthetic Pinterest closets weren’t on the schedule. And yet, I couldn’t ignore the growing misalignment between who I felt like inside and what I was putting on my body every day.

Awareness: Tiny Shifts, Big Energy

I didn’t wake up one day and magically have a dream wardrobe. What I did have was a decision: if I couldn’t change everything, I would start changing something.

I started paying attention to how I wanted to feel, not just how I wanted to look. I began choosing colors that energized me—soft pastels on days I needed gentleness, bold colors when I needed courage. I layered intention into simple outfits. I let my intuition guide me.  A certain pair of earrings felt like armor on a vulnerable day. Even when the full picture wasn’t there yet, I was building the energy.

That’s when something clicked: I didn’t need a whole new wardrobe to align with my vision. I just needed to dress from within—to let the life I was calling in influence the way I showed up now.

Becoming in Real-Time

There’s a strange magic that happens when you start dressing like the woman you’re becoming, even if your life hasn’t caught up yet. It’s not about pretending—it’s about remembering. Clothing becomes less about trends and more about frequency. You stop dressing to impress others and start dressing to embody your next level.

Some days, that looked like putting on makeup even when I wasn’t going anywhere. Other days, it meant wearing soft, cozy layers because I needed to feel held. I wasn’t waiting for a “better” version of my life to arrive—I was living in alignment with it now, from the inside out.

And no, everything didn’t change overnight. But I did. Slowly. Powerfully. Inwardly first. And eventually, the outside began to reflect that shift.

You Can Start With What You Have

If your wardrobe doesn’t match your energy right now, you’re not alone. You’re not behind. You’re not doing it wrong.

You’re becoming.

Give yourself permission to dress for the life you’re building—even in the smallest ways. Wrap yourself in softness when you need grace. Choose color like it’s a form of prayer. Layer yourself in intention. Let getting dressed be a ritual, not a task.

You don’t need new clothes to start aligning. You just need a willingness to meet yourself right where you are—and honor her. Fully. Tenderly. Powerfully.

Your energy doesn’t wait. It leads.

Give Love Live Love,

Alaina Michelle