I heard it again last week. A potential client told me she wasn’t ready to work together yet because she was “planning to lose some weight first.” She wanted to wait until she reached her “goal weight” before investing in new clothes.

My heart broke a little.

Because here’s what I know after years of being a personal stylist (and a human who has been there, too): You’re not going to love your body more by punishing it with ill-fitting clothes today.

We’ve internalized this toxic story that we have to “earn” nice clothes.
That we have to shrink ourselves to deserve to feel good in what we wear.
That our current bodies are just temporary inconveniences on the way to our ‘real bodies. Or our ‘summer’ bodies. 

This is diet culture talking, no – screaming,  and it’s stealing joy right now.

The Clothes-Ransom Story We Tell Ourselves

Let me paint you a picture of what this story sounds like:

• “When I lose 10 pounds, THEN I’ll buy that dress.”
• “I’m not investing in good bras until I’m at my goal weight.”
• “These jeans that dig into my waist are fine for now – I’m going to be smaller soon anyway.”
• “I don’t deserve to look good until I look the way I think I should.”
• “ I can just wear leggings.”

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
This thinking is so normalized that we don’t even recognize it as the form of self-punishment it actually is.

Here’s what actually happens when we tell ourselves this story: We spend months, sometimes years, walking around in clothes that make us feel terrible about ourselves. Clothes that pinch, sag, or simply don’t reflect who we are. All while waiting for permission from a scale or tag size to feel good about ourselves and present that to the world. 

Why The Diet Story Is Stealing Your Confidence

When you refuse to dress your current body with care and intention, you’re sending yourself a very clear message: “This version of me isn’t worth it.”

Think about what you’re actually saying to yourself through action. You’re telling yourself your body is wrong instead of your clothes. You’re postponing joy, confidence, and self-expression. You’re living in a holding pattern instead of showing up fully for your life.

And here’s the kicker: Even if you do lose weight, this mindset doesn’t magically disappear. Because if your clothes-buying is tied to “earning” them through your body size, you’ll always find another reason to withhold that kindness from yourself.

The Truth About Bodies and Clothes

Your body is not a problem to be solved.
It’s the vessel carrying you through this beautiful, messy, incredible life.
And it deserves clothes that fit well and make you feel good TODAY.

Not someday.
Today.

Here’s what the fashion industry doesn’t want you to know: There are no “goal weight” clothes. There are only clothes that fit your body as it is right now. And when clothes fit your current body well, something magical happens ‘ you actually feel more confident and comfortable in your skin.

It’s not the other way around.

Rewriting the Story: What Body-Neutral Style Looks Like

Instead of “I’ll buy new clothes when I lose weight,” what if your story became:

• “I deserve to feel good in my clothes right now.”
• “My body has carried me this far – it deserves beautiful things.”
• “I’m going to dress for the life I’m living, not the life I think I should be living.”
• “My worth isn’t measured by my size.”
  

This isn’t about loving every inch of your body every day (that’s a lot of pressure). This is about body neutrality – treating your body with basic respect and kindness.

How to Start Dressing for Your Body Now

Audit Your Current Clothes
What in your closet makes you feel terrible? Those too-tight jeans you’re keeping for “motivation”? The bras that don’t fit? The clothes that are too big because you’re afraid to admit your actual size? It’s time to let them go.

Get Properly Fitted
When was the last time you got measured for a bra? Or tried on different sizes in the same brand? Our bodies change constantly, and that’s completely normal. It’s time to stop guessing your size and start getting clothes that actually fit who you are today. 

Invest in the Basics
You don’t need a complete wardrobe overhaul. Start with the pieces you wear most often – well-fitting jeans, comfortable bras, tops that make you feel confident. These aren’t “temporary” purchases. They’re investments in feeling good about yourself every day.

Challenge the “Someday” Mindset
Every time you catch yourself saying “I’ll buy that when…” ask yourself: “What if I bought something beautiful for myself today?” You don’t have to earn the right to feel good in your clothes.

The Plot Twist You Didn’t See Coming

What happens when you start dressing for your current body with care and intention? You start taking better care of yourself overall. Not because you hate your body, but because you’re treating it with respect.

You move more because you’re comfortable in your clothes.
You stand taller because you feel confident.
You show up more fully for your life because you’re not constantly distracted by discomfort or  self-criticism.

The confidence that comes from wearing clothes that fit well and make you feel good? That’s not something you achieve at a certain weight. That’s something you can have right now.

So, here is my challenge to you:
What if you stopped putting your life – and your style – on hold for a future version of yourself?

What if you bought that dress today? What if you invested in clothes that fit your current body (and self) beautifully? What if you decided you were worth it, exactly as you are right now?

Your body has carried you through every day of your life. It’s been your constant companion through joy and heartbreak, through changes and challenges.

And that story that says you have to earn the right to feel good in your clothes?
That story isn’t serving you. It’s time to write a new one.

P.S. Want more personalized style guidance? Check out my styling packages or tune in to my podcast on Apple or Spotify where we talk all things style, confidence, and authenticity!