So I was sitting here mulling over good topics for January, but they all were so hackneyed, e.g., New Year, New You! Your 2009 Style Resolutions! And so on.

What I’d really like to address this year are the deep-seated beliefs and negative voices that keep people from really going for it, style-wise. You know–those voices that tell you that wearing that new purple dress to a dinner party is too dressy and will make you look like you’re showing off,  so you go with your usual, safe uniform of a nice top and pants instead. Or a memory of your mother telling you that wearing tight jeans makes you look like a hussy, so you still stick with the baggier versions even though they’re unflattering.

I’m not talking about not having the money for nice clothes or genuine physical characteristics that keep you from finding clothes, like if you’re bigger than a size 12 or have an extra-generous bosom. For some, the hurdles are more psychological in nature. For example, I’ve had clients nervous about the attention and comments their new look will get from office mates  or refuse to wear certain items because a family member made fun of their legs 20 years ago. Or they feel guilty about spending money on clothes when people are starving all over the world. Additionally, we Americans seem especially conflicted about clothes given the Puritanical nature of this country’s early history, not to mention the fashion industry’s worship at the altar of celebrity, thinness, and wealth.

Well, I don’t want to write a thesis–at least not here! What I would like to know are the negative thoughts that go through your head as you get dressed–the thoughts and beliefs that make you decide in favor of the safe black dress instead of the red one, keep the dramatic hats you adore stowed away in the closet, or stick with “sensible” clothes instead of the edgy ones you really lust after. Respond in the comments.