A friend recently told me she was feeling exactly this way. She didn't feel cute in her clothes anymore, and she wasn't sure what needed to change.

I think a lot of us go through this, especially after 40.

Our bodies change. Our lifestyles change. Trends change. And sometimes we change.

But here's the good news: you probably don't need an entirely new wardrobe.

Before you start filling an online shopping cart, try these 10 ways to refresh your style using mostly what you already own.

I'm Liz, I'm 48, and here on Stylish & Grateful we talk about how to look better, feel better and live better after 40.

1. Figure Out What's Actually Wrong

"I hate everything in my closet" feels like a diagnosis, but it really isn't.

Before buying anything, figure out why your wardrobe isn't working for you anymore.

Ask yourself:

• Am I simply bored with my clothes?
• Has my body changed?
• Has my lifestyle changed?
• Has my personal style changed?

Those are four very different problems.

If you're bored, you may simply need to combine your existing pieces differently.

If your body has changed, expecting clothes from a very different season of your life to continue fitting and flattering you may be the problem—not your body.

I've been several sizes throughout my adult life. No matter what size I've been, I've still wanted to feel cute, polished and put together. Clothes should work for the woman you are right now.

Your lifestyle may have changed too. Maybe you've returned to work after years of dressing casually. Maybe you've retired and suddenly have a closet full of office clothes you rarely need.

Or perhaps your taste has simply evolved.

I've gone through bohemian phases, Western influences and very business-focused seasons. Pieces of those styles still show up in how I dress today, but my overall style continues to evolve.

That's normal.

First identify the problem. Then decide what actually needs to change.

2. Stop Wearing Your Default Outfit for One Week

Most of us have a default outfit.

Leggings and a T-shirt.

Jeans and a tank.

The same pants with the same top.

It's easy, comfortable and requires almost no thought—which is exactly why we keep wearing it.

But if you're bored with your style, challenge yourself to stop wearing your usual combination for just seven days.

You can still wear the individual pieces. Just don't pair them together the way you normally do.

Instead, force yourself to create seven different outfits.

You may be surprised by how many combinations are already hiding inside your closet.

3. Change Just One Thing

If a seven-day wardrobe challenge sounds like too much, start smaller.

Change one thing.

Keep your jeans and T-shirt, but add a blazer.

Add a belt if you rarely wear one.

Swap your sneakers for a loafer, sandal, boot or heel.

Add jewelry.

Try a different bag.

Roll a sleeve. Tuck your shirt differently. Add a third layer.

Sometimes you don't need a completely different outfit.

You need one detail that makes the outfit feel intentional.

4. Create Your Own Style Recipes

You've probably heard these called outfit formulas, but I like to think of them as style recipes.

A recipe gives you a starting point, but you can adapt it to your taste, lifestyle and body.

For example:

Monochrome: Choose one color family and build your outfit around it.

Favorite bottoms + simple top + blazer: Jeans, trousers or a skirt paired with a basic top and a blazer instantly creates a more finished look.

Simple outfit + statement accessory: Keep the clothing easy and allow the bag, shoes, jewelry or belt to do the work.

One of my personal favorites is the blazer formula. I've especially been loving linen blazers because they feel easier and more relaxed than many traditional blazers. A tan, crisp white or classic black blazer can work with jeans during the day, office clothes for work or even over a dress for dinner.

Create five style recipes that consistently make you feel good. Save them somewhere on your phone. Then, on those mornings when you have absolutely no inspiration, you won't have to reinvent the wheel.

5. Update Your Proportions

This one can completely change an outfit without changing the actual clothing.

Sometimes the problem isn't the individual pieces. It's how you're pairing them together.

Long and loose on top combined with long and loose on the bottom can overwhelm your shape. Oversized on top and oversized on the bottom can do the same thing.

Even changing how you tuck your shirt can completely change the proportions of an outfit.

Also pay attention to your third layer. A cardigan, jacket, blazer or coat affects the overall silhouette depending on its length, volume, structure and texture.

And don't forget your pants. A wide-leg jean may look better with a different top than a straight-leg, skinny or barrel-leg jean.

Instead of deciding that a piece "doesn't look good anymore," try changing what you wear with it first.

6. Find Style Inspiration That's Actually Relevant to You

There is endless style inspiration online. The problem is that not all of it translates into real life.

An outfit can look incredible in a beautifully styled Pinterest photo and still make absolutely no sense for your lifestyle.

I also think it's helpful to follow women who are somewhere within your general stage of life. That doesn't mean you can't take inspiration from younger women—I certainly do. But certain oversized or very trend-driven looks can read completely differently depending on the person wearing them.

I have daughters in their teens and twenties. They're young, beautiful and can pull off things that would look very different on me at 48. That's okay.

The goal isn't to copy someone else's wardrobe.

Look at several women whose style you admire and ask: What specifically do I like about this?

Maybe it's how she mixes casual and polished pieces. Maybe it's her colors. Maybe it's her shoes. Maybe it's how she styles dresses.

Take pieces of inspiration from different people and gradually create something that feels like you.

7. Try On the Clothes You've Been Avoiding

If your closet is overflowing but you're still reaching for the same 20% of it, it's time to investigate.

Try on the things you keep skipping over.

Ask yourself:

• Does this actually fit me?
• Do I feel good wearing it?
• Would I choose this if I saw it in a store today?
• Am I keeping it only because I paid a lot for it?

I want the things in my closet to be things I actually want to wear. If something is painfully tight, constantly rides up, pinches, pulls or simply makes you feel uncomfortable every time you put it on, it probably shouldn't occupy prime real estate in your closet.

You can donate it, consign it or sell it.

And if you're not ready to let something go, there's another option I use myself: pack it away. Put it somewhere outside your everyday closet. If two or three years go by and you haven't once looked for it, letting it go becomes much easier.

8. Add One Modern Piece

Notice this isn't tip number one.

I don't think shopping should automatically be the solution. But after you've worked through your existing wardrobe, sometimes one new piece really can wake everything up.

The key is choosing something that works with what you already own.

If you wear jeans constantly, try a different cut, a new wash, a different brand, or a slightly more current silhouette.

You could also introduce a current color, shoe shape, handbag or jacket.

I'm not suggesting that you chase every trend. Instead, add one modern element that makes the rest of your wardrobe feel more current. That's very different from throwing away your closet and starting over every season.

9. Photograph the Outfits You Love

This is so simple, but it works.

Anytime you put together an outfit that makes you think, I actually look really good today, take a picture.

You don't have to post it anywhere.

Create an album on your phone called OUTFITS I LOVE and save photos or quick videos there.

Over time, you'll build your own personalized style inspiration library featuring your body, your clothes, your lifestyle, and combinations you already know work.

A year from now, you could have dozens of easy outfit ideas available whenever you don't know what to wear.

Your best style inspiration may eventually be your own closet.