Flying fashion by the seat of your pants? - YouLookFab Forum

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Flying fashion by the seat of your pants?

Scarlet

Veteran

It seems like a lot of people are very calculated (read thoughtful) in their wardrobe strategy, making lots of lists, spreadsheets, even, being very analytical. I find this approach doesn't work for me because when I imagine ahead of time what I want, it is so specific that I never find quite the thing. Instead I fly by the seat of my pants. I pretty much look around and buy what I like without a plan. This strategy, or lack thereof, seems to serve me well enough, but I am just wondering is there anyone else out there flying by the seat of their pants?

Shopping

29 replies

Latest reply was from Scarlet

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I fly with you, Scarlet. We are not nauseous yet.

taylor

Veteran

I am flying with you I have fun doing it our way:)

Lori

Veteran

I'm with you too. If it tickles my fancy and I can convince myself I'll wear it, it just may come home with me. I rarely go looking for something specific.

Scarlet

Veteran

Ah, so great to have such fine company To think just a moment ago I was feeling alone.

MsMary

Veteran

Yep! Team SOMP here!

cciele

Veteran

Can I join your plane? I have no plans -- my only criteria is I absolutely have to love something before I buy/keep it.

Scarlet

Veteran

Cciele sounds like you are in our flock already.

hillview

I fly! Down side is sometimes I should shop in my closet FIRST. But hey you can never have enough black dresses or skirts I say.

Vani

Veteran

I am so team SOMP!

catgirl

Veteran

Flying right along with you! Even for today's self-challenge, I was out of the shower and still had no clue what I was going to put together!

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Totally fly by the seat of my pants. I will however obsessively stalk something for months, eg the cape of awesomeness.

Scarlet

Veteran

Anna, stalking is totally allowed on team SOMP. You never know when and where love will strike.

Sona

Veteran

I fly. but try to lay out my outfit the night before. my big pitfall is footwear as my mirror is in my carpeted bedroom ( no shoes allowed) so I invariably change shoes 2-3 times *hoping* my fly by the shoe planw orks!

Inge

(website)

Totally not very organised or planning-prone in the wardrobe department either. So yep;-)

mrseccentric

(website)

Veteran

LOVE to fly by the seat of my pants!!! and i did for years and years! but then life threw some situations at me that we completely at odds with my natural instincts (layering in 110F? funky rugged thrift style gal needs to rep company at Vegas trade show?) and i was very very glad for the analytical ladies on blogs and who have written books!

the last year and a half i've been pretty analytically-focussed (another re-evaluation), but i'm starting to let in a bit more right-brained thinking recently. In the end, i'm really glad that i have developed BOTH ways to approach dressing - i can let loose and have a blast when i can or want to, but when i have to or want to dress 'outside of my comfort zone' i can do so and still feel like me.

fun topic!! steph

teeandcee

I definitely fly by the seat of my pants, but like Annagybe, I'll also hunt something specific for months if necessary. Inevitably I find it after I've given up so I don't know why I bother.

MsMary

Veteran

I fly by the SOMP on the macro level, but on a daily level I an a pretty big planner. I plan my outfit the night before more often than not, although there is often significant tweaking in the morning.

Aida

Veteran

I make lists, but I don't always follow them They're mostly to keep whatever is floating in my head somewhat focused. I've learned the hard way not to pass up an amazing item just because it's not on my list.

EDIT: That said, I do find it very helpful to single out a few key items I consider important to get for each season.

EDIT 2: Well if we're talking about getting dressed in the morning, no amount of planning works for me. I wear what sounds good the moment I need to actually put clothes on

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I do have in mind what I need to get because there are some gaping holes in my closet but does it stop me from impulse buys? No, no and no! I don't know if this qualifies as flying in your flock...

D'Ellen

Veteran

Add me to the SOMP team! I usually make a list, if only in my head, at the beginning of each season, but I invariably veer off course. Even if I begin a shopping expedition focused and calculating, I end up flying. Like recently when I went into a store in search of black pumps (and only black pumps) and walked out with a great pear of jeans...but no black pumps. I was so excited about the jeans I forgot to even look at shoes!

ironkurtin

Veteran

Team Pants-Fly! Different ways of organizing for different people - lists work for some; not for others.

Queen Mum

Veteran

If I go completely by the SOMP, I end up with too many of one type of item. I have found that it works best to say this fall I need... 3 dresses, 2 jeans, 3 blouses, and so on. Once I've acquired my quota of a particular item type, I need to not buy any more. Of course, there are cheats, but I feel so on top of my shopping this fall. I know what I still need to be on the lookout for (2 dresses, 2 knit tops, jacket, handbag) and not keep buying jeans and blouses.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I am a reformed flyer! I used to just grab it if I liked it, and especially if it was a bargain. I had a closet full, but not a lot of things played across the board. Now I think it through more and I'm finding less pieces that do more for me. But I think to each their own. If flying by the seat of your pants works and you're happy with the resulting wardrobe - awesome!

Debora

Veteran

SOMP for me! I never know what I'm wearing until it's time to get dressed. Even if I planned something the night before, chances are I'll change my mind in the morning!

Ginny

Veteran

Well count another on team SOMP, I wish i was more organized does that count??? lol

Kate

Veteran

Haha, I'm very VERY far from team SOMP. However, I think I'm so obsessive in my shopping and tracking what I wear so that I can get away with my mornings being SOMP. I may know exactly what I've worn every day for the past year, how much I spent on every item in my closet, etc, but when I'm getting dressed I truly just throw things together and check the mirror to make sure it worked out ok.

Scarlet

Veteran

Interesting because when I started this topic I was mainly thinking of wardrobe building, but planning an outfit is a related topic. I find it is necessary to plan when I know I will be under severe time constraints or when there is a special event happening that might require buying something, but for normal days, even if I pick something out the night before, when morning comes my mood takes me in another direction. (High five, Deborah!) However, my opinion is you can bat for team SOMP if you shop like a butterfly, alighting where the color is eye-catching and something is tasty.

Even when I try to be rational and research what I should buy and put lots of thought into it, when it comes time to pull the trigger, I invariably veer off course. (High five, Bionda!) It's almost like a sickness except it's fun.

Sona--sounds like you need a second carpeted walkway to the mirror

Anonymous

I'll join your team. I relate to fruitlessly searching for a specific item you have in mind! I find it works much better to just purchase things I see and love. I don't use any kind of strategy.

I think one reason this works for me is that the items that appeal to me tend to have common elements and play nicely together.

Scarlet

Veteran

Yeah, Sammi, I think you are onto something that there has to be some underlying (possibly hidden) principles--like the colors I am drawn to tend to magically work well with what I already have, or I might subconsciously focus on a limited number of silhouettes, for example.