Another silly numbers post - to help me repeat - YouLookFab Forum

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Another silly numbers post - to help me repeat

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I heard a commercial on TV the other day saying something about the 94 days of summer. And I thought, Hmmm, 94? I figured 91 myself. But anyway, you know where I just had to go with this!
Roughly 90 days in a season. 9 outfits repeated 10 times. Or 10 outfits repeated 9 times. Genius! I have this real issue with not doing repeats that I want to break myself of. I also want to wear my clothes more often. So what if I try to cobble together 9 or 10 best of the best outfits, and then just repeat them? If I know myself, I'll likely only manage half the repeat frequency, but even still, that's a much better rate than where I am.
I'm going to give it a whirl at least. I have to break through this weird drive for variety above all else. Why shouldn't I wear what looks best again and again instead of making yet another minor tweak to the mix and match? Maybe by the end of it, I'll have found that happy middle ground between repeating hits and mixing up enough for some variety.

I could take it one step further and choose the 'hits' evenly between categories - 3 shorts outfits, 3 dresses, and 3 skirt ensembles. Of course, I really need to wear more of my dresses than that, but it's a start!

Dressing

37 replies

Latest reply was from Isabel

dustt

Veteran

I'm with you on this Mo - I feel like I should repeat - at least once every 2 weeks or so - but I don't and it keeps the closet fuller than I'd sometimes like - so my problem is that I need a work outfit 5 days a week and then a casual out fir after work 7 days a week and then a couple of days a week going out outfits - so that makes 14 a week x 2 to get a 2 week rotation. That's 28 summer outfits - and as much as I want to try to do this - wearing the same 10 outfits all summer to work makes me frustrated. Let me know how you do mentally on this - I can pick the outfits it's just a mental exercise for me!!

Ledonna N.

Veteran

I'm giving you support because I feel the same way. If I have a good caspule then I think I could be content. Do you think that you will be able to mix and match your outfits? or will you plan them out?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yes, it may be more mental than practical for me, too. But just getting the idea in my head to wear a) the good stuff and b) repeat what looks good is a huge step in the right direction. Otherwise, I find myself in lounge too often. Bah humbug.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Ladywone, I took a look back at last year's hot weather looks, and I found plenty of mix and matching, but not a lot of killer looks. That's my problem. The variety becomes the most important thing. It's downright silly.
I have 2 shorts looks and 3 dresses I could choose right now for the 'hits' capsule but I'd have to work on the skirts looks.

Sara L.

Veteran

Sounds like a interesting plan. I tend to repeat weekend casual outfits far more than work week outfits. I'm not sure why I'm more comfortable repeating the casual outfits. Maybe because I've honed that area of my wardrobe until I have mostly favorites left and look forward to wearing those outfits.

Adelfa

Veteran

Love your numbers posts, Mo. Can't wait to see the follow-up!

Susie

Veteran

Ok you know I love this stuff!

It does seem like we need to reach a happy middle ground between variety and wearing each item enough times, based on how we define enough. I would actually rather repeat wearing the stuff I love than to wear something meh just because it's different.

I used to always say that I would rather have less pieces that I really love to wear thank more just ok stuff. But I had a hard time not adding extras just because! I do feel like I've made progress and I will continue to work on it with better but less frequent buying.

What if you increase the number of outfits a bit and decrease the frequency of repeating, at least to start? Maybe 12 outfits repeated 7 or 8 times? So you could have 4 dresses, 5 shorts outfits and 3 skirts outfits. And choose tops to pair based on which bottom works best with them. Just a thought!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I feel that I know this cognitively. I know I don't need (almost) 200 dresses. It's an insane amount. But yet I want them. And I want more.

I'm crazy.

Good for you, Mo.

rachylou

Veteran

That's kind of genius. That's about two weeks worth of outfits at a go, and when you come 'round again no will notice. That's certainly enough time for me to forget my own outfits...

Anonymous

I think you need to edit the title and call it "another" brilliant numbers post! Not silly at all.

I figure we truly have 60 days of summer so my outfit numbers go even lower. Dressing for my real life means that I shouldn't be buying many summer items at all, but it is easier than buy pants for me.

Thanks for the thought provoking post.

rabbit

Veteran

You know I've been thinking about this, and about WIW feedback, and realizing that like feedback in an art critique or piece of writing, it's most valuable BEFORE you are done, or before you wear the outfit out of the house. (Although of course it's always valuable for the next time).

So when I posted a whole bunch of midi skirt look ideas and people told me their favorites, that meant I could pick those four looks and just wear them on the next weather appropriate days, no thinking required. Also going through the dressing and photographing beforehand meant I also saw things in a different way before the actual street date and could make tweaks or reject certain combos. (Photographing the back view, such a revelation).

So I was thinking I might want to do this with a summer capsule -- dress up with a bunch of different options and photograph them, get feedback to edit it down considerably and make tweaks and then only wear the winners. It might be one way to think about creating your 10 x 9 if it seems like it might be helpful.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Rabbit, I was actually culling through pics for 'hits' already One thing I have to factor is the extra hot summer. Haven't had a FL summer since 2012. Last year was Tahoe summer (aaahhhh) and FL fall, which is hot, but does not rival high summer.
I'm thinking I need to pretty much stick with sleeveless and tanks. Don't have a lot of stored up pics in that category, so some try on sessions would be smart. Hopefully my new b-day tanks on the way will be the lynch pins for some new summer outfit 'hits'.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Susie, yes, I figured I'd do more dresses with less repetition probably. Like 4 or 5 of them, 3 or 4 shorts outfits, and probably 3 or 4 skirt looks. And with my history, I'll be lucky if I get half a dozen repeats in of any of the outfits. Still, that's a far cry from not doing hardly any repeats for almost a year!
Hmm, maybe that should be my goal: repeat 'hits' 6 times each this summer. I don't get dressed to leave the house every day anyway lol so it would be darn hard to get to 90 outfits.

Dee

Veteran

While I'm not necessarily looking to work on my repeats, your numbers have convinced me to return a recently purchased pair of shorts. I have three pairs already and mostly wear them after work as loungewear and on weekends. If I wore each pair ten times, that's already a third of the summer and I'm in Canada, so it's not like we have a long, hot summer like you do. And I have a couple of denim skirts and several dresses to balance out the rest of the time. So, thanks! Clearly I need to start doing more wardrobe math.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I'm with Susie - I'd rather have fewer things & repeat too. I've done some buying for (our) winter but it has been upgrades for things I wasn't really happy with. In the past I would have kept the older items but this year, for the first time, I've let them go

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yes, Caro I think I am doing the same in a sense. But I am basically demoting to 'in house lounge' the things that were last year's going into the world outfits once I find their better counterparts. This ups my lounge game at the same time. Win - win.

ManidipaM

Veteran

This is brilliant.

like Caro I am good with repeats and getting better at demoting but also letting go.

my nemesis is laundry. so 9 or 10 is too few. but then we have 7 months we swelter and sizzle through!

carter

Veteran

So, in theory, this sounds great to me. But then, I count the items and freak out at contemplating wearing only 15 items for 3 months. (Assuming 3 dresses = 3 items, 3 shorts outfits = 6 items, 3 skirt outfits = 6 items). Could you really do that?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Carter, I would likely do half the number of repeats and round out the rest of my outfits with various other items. But truth be told, when it gets HOT I end up in about the same 15 things most of the time anyway. I just need to step up those things I guess lol!

EDIT: interestingly, this is exactly what my BF does and he's completely happy with it. 4 pair of shorts, maybe 6 tees, 3 short sleeved button fronts, and a pair of linen pants and jeans is plenty for his summer casual capsule. One pair of Birks. done.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Mo, I completely see myself as doing a lot of mixing and matching, but not having a lot of killer looks. I wonder why I always feel the need to mix things up, and hardly ever repeat outfits? It's far better to repeat a killer outfit than to keep creating mundane ones. Ten or twelve outfits certainly seems like a doable amount.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yes, Karie, exactly! Why do I want 30 so-so outfits if I could instead do 6 killer ones 5 times over?? I wonder if some people are hard wired for variety . . .

Gigi

Veteran

Mo, this will be an interesting challenge...because I do wonder if you are hard-wired for variety, as you put it. I think I may be--at least right now, when I am still experimenting with my style.

I often think of my wardrobe as like a child's building blocks. It's fun to put together new combinations every time you play; sometimes it's fun to return to a repeat, but maybe the joy is in actually trying something new?

fuzzylogic

Veteran

You know, I've never thought of it like that before..... I may have to do some more wardrobe mathematics! Thanks, Mo!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

So interesting!

My problem is somewhat the opposite -- not just in terms of weather (OY VEY) but also in terms of natural inclinations. Mine is to repeat, repeat, repeat ... to the point where even I get bored!

And then I go shopping. Instead of mixing and matching in my closet. OY VEY again.

It ends up being the same problem, I guess!

In all seriousness, though, I think this is sort of what Lisa was trying to get at this fall and winter with her "boutique" and reduced closet. She was trying to figure out: How much variety do I truly need to prevent me from going crazy? In what ways can I achieve this sense of variety?

I haven't arrived at answers to this for myself. The "no repeat Mo-Vember" was really useful to me because I did come up with some fun new combinations I might not have tried (thanks for that!) -- but even more, because I realized that I actually PREFER to repeat favourite outfits rather than mixing things up just for the sake of variety. In other words, changing up the details was more "boring" to me than sticking to my absolute favourites and re-wearing them four or five times in a month!

I wonder how much of this has to do with my frequent travel, where I am pretty much forced to repeat FFBO. Maybe I have simply trained myself to enjoy it.

jackiec

Veteran

Great post! You are so analytical that it really makes me think about me own wardrobe. I've never counted anything ever, I accumulate, I save "good" stuff, and I repeat the safe stuff over and over. Thought provoking and inspirational. Mind you the numbers will be different here, more like 45 day summer....

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I love variety but because there are lots of activities where different sets of people see me, I quite often do complete repeats. Every time I do it tickles me pink for some reason. I feel successful to want to wear a certain creation twice! I feel like our Summer goes well into September and is a bit longer. I am really looking forward to seeing how this pans out.

Lucy

Veteran

Mo, what a fascinating post! Who knew we needed so few clothes???
I'll be really interested to see what you come up with.

In the meantime, I have been repeating a bit this year, for the first time to this extent anyway. I am currently teaching over two campuses, Monday Tuesday on one, Wednesday Thursday on the other. I have started to wear the best of the Mon/Tue outfits again on Thursday, with a quick wash of the items which require it. I started doing it because I was quite tired, and running out of ideas. But then I thought that it does make sense - and I never see any of the same people! So what started as lazy/tired has become quite useful, and I quite enjoy a second outing of a well prepared look

Anonymous

I love your posts as well. I have no problem repeating my outfits, but I do have a problem wearing my really nice clothes (i.e., I "save" them for some "nonevent" in the future).

As a consequence, I have gorgeous clothes in my closet and I resort to wearing things that look nice and are comfortable, but are not really fabulous. I am using some of your calculations to help me become more comfortable with wearing my better stuff. Once I get more comfortable with that issue, I won't mind repeats because I really do feel happy wearing them.

Mona

Veteran

A very thought provoking post indeed! I crave variety too and try hard to limit myself due to budget constraints. I have no problem repeating my nice outfits but I have a strong desire to look current. This pushes me to buy a few on trend items every season.

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