Ask Angie: how much time in front of the mirror - YouLookFab Forum

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Ask Angie: how much time in front of the mirror

Carol

(website)

Veteran

Any t-shirt, any pants, any shoes--that's me on an average work day. At home it's whatever lounge wear is comfortable, not tattered, and that I can run to the mail in.

At the same time, I have a lifelong love of fashion, which makes me curious about trends. As well as longingly eyeing items I hardly wear--a satin scarf, etc.--that I might integrate one day.

The problem with my low-key attitude is that I do find myself "caught" sometimes--caught at an evening out wearing something awkward, or caught wearing a too-old trend when I see myself at a mirror somewhere in public. Though I get better every year with what flatters me, I still make the mistake of always assuming I'm good to go when I leave the house.

My question for Angie and everyone else is...for a "low-key" person like me who throws things on and runs out the door...how much time should I spend in front of the mirror tweaking my outfit, to make sure it is flattering? And/or...what are some easy ways to make sure my outfit is basically flattering?

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Carol

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Carol, you are full of interesting questions. I appreciate how honest and down to earth you are

Some initial thoughts:

If you had outfits ready-to-go in your head, or visually documented on your phone because you tested them before - (worn them out, or had an outfit creation session and documented winning looks) - you would spend a minute in front of the mirror before you ran out the door. And enjoy your fab outfit out and about.

You could follow the dressing formulas that worked for you to minimize daily mirror and tweaking time. Eventually, this gets easier because, practice makes perfect. And styling becomes quite intuitive.

In other words, planning up front makes things easier.

If the outfit is new to you, and needs trouble shooting because it feels and looks off - I'd spend the amount of time I had available to me getting it right, or just right enough. If I couldn't get it right, or ran out of time, I'd change into a FFBO (Fast Fall Back Outfit).

Bonnie

Veteran

Angie's advice is perfect. I have styling sessions with new items and sometimes old items, and take a photo of the results to help me remember what works best. Putting an outfit together is not an intuitive process for me so spur of the moment dressing is not an option if I want to look the way I want to.

BlueJay

Veteran

You sound like me, Carol. I just throw on jeans/leggings/shorts and a t-shirt or long sleeve top most days when I work from home. This doesn't work well on days I need to go into the office. So interesting to hear Angie's advice (always)! I definitely need to pre-plan my outfits and have them all set to the smallest details of bra, jewellery, or other accessories. The added pressure is that I have to catch a train to go to work. They only run every hour, so I definitely need to be ready and out the door. I've been "caught" not planning enough and then I have been unhappy and uncomfortable with my choice of what to wear. I also find taking photos of myself wearing outfits helps. It seems the camera sees things better than a mirror and results in better outfits.

Irina

Veteran

When I worked from the office 5 days a week it was a challenge for me. I’m not an early riser and had very limited time in the mornings. My solution was to have a wardrobe as mix and match, where I don’t have to spend time thinking if items work together. Basically, everything goes with everything and my clothes have been curated so I know they look OK.

I don’t photograph all my outfits but sometimes snap a quick photo when I try things on or before I leave the house. It helps to remember or to analyze later.

Dee

Veteran

Any new purchases I make are often subjected to outfit creation sessions so that I know what works best with them, and like Irina I have curated a mix and match wardrobe, that adhere’s to a fairly strict colour palette so I can put together outfits quickly with some confidence and little mirror tweaking. I also use certain outfit formulas that I can rely on as well.

Runcarla

Veteran

What Angie says and others have written. New items, especially something ‘different’ (‘new’ wide leg jeans instead of replacements for old standards) get an outfit creation session. Maybe an hour? If I don’t feel like getting in and out of clothes, I might start with some flat-lays that I photograph.

When I worked outside the home 5 days a week, I pulled together a small ‘mix-and-match’ capsule on Sunday night(maybe 20 minutes?) - and hung it at one end of my closet with space between it and my other clothes. I’d make daily outfits from that capsule. It allowed some flexibility for weather considerations and mood as I composed my daily outfits in the am, but I was also confident that ‘everything-went-with-everything’ so I didn’t have to overthink things and getting dressed didn’t take much time.

The more you exercise your styling skills, the easier it gets to assemble an outfit.

Bijou

Veteran

The easiest way to make sure something is flattering is to have a uniform of sorts, I'm thinking of Fran Lebowitz who keeps to a signature silhouette.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What Angie and others have said. If you do the work up front, when you buy something new (especially if it is a different cut or silhouette) and try on with other items in advance, you are ready in however long it takes to put on the clothes and do whatever grooming you require. Especially if you tend to dress in a formula. I'm a mood dresser so often don't decide until the morning what I will wear that day, but I know in advance that whatever it is, it should work in my mostly mix and match wardrobe.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Angie's advice is excellent. I try to take pictures of my outfits because looking in the mirror somehow is less objective. Then you can fall back to something you like when you have less time.

Olive Green

Veteran

What Irina said, mix and match wardrobe, colours that speak to each other, and nothing that does not fit well.
I am a temperature sensitive dresser, so having a few semi-matching clothes in each temperature zone helps. Like green t-shirt, green woven shirt, complimentary colour shorts, jeans, or skirt, depending on how warm or cool it is.
The third piece concept has also been very helpful. A vest, topper, or shirt that goes over and pulls together a few outfits is useful for taming all the volume I like.
Shoes are hard, though

Helena

Veteran

Angie's advice and the others is spot on! The only thing I can add is to play with turning the old fashion advice on its head ... Instead of taking one thing off before you leave for the day, challenge yourself to *add* one thing ... A belt, a piece of jewellery, even a styling tweak like a tuck or scrunched sleeve ... This can force you to slow down for a second and just add that little bit of intentionality to your look (at least I find it helpful).

lyn67

Veteran

I guess we were all there&done that at an unfortunate moment in our lives (as per finding ouresleves "caught" sometimes--(...)an evening out wearing something awkward, or (...) wearing a too-old trend" etc.). I also know we are the most harsh on ourselves but perhaps we can always do some better to avoid those awkward moments.

To be frank I think one could spend a lot of time in front of the mirror if completely unprepared to meet it's own expectations (yours primary one being flattery here). There is a lot of aditional/side work implied unless you have a personal stylist who will do it for yourself.
Gathering and analysing inspirational outfits, trying on new items/outfits (even if not buying!) and taking picties of your own outfits (and many more) will really help---and surely, all this takes even more time than that you may spend in front of the mirror with an actual outfit. It is a lot of work (and some fun:-)) there- but it all payed off eventually for me.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Carol, for me the biggest help has been being on this forum and soaking up the wisdom here for 7 years!
If I ever lurk around websites of other stylists and they’re busy trying to sell me their services in ads, I read their introductory articles and think “but I know all that already”. And when I look back at the photos I took in my first year on YLF, some of the outfits are really not too good I think! And in the last year or two I’ve had a few comments from Fabbers that something is their “favourite outfit (I’ve) posted”, which I think suggests my outfits are improving. I continue to get compliments at work every week on my outfits. And I don’t follow trends particularly, like I still don’t wear wide legged pants.
So I think I’m probably just getting better at dressing in a more flattering way without putting too much effort into it, I definitely think I purchase better by thinking about every purchase in detail, and that’s all thanks to what I have learned here. I actually don’t take very long in the mornings to get ready at all now. I do have a great selection of shoes and earrings so there is something that will “go” in almost any combination.
So I would just say, keep trying and you’ll improve!

Ket

Veteran

Carol, I agree with Angie: You ask the best questions!!! I really have been wondering this too. I often get caught in the mom trap of schlepping through the day -- and sometimes in rather tatty things. Or, at least, rather plain, sad, oversized and faded sweats.

The suggestions here are wonderful! I think in the past I've been guilty of buying separates and feeling outfits out, while hoping it would just magically come together. I.e., spending much time in front of the mirror.

While I am still quite the mood/intution dresser, I have been taking note of what works. Where I need to do more work is visually notating (selfie photo) an outfit when it works. And then... either repeat OR turn it into a mini formula.

Thank you for your very helpful post and question!! I favorited it to come back to it

Anonymous

I used to outfit lab every week, but no longer do. But I get up a minimum of 2 1/2 hours before I have to leave, in case of outfit unhappiness. Sometimes I'm in a rush for whatever reason and hate my outfit all day though- not gonna lie!

I'm working on creating a bunch of outfit formulas for different occasions, temperatures to simplify everything.

Sisi

Veteran

You triggered a very interesting conversation, Carol! I used to have the same problem but the cause was different (too many clothes that did not speak to each other). I agree that having a few tried-and-tested pretty combinations (the "life-saver" outfits, as I call them) is of great help. That said, I love your style. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

harmonica

Veteran

I echo Angie and the others. Start collecting outfits you enjoy and works well. Take pics so you can easily revisit and lay out your outfit (incl accessories) the evening before. FFBO are the best. I love your style and you already have some great outfits.
It took me years to understand how to put together an outfit and how to translate an idea or inspo pics to myself. I couldn’t have done it without ylf.

Joy

Veteran

I spend only a few seconds in front of the mirror before heading out. I know that I am more dressed up than most. Putting out what I wear the night before helps.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

Angie--I know you have talked about dressing formulas before. Does this mean a particular silhouette? Or more like--a tee with shorts and a hat? I think this is a fairly new concept to me.

Bonnie--I also tend to not be very intuitive with outfit combinations--just try things until something works. Playing with them beforehand is a good idea.