Five silhouette rotation? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Five silhouette rotation?

catgirl

Veteran

I'm thinking that with my upcoming winter doldrums, I need to make sure to vary up my outfits more than I do. Already feeling pre-sick of my skinnies and boots looks, which I usually LOVE.

I've already broken my needs down into capsules for my work schedule. Now I'm thinking about further breaking it down to make sure I vary my formulas within the capsules. This all came about on a long walk with Kona, so cyber-slap me if this seems out there!

I figured out that I have a few main work formulas I rely on:

1. Tunic and skinnies with boots
2. Dress (optional topper), tights and boots
3. Slouchy pants, top, ankle boots
4. Tube skirt and fluid top
5. Any bottom with jacket/blazer (this is the least used lately, but needs to be exercised more often)
6. Wildcard outfit, like cropped over long or sweater over buttondown.

So I'm thinking I will try to cover all five of these in a week, within each capsule. That way I can see what's hardest to wear, what's lacking, and what really works. I want to cull down to where everything I have is being used and is useful.

Any thoughts on this approach? Too much method to my madness?

Dressing

46 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

karymk

Veteran

Makes perfect sense to me. So much so, that I will try and mirror what you are doing.

Tania

Veteran

I love the systematic approach!

catgirl

Veteran

karymk, what are your main formulas? You are in a somewhat different climate, yes?

shedev

Veteran

I like it, Una. Can you keep us posted on the process.

catgirl

Veteran

Shedev, yes! I'm thinking I'll try to post in groups of five weekly outfits, so I can check them off.

Elly

Veteran

It is worth a try. I already do this to some extent because I've tried to by just one of several silhouettes this season and wear them once a week. That said, this could really work out, or it could cause issues if you have significantly more of one silhouette than another --- so I'd try it but not be afraid to substitute for what feels good.

Deborah

Veteran

Sounds good. Given these seem to be your preferred suite of silhouettes do you not find that you rotate these naturally? Or is just that for example your skinnies and boots are such as easy fall back that you default to them a lot?

catgirl

Veteran

Deborah, good question. I tend to default to one formula till I'm nauseous, then switch to another. I think I'd be better off more consciously rotating to get more use out of everything including footwear.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Makes sense to me Una - especially if you are really craving the creativity and feeling of change. Know that today is "skinny pants" day and tomorrow is "skirt day" could make it easier as long as it's not a hard and fast rule. It's like a wardrobe "menu" with a "daily special" :-).

unfrumped

Veteran

I'm not that organized, but have been working on similar approach to numbers of items and new items and whether they fit into a silhouette that I can recognize and utilize, or, if it makes a new direction, can I handle that or will it be an orphan.
Sort of silhouette capsules--am I over-buying in one, or need to upgrade. Which great items can work in more than one silhouette.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I'm surprised there aren't more sweaters in the mix, given your climate. Or do you just call them tops?

Sara L.

Veteran

Interesting concept! I think this could work to keep yourself from getting bored with one silhouette. I hope you have enough pieces for each silhouette. I think I do this somewhat unconsciously because I don't have enough pieces to wear any one silhouette every day.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oooh! I love this idea! Let me see if I can come up with a five "at home" silhouettes and maybe I will join you?

I was saying in another thread that I seem to have discovered that lack of variety in silhouette is more bothersome to me than lack of variety in colour. Or so I think. But I might be completely wrong about that. Doing an experiment like this would help me figure it out!

catgirl

Veteran

Suz, let's make a pact and start next week! That will give me a weekend to put together 5 outfits, allowing myself to choose among them each day. If nothing else, it will keep me busy.

One of yours must include the new cozy dress situation.

bj1111

Veteran

Admire your get up and go. I don't think I get bored enough or i'm just too tired.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am in trouble. I can only come up with 4 options:

Help me out here!

Skinnies with semi-tucked pullover (or layered over shirt)
Knit dress/ skirt with tights (and cardigan or pullover).
Skinnies with shirt and cardigan.
BF or slouchy pants w. tucked top or semi-tucked pullover (only works on clear non-snowy days. UGH).

I might say "slim pants/ skinnies with tunics" -- except I only own one and I don't think they look good on me.

Contrast this to my summer options:

1. Long shorts with untucked top.
2. BF shorts with semi-tucked linen tee.
3. Slouchy linen pants with semi-tucked tee.
4. Tube skirt with fluid top.
5. Long shorts w. button up shirt semi-tucked.
7. BF jeans with semi-tucked top.
8. Baggy shorts w. oversize top
9. Skinny jeans with fluid or oversize top.....

THE LIST GOES ON. I can't even come to the end of my summer options.

No wonder I am crazed in winter!

Susie

Veteran

I think this sounds like a really good plan. I have 5 or so silhouettes that I wear regularly and I recently made lists of items that fall into each. Not that I've actually used the lists for anything yet!

It has really helped me to pre-select work outfits, 5-15 at a time, and then just choose from that group each morning. While I haven't made it a point to use each of my silhouettes, I think I naturally tend to mix it up by adding a dress or skirt each time, or selecting leggings which means a tunic top, or slouchy pants which mean a shorter top, etc.

Please keep us updated on how this plan works for you!

catgirl

Veteran

Suz, I think four is fine - maybe a wildcard as the 5th? I'm had a hard time coming up with five. I have so many wasted jackets now and am dealing with a 5 day workweek, whereas you may be looking at a 7 day rotation, so a four day rotation might work for you. I'm not planning to do a 1-2-3-4-5 week. It might be a 3-1-4-2-5 or whatever, to give me some flexibility.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Count dress and skirt separately for another outfit type?
And what about blazer outfits?
I'm thinking of trying this out as a self challenge because I'm already too deep into sweater and skinnies mode.

Joyce B

Veteran

That's a great idea. I also try to do different silhouettes during the week, it keeps me from feeling that I am wearing a uniform.
I am following your thread, it's a good one.

Alassë

Veteran

Caveat: I like organization. That said, I think this is a great idea, Una! I do something similar myself. I'll be curious to hear how it works for you.

Windchime

Veteran

It sounds like a great idea to get more even wear out of your winter wardrobe. Looking forward to seeing your weekly recaps!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am too sleepy to think of even one silhouette I wear. Are they all the same or never repeat - I have no idea. Ok, I will look at some pictures and give this some thought. Can't wait for some pictures Una and Suz!

Joy

Veteran

Una, I love your idea of several different silhouettes in rotation and may also have to join you. Like Suz, this may be the best way to avoid winter boredom, and throwing in a mix of textures and s few prints.
Suz, not that you must have 5, but could you break up your #1 into Skinnies with semitucked pullover and Skinnies with shirt under pullover?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You're right -- I'm dealing with a 7 day rotation. And that just makes it more glaringly obvious why I get bored in winter!! I could have gone on naming my summer silhouettes. Whereas I can barely eke out four for winter -- and several of those are impractical or nearly identical anyway.

This has been incredibly instructive.

Now, I DO have (and wear, and love) jackets -- but I don't find them practical for at home wear. I do own, and enjoy, a pair of wide legs, and a pair of flares. But those are not really wearable at home (dragging hems) and even less wearable in true winter weather.

Okay. I am off to cogitate a bit more. I guess I do have "wild card" outfits like cropped over long (but not many of those). Maybe track pants and alternatives can count as a silhouette as well? To me they fit in a similar category as BF jeans and other slouchy, baggier denim, but maybe I need to distinguish them a bit more. They are more of a "statement." Hmmm

catgirl

Veteran

See, I can distinguish casual from work. So my PJ jeans are a slouchy bottom, but not part of this rotation. I think you can get MORE from your wardrobe as you can mix it all up as you wish. So a sub-category here for you could be dressy/casual.

For instance:

Dressy or casual tunic with dressy or casual skinnies - four combos right there!

I really you're neither THAT dressy or THAT casual most days, so maybe some other descriptor would work better. Statement/essential?

*head spinning*

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Oh what a great exercise and I want to join you! I don't think I can next week as I am totally swamped with work, but maybe I'll try in a few weeks. Right now my outfits mostly consist of "This doesn't have to be ironed" paired with "And this doesn't have to be ironed either."

I'm also tired of the skinnies/boots combo, and I haven't even worn them yet - maybe I'm just dreading the cold, long winter that I know is coming.

And Suz, "...lack of variety in silhouette is more bothersome to me than lack of variety in colour." Very interesting! I honestly don't know if that is true for me, or vice versa. Hmmm....something to ponder as I drift off to sleep tonight.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well....this is just it, Una. My everyday wear is definitely casual. Not as casual as some (because I bat for Team Polished). But still casual.

I don't really want to wear a "dressy" outfit at home. I will wear a dressier outfit if I am out and about -- even to appointments and such. But not if I am simply working at home.

I can't thank you enough for starting this thread. It's been a real lightbulb for me. I knew I was craving more variety in my winter silhouettes, but I hadn't actually COUNTED.

Joy, for sure I could count sweater layered over shirt as a separate silhouette -- but really, it's not. It still gives the same basic shape with a little extra warmth. I guess if my sweater is super boxy it might not -- so maybe one would be OVERSIZE or tunic sweater with skinnies (either with a shirt layered under, or not.) And I do have two oversized sweaters, plus my one tunic. Hmmm....

DonnaF

Veteran

This is interesting. It would never occur to me to organize by silhouette; maybe because I definitely have fewer than five since I prefer figure flattery and don't want to work a lot to make something work. I tend to organize my intended outfits by five degree outdoor temperature increments (55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, and 85 degrees mostly) as I rarely turn on my heat and I don't have air conditioning. I also organize by how much walking I will have to do and my range of footwear to fill that requirement.

FWIW, I tend to trade off between monochromatic but textured gray (or taupe in summer) and a mixture of neutrals/mixture of neutrals with a touch of color.

12