How do you construct an outfit? - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

How do you construct an outfit?

Frances

I need to pose this question to all of you because I admire how put-together so many of you are. How do you go about constructing your daily outfits? I'm really interested in the mechanics of this. Last week I was reading through Kasmira's archives over on What I Wore Today, and she wrote somewhere that she plans out her outfits for the week in advance and puts them together on hangers, which I found extraordinary. The only time I do anything remotely like that is when I have to travel and need to economize for a small suitcase, making several outfits out of a business suit and a few tops.

So if you don't mind sharing details, how do you go about putting together your outfits? Is it entirely premeditated or spur of the moment? Do you think to yourself, "Hmmm...I'd like to wear my DVF wrap dress tomorrow...what shoes would go with it?" Do you actually pull the items out of your closet and put them together the weekend or night before? Or do you play it by ear and see what strikes your fancy when it's actually time to get dressed? Do you plan around a certain item, and is it usually a dress or blouse or shoes or accessories? Do you try on several things and discard them until you find the right combination? How long does it take you?

I'm embarrassed to admit, I dress in the last 5 minutes before I run out the door for work, and functionality usually dictates (as in, "It's windy today so I want to wear warm wool trousers."). I know I need to make some changes, but am surprised to find that I'm a little puzzled as to how.

Dressing

29 replies

Latest reply was from Refugee

Rosie

Veteran

Frances, I usually dress the same way you do, which is why I haven't been posting many pics the past two weeks! When I had a challenge I really thought about it. I find when I think and plan a bit, even generally, the night before my outfits are MUCH better. I love the idea of having outfits planned and hung together - I just find there needs to be a few different options for weather surprises!

I'm really not much help here, though...everyday I tell myself to not leaving dressing until the last minute.

Lisa

Veteran

I also dress last minute often. I try to think of what I want to wear during my morning runs. This way I know what to grab when I get back. This tends to work with tops and bottoms but I still fall short of time often, to add accessories. When I plan a day in advance, outfits are a LOT nicer! If I am planning, I often go for the top first, then bottoms, then shoes last. Since my pants are different heights, they often dictate which shoes can be worn with them so shoes are always last. I am real curious what others are going to say they do.

taylor

Veteran

I have tried on EVERY item in my wardrobe and find the best pairings. In other words, the red jacket goes best with...I will try every combination I can think of until if find the BEST look and I am happy.
I have done this with everything, and I hang this blouse under that cardigan because they look best together. I can just grab that blouse and cardigan and add the skirt or pants.
Certain dresses I only wear with certain cardis because of the color and the length is just right, so I hang them together:) and so on. I also borrow from time to time from other sets, but this works for me because just grabbing something last minute and it not looking right bugs me to no end, I like to work the bugs out before I wear an outfit:)

Rosie

Veteran

See, I knew Taylor would be uber-prepared here! That is what I want to do.

MNsara

Veteran

Ah - that explains things I saw in Taylor's closet photographs! I *wish* I was that organized. . .

I HAVE taken the time to try on clothing and put together outfifts that I like. I made notes on what worked together in a Word document. I intend to print them out and put them into page protectors for my closet, but haven't gotten there yet.

That exercise DID help me to figure out what items work better though.

So, if I work the next day, I like to pick out my outfit including bra, undies and jewelry. When I don't do that, I usually grab an old reliable combo. I KNOW I can cut to the chase in the evening, but can't decide for the life of me in the morning. . .!

If I have time in the morning, I like to start with whatever item I *want* to wear and build an outfit around it!! It can be lots of fun and often is an eye-opener warning me that some item is going to be trouble

AJ

Veteran

When I try to plan an outfit the night before, I usually end up changing my mind when it's time to get dressed. When I do change my mind, it's most likely because I didn't try on the outfit and once I had it on, the pieces didn't play well together as it did on the hanger or in my mind. : )

A lot of my ideas come from pictures from magazines and from the various blogs that I read. I'm usually not trying to copy the exact look that I see. Most of the time, it's the colors that spark ideas of "Ah, yes! I have similar colors too," but the actual clothing pieces are very different than what I saw. Sometimes it's just the silhouette of the outfit that I saw that reminded me of how I could interpret it my way. Sometimes the inspiration has nothing to do with clothing. For example, this picture of a turtle:
http://maryt.files.wordpress.c.....turtle.jpg
Helped me come up with this outfit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/

So I definitely think that a major part of being creative with your outfits is knowing your closet inventory well so that you can be immediately reminded of things that you already have that can go with something you want to buy or a look you want to translate in your wardrobe.

The second part of my outfit building has a lot to do with embracing accessories. I do think accessories can make simple basics fun and add what I call my "zing" factor. Sometimes I'll take one of my necklaces or earrings and just hold it next to each top in my closet and see which top "sings" to me. That's what I did with this aqua/turquoise necklace and magenta top:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/

The third part has to do with what I'm going to be doing that day. Of course my outfit has to be appropriate for my activities. However, my life as a SAHM is casual and my kids are older than toddlers so I can get a bit more dressed up if I want and not have to worry about messy little fingers.

OK, to summarize: know what is in your closet, use accessories to add some zing to your outfit, plan accordingly for your day AND try it all on, including accessories, ahead of time to make sure you like what you thought up! : ) Hope that helps! (I still need to work on this trying ahead of time part!)

Louise

Veteran

It varies, sometimes I will be guided by the weather others I just fancy wearing a particular item item and build the outfit around that x

Laura

(website)

Veteran

A lot of times I will watch the weather in the early a.m. and start with appropriate footwear, and build an outfit from there.

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

My morning excursion to take out the dog allowws me to size up the weather quickly, and that gets me thinking about clothes. I start thinking about the outfit itself when I'm in the shower, and I try to tick off all the boxes while there (accessories, shoes etc). Often I will think of a weather-appropriate piece that I feel like wearing, and that can range from pants to dresses. I'll build the rest of the outfit from there, so by the time I've brushed my hair I have it figurd out in my mind. Most of my outfit combos are pretty established in my mind, since I've run them by Ylf and made note of the ladies' suggestions. But every now and then I will get inspired the night before and plan something out in full, and I can attest to the fact that it's a better system!

Queen Mum

Veteran

I usually begin with one item that I want or need to wear due to comfort, weather, occasion, or just an itchin' to wear. Then I build around that.

For instance... yesterday a sleeveless pinstripe blouse caught my eye for it's coolness and crisp fresh look. Since I only had a couple random errands to run, I chose denim shorts to go with it. (If I had wanted to dress it up a bit more I would have chosen my denim skirt) Then while I dried my hair I contemplated the accessories. This is where I spend the most energy... I tried alot of different necklaces before settling on one. There was still something bugging me about the outfit while I was putting my make-up on so I went back to my closet and pulled out my white vest and added that. It seemed to add just enough to make me feel better. I had a couple of shoe choices and went with my pewter and turqoise sandals as I didnt' have anything terribly "statementy" on yet.

For me the key is getting the base of my outfit on after I shower and then I do the mental creating while I do my hair and make-up. I have a full length mirror on the back of my bathroom door so I can evaluate while drying my hair rather than wasting time just standing there staring at myself wondering if something is working.

I also have some "checks" I go through.... volume balancing? nice long line? too many horizontal lines? color bookending? is the outfit flat? what will add dimension to the outfit? too many conflicting statement pieces? I've learned over the past year what these things are that I need to look for... and I dont' always get it right.

Frances

Wow, this is FASCINATING to me! I have to admit, I'm terribly lazy about this, which is why I'm inquiring. I have a few tried and true combos that I know I can reach for again and again, so I wind up repeating the same boring outfits over and over. Sometimes I'll change the accessories a bit, but in general, the black and gold necklaces & earrings go with the warmer colors and the silvers and pearls go with the blues and grays, blah, blah blah. Sometimes I'll try to throw in a colorful scarf to jazz things up a bit, but it's not enough and I'm getting bored. But a few things I know are true: as you can all attest, putting some thought and planning into it almost always ensures a more inspired combination, or at the very least, reveals where there's a gap in my wardrobe that I need to fill. Surprisingly, this is harder than I would have suspected and my mind resists and drifts away from the assigned task. It sometimes feels like mental math!

Your descriptions are really intriguing. I think my curiosity was first piqued with Angie's MOTG formulas last year, and lately I've been taping up on my closet door Kasmira's guidelines and different outfit combinations she's posted for say, a pair of yellow pumps, or the different outfits the Academichic ladies put together that I find inspiring. Rosie, I found your challenge about dressing from a work of art inspiration interesting, not to mention all the blackless outfits YLFers have been experimenting with in the past few weeks. Maybe I'll get a small bulletin board to hang near my closet where I can tack up clippings of different outfits that inspire me.

I would really love to compile a list of all your suggestions too. Queenie, I love your idea of a checklist to troubleshoot problem areas. AJ, thank you for your detailed post--I especially loved the turtle inspiration and your description of holding earrings up to your wardrobe to see what "sings" to you. Taylor, I love your pre-planning, but am afraid of staying in my rut if I don't break out of my habit of turning to the tried and true combinations and start trying on and piecing together new outfits. MNSara, I've been trying to do something similar by creating an inventory of clothes and accessories in Excel, but haven't gotten very far. Louise and Laura, yes, weather usually plays a huge role in my selection too! Lisa and Michelle, I also think about what to wear when I'm out for my morning run and even run past some of my favorite boutique stores to get inspired by the window dressings, but I still find myself being pretty lazy in the end about constructing a well-thought-out outfit.

Please, keep the suggestions and explanations coming! I can use all the different tips and tricks you've all come up with!

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I wish I was as organised as Taylor!

I usually start thinking about what I am going to wear while I am having breakfast and it is very much dictated by the events of my day at work - do I need to be business formal or can I get away with business casual or smart casual? Can I wear heels or will I be doing a lot of walking and need flats? If I am working at night or going out then that is also a consideration as I never have time to go home first to change.

The next decision is normally the weather and then in summer do I have time to shave my legs if they need it and how chipped is the nail polish on my toes?

Then it depends on how I am feeling generally - do I need a confidence boost or do I need to have an air of authority.

Having said all of that, I don't have a huge wardrobe, which simplfies things a lot.

Today my considerations are that I am spending a lot of time at my desk, but I am also running a training session for staff members - so smart casual is fine and I needed flat shoes, plus it is not that warm but sunny - so I have on grey gap trousers, navy uniqlo 3/4 sleeve cardigan, white tank with a new floral top from Zara layered over the top. As the top has a tie at the neck a necklace would have looked slightly odd, but I have little drop pearly earrings on. Hair is down and curly.

Queen Mum

Veteran

Frances-- one thing you might try if you have some free time is to take one item of clothing and try it in as many outfits as possible... even things you don't think will work. Take pictures of every outfit you come up with and look through them and evaluate what works and what doesn't. post them here if you want... we LOVE to give our opinions in case you hadn't noticed

the more you try this exercise the better you will get at mentally creating outfits that work and get out of the outfit ruts.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

Frances - Queenie's idea is a great one and it is a good way of stretching wardrobe basics. For example - how many outfits can you get out of a denim skirt (remember you can add leggings and tights as well) or a sheath dress?

I am sure someone will have the links, but the capsual items challenges are good ones to look at.

Polly (thunalata)

Veteran

I've LOVED reading this topic - it's giving me so many ideas and I'm going to bookmark it!

I base my clothes on if it's a MOTG day or a business casual day (my two main styles at the moment), then the weather and then if there's anything I've been thinking of trying. I then try to try on and sort out accessories etc while shouting at a 4yo and a 6yo to get dressed. There's a flaw in this plan somewhere, isn't there?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Taylor, I'm impressed! No wonder you have killer style.

I'm very hands on. After my shower, I look at the weather and put on an outfit that feels right for the day. No forethought and no experimentation. It all happens on the spot.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Sometimes I organize ahead of time, sometimes not. I have planned out a week in advance and really enjoyed it. I'd actually like to get back to that. I take the weather and what the day holds into account, and usually have one item to build on.

Anonymous

I wish I had the time to pre-plan out all my outfits! For the most part, I plan out a few outfits at the beginning of a season and can grab them on the fly in the morning on most days...based on the weather and activities. There are some days when I will feel more inspired and will assemble an outfit based on some inspiration...from YLF or other source. Other times, I will grab an item that catches my eye and build an outfit around it. Its quite organic on a daily basis but I do actually plot out quite a bit beforehand so once I'm in the trenches it comes together quite easily.

taylor

Veteran

I am really not ALL that organized elsewhere...lest I mislead you all:)

I am forever looking for car keys, now where is my purse,? have you seen my sunnies? ,where is my cell phone? are the cats in?...it goes on and on:)

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I am more like Angie, I rarely plan ahead until the morning of. But it does take me a while to get dressed, which I actually like. I do experiment at that point, mixing and matching shoes to dress to scarves to cardis, finding just the right combo that works for that day's weather, events and mood...and weight. I rarely repeat a combo, if ever -- there are just so many variables in play, I don't need to!

I have scheduled in the time in the morning to do this. It is often my one creative time of the day, so I like it.

Frances

LondonKiwi, can I just tell you how much I loved your description that your "hair is down and curly?" You just threw that in there like this was one of your accessories, which is as it should be!

Alright. I can see there's no easy answer and I will have to tackle my complacency problem with a multi-pronged approach. I will just have to set aside time to try on EVERY item in my wardrobe to come up with new pairings, a la Taylor, or at the very least, I will start with one skirt with multiple tops as Queenie suggested. This could get exponentially complicated, but it could also be eye-opening. I think photographing combinations will be key, b/c as Rosie noted on a different post a few weeks ago, photos really do show you things your eyes would not otherwise pick up.

After I've done my homework with respect to this, then I'll have fun with some of your more inspiration-based suggestions.

As always, thanks to all of you for your help!

Louise

Veteran

I'm sure once you get the hang of it ideas will just pop into your head x

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

Frances - thank you so much for your compliment! Truth is even after almost 32 years with curly hair I am still working out the best way to handle it! Having said that, my hair is now down and blow dried straight as I have an important dinner at work tomorrow night and straight hair just makes me feel a little bit more polished!

I think that you will find a solution that works for your personality, lifestyle and wardrobe size, it will just seem to take a little bit of time and then will probably just fall in to place!

Anonymous

When I buy something new and at the begining of a season I try on all sorts of combinations, especially using new items. I make notes of the ones I especially like (photos would even be better) and sometimes leave things hanging together if planning to wear the outfit soon. If a weekend or week is going to be especially stressful and busy, I plan all the outfits for that time, complete with accessories, so that I won't have to think about emergency laundry or pressing.
I usually plan what I'll wear the night before after listening to the weather and looking at the calendar for what is going on. Often an outfit is planned around shoes/boots first or a top that can be worn with a skirt part of the day and clams or pants the rest of the day. I'm not a morning person and don't want to think about it at an early hour. A notebook with outfits I felt fab wearing is a valuable tool. I get ideas here, especially from member's WIW and the challenges.

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

Great to read how everyone goes about this!!

I definitely agree that photo's help enormously to start with. I actually don't find myself taking photo's much anymore because I've kind of worked out the basics of a whole heap of outfits - but if I decide to try something very different I definitely take a photo!

I would really love to print out every outfit I've ever worn, and hang it up in my room somewhere - or get a polaroid camera - so that I have a very accessible visual wardrobe organiser. I do sometimes go back through my computer and see what outfits I've worn or worked out, but I rarely think to act on this at the moment of planning the days outfits. Hmm maybe even a photo album with dividers for each of my activities... (you have me thinking now!!)

In Summer I found it easier to plan a week at a time - I'd just pick 5 dresses and hang them up with their accessories LOL

At the moment, before I go to bed, I work out what I have to do the following day, what the weather is *supposed* to be like, and go from there. Then I hang the outfit up and can get dressed in the morning without thinking (i am not a morning person and neither are my girls so getting to school on time etc can be quite a chore despite living 3 mins from school LOL).

Something else that I think is really helpful is having the washing/folding/ironing etc up to date and put in my cupboard - if its all there for me to see, I am more inspired than if I have to go rumaging through the washing to work out what I have that needs to be ironed etc... of course, this is something I'm working on cos I'm not so good at it!

Frances

Theresa, yes, I've been thinking about creating a binder of outfit photos too! I already keep binders of clothes and accessories I tear from catalogs and magazines before I toss them, and they definitely provide some inspiration. I usually get all my laundry and ironing done on the weekend so I can start the week fresh with a full closet to choose from--so I can have a sort of "the sky's the limit!" start to my week, but I'm still sticking to safe combinations I've already worn over and over. I need to push myself out of my comfort zone a little more.

Joy, you're so right about the notebook. When I have to travel, I jot down outfit combinations in a notebook, and that bit of pre-planning really does work. I'm just being purely lazy about not doing it for my regular non-travel work week.

Louise

Veteran

I second Theresa with keeping on top of the washing. This is the ONLY area of my life I am organised in!! I have a small washing basket (think car wash bucket size!) and when it's full I know it's 1 load of washing. I don't do ironing if I get the things straight out of the machine and hang them up they don't need it. Hang them to dry before I go to work then they are dry by the time I get back and can be put away before I go to bed. I hate planning an outfit and then finding part of it is in the washing basket x

April

Veteran

I suspect you're all dead right about trying on new things in as many combinations as possible and I also really dislike "trying on," (even though I love clothes and shopping) so I'll have to get over that, or grit my teeth and just do it. Maybe when my sister is here this summer she'll help me, acting as photographer and fashion critic.

Refugee

Veteran

Frances, thanks so much for this starting this thread. And thanks to all who have shared. This has helped me figure out a good next step in my journey to feelingfabeveryday. One thing I know about myself is that I have to take things in small pieces. If I try to do everything at once I will get overwhelmed and give up. So taking a small piece from Taylor is where I am going to start. I will choose 1 item from my closet (let's say the jean skirt) and try as many different outfit combinations with that as I can. When I have a few outfits I like, then i will move onto something else. If I proceed in this way when I go to get dressed I will have a reference point to start from. Then things like weather, occasion, etc can come into play when choosing an outfit for the day.