How do you plan your outfits? - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

How do you plan your outfits?

Megan

I had a minor tizzy this morning about getting dressed. I had an outfit all ready and then realised that my skirt had a tear in the seam and we had no black thread for me to fix it. I then tried several other outfits that just weren't working and I felt very rushed. Overall, not a brilliant morning.

I have some really nice things now (thanks to YLF!) but still struggle with putting things together.

I'm quite time poor at the moment thanks to being a fulltime grad student, part time teaching assistant and working a permanent part time job as well.

Can anyone share a wardrobe/dressing strategy that works well for them? Do you have a few go-to outfits? Do you hang outfits together in your closet so you just have to grab and go?

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Sihaya

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's a good idea to have a few FFBO's available each season, Megan. You can read about those in this post. They are "go to" outfits when time is short:

http://youlookfab.com/2010/03/.....ck-outfit/

Having a few FFBO's up your sleeve helps out quite a bit :0)

Lisa

Veteran

I have a couple of staple outfits for days when I am in a major rush to get out the door. They are older outfits that haven't changed much. I save experimenting with my look for days when I have a little more time. Right now I try to do 3 days a week of new looks for me, and the other two as fall back days. This helps with the stress of trying to figure out what to wear everyday.

Louise

Veteran

My FFBO are dresses and leggings, which I pull out if I can't decide what to wear x

Barbara

Veteran

I am such a fashion nerd, I have everything ready to go the night before, with a Plan B outfit on standby. The chosen ensemble includes purse, shoes, belt and, of course, jewelry. And I always check the weather report first before planning. The goal: to have FUN with fashion. And I do!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Sometimes, I will pre-plan my outfits for the week (especially a busy week), and hang them in the closet. This includes trying it all on together to make sure there are no hang up,like your torn seam. Other times, I will do it the night before. Toward the end of a season, I will usually take a day to put together outfits and write the winning combo's in my journal- not that I really refer back to it but writing it down makes it stick better in my head.

Barbara

Veteran

Great idea about the journal, chewy. I do exactly the same thing! I also have a look book with favorite outfits gleaned from my favorite fashion magazines - Vogue, InStyle, Elle, Bazaar, Lucky. I update it every season.

M. Jantz

I plan out the night before, down to my shoes & accessories. I have a few ideas jotted down in a notebook that I can hit up if I'm feeling uninspired. I can do it in as little as 5 minutes but honestly I prefer to take up to 30 just because I love to 'play' in my closet. I love coming up with combinations that are new or interesting.

shell

Sometimes I plan the night before. Or I'll have an idea of an item I want to wear and plan the outfit around that.

A lot of the different pieces in my wardrobe go together, too, so I don't have as many orphans in my closet.

Kristine

Veteran

I used to have a really hard time with this, even crying in the morning. It's gotten so much better! I wish I could say why. I think it's because I have more clothes but also because I put more thought into what I buy and how it works together.

Maybe what you could do is identify the occasions when you get stuck, then figure out which items would solve your issues. That doesn't mean spending a lot either, a lot of my favorite items have come from thrift stores or inexpensive places like Target. Once you get a working wardrobe going you'll probably find getting dressed comes naturally.

shana

Veteran

I check the weather and start with what shoes I want to wear! Seriously, since that is often my biggest limitation depending on what I am doing (lots of walking vs little walking, indoor mall vs outdoor playground), I plan around my footwear. I have several FFBO's that work with different types of shoes. But I still have days on which I am tearing through my closet and end up with a big pile of clothes on my bed!

Iris

My favorite tip is to use an item that would anchor the entire item together (ponte knit pants, for instance) and see which other items would go together with it. In this case, a go-to item that matches would be a mid-thigh length top, which would be appropriate with any length of jacket in my closet, dependent on the weather. If you have several tops and several jackets, it's very quick and easy to eliminate which is what and what goes with which, and it works when I'm sleepy and running to class!

You can also adjust this for any social occasion, like for a formal event, dress around a stunning necklace or clutch.

I also try to do the whole 'opposites attract' look, where two styles of clothing would collide to make something cool, like lace and an army green jacket, or pearls and studs. I'm much more creative and young in my style, but this could provide some inspiration.

Anonymous

I do exactly what chewey (Khris) does and start with the shoes like Shana.
When I get a new item, I try it on with every combination I can think of and make a page for it in an idea notebook, including notes about best heel height, etc. It helps me to remember what worked when in a hurry. After I've worn an outfit, I may add remarks such as compliments received, comfort level or changes that would help the next time.
For a trip, I put everything that I might take together, try on and edit. It has helped so much to make pages in my notebook listing everything I take (including accessories) and later making notes on successes and failures. I often refer to these lists for other trips.

Megan

You guys are all so organised!

Joy- I think your point is especially important for me- work out where I'm getting stuck and what item/s would stop that issue. I often find that I've chosen a top or pair of pants that I want to wear and then realise that I don't have shoes to go with that combo.

I was reading Sally@Already Pretty's blog and she suggested choosing your 5 favourite pieces and making as many outfits as possible around those pieces. I think this might be a good idea for me too. I'm considering now what I would consider my favourites- It brand 'Gem' straight leg jeans are definitely on the list as is my black tunic dress/top but I'm not sure about the other 3.

I think I need to spend some time playing in my closet

Scarlet

Veteran

I don't plan ahead unless it is a special occasion. I start with the weather and what I need to do to think how it impacts my day, which usually leads me to choose which shoes, pants or dress, etc. I do have a couple of "safe" outfits that I can grab quickly when I am in a rush. These are also good for traveling. The major keys for me are to stay on top of laundry and to keep my closet organized so I can find what I am looking for - a major challenge with limited space!

Scarlet

Veteran

Actually, to add to this, I have stopped buying singletons. I either buy multiple pieces at one time that go together or only buy something when it is clear to me what I would pair it with.

Sally

Veteran

I actually for the first time today put together 4 days worth of clothes for the week and tried them on before hand. I'm trying to steer away from jeans as they are my fall back item but it is a bit of a challenge. People are discussing whether to ban jeans at work and I keep saying I dont need to wear jeans...I have lots of clothes. I do but its organising what goes with what at the last minute so I just put on jeans and a jacket.

Megan

I spent some time playing in my closet today and realised a few things:

1. My clothes are nearly all black, white, denim and grey (especially my winter things)
2. I have no issue choosing indivdual pieces that flatter me but I'm not good at pairing them.
3. I have too many orphans (see 2.)

So I'm going to do my best to not buy any black things. I did identify that I need a pair of light coloured pants.

Scarlet

Veteran

Megan that used to be my problem as well, which is why I stopped buying single pieces. This means I shop less frequently because when I do buy something I usually buy a few things that go together and therefore spend more money at one time. I am sure other people don't need to shop like that. It's just what works for me.

Sihaya

Veteran

I almost always have my outfit out the night before since I know I'm always in a rush in the morning. I also have several go to outfits (knit shirts with jeans or dress pants and maybe a jacket) that I know I can just mechanically pull on if I discover a last minute issue with my outfit. But usually I have it all sitting out next to the shower including underware and accessories.