Question re Next Phase of Summer to Winter Wardrobe Assessment

The final phase of my wardrobe assessment is to make sure that everything fits so I scheduled a try-on season this coming weekend. At the same time, I want to assess whether the tops I own coordinate with the the pants I own in terms of volume, length, and shape. Is there anything else I should be considering?

Let me give you an example. I love sleeveless button down shirts, and they work great with jeans, but they don't seem to feel "right" when I coordinate them with flowy wide legged silk pants. So in my mind they do not work well together. That means I have to have other tops to wear with flowy wide legged silk pants. Do I own those other types of tops?

My question to the Forum is how do I go about assessing top coordination with bottoms? Do I have to actually try on the different combinations? Is there an easier way to do this that I am just missing?

You can tell me I'm lazy if you want. I am certainly feeling that way at this moment.

I should say I am not purging anything at this time. I am merely experimenting and taking notes for future decision making.

8 years ago

Sara L.

Veteran

In my experience, you have to actually try the tops on with the bottoms. You can't check length, volume, proportions, etc without putting the two pieces together. Maybe it will go faster for you since you own duplicates of many of your items.

Liz

Yes, you have to try them on together. Since you've been thinking about third pieces, when you find top/bottom combos you like, you could then assess those for "Together, is this top and bottom a complete outfit, or is it unfinished?" If it's unfinished, what does it need -- Scarf? necklace? Stylish shoes? Belt?

unfrumped

I sympathize, but I have not found any other way than to try on the EXACT combinations. Not doing so is the main reason for " wardrobe churn" in the morning before work, or unhappiness with a travel capsule once away from home.
I am very picky, or hard on myself , for tops + bottoms( pants or skirts). I keep trying to have " universal tops" but that's very hard, so I go for a top working with several bottom and that's it. there is length, flare, hemline( straight or curved), whether it rides up in back or stays put, " grinning", whether pant buttons or skirt waist band show through a thin top, whether the neckline sags if it shifts around, fit under jackets that go WITH the outfit-- And that's not even color combos.
Whew!

Anonymous

Sigh.

So THAT is what I'll be doing this weekend.

Jenn

(website)

I don't think you need to try on every top with every bottom. That would take forever to run through hundreds of combinations. If you find between one and three tops that go with each bottom, that'll probably be fine for you. I mean, if each of your bottoms could work with just two different tops, that would keep you in unique outfits for almost two months, right? And I bet you have more than that. Just note any pieces that you can find NO companions for, or that don't fit or don't match your current style.

I would stretch yourself a little when trying things on, though. Maybe combine items you wouldn't normally, or that you doubt will work. It might not, but if it does, it'll open up a lot of new possibilities.

Emily K

I also wonder how this process goes. I try on one combination of pants and top...try a second top...think, "That doesn't look so good, but maybe these other pants..." Then, I'm trying those other pants with random, different tops....It is not a linear or organized process.

Thank you for understanding, Emily. I think it could become a jumbled frustrating ordeal. I am going to have to figure out a way to add organization to the process or I won't last 30 minutes. Your suggestion may be the answer, Jenn.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Sterling, do not just assess fit. Assess how you FEEL in the bottoms, and whether you still like them.

You don't need to try on every top with every bottom, but you DO need to make sure you have two to three tops that work with the bottoms. See if you can complete those outfits is a manner that is in line with your style descriptor and style goals - or this leg of your style journey. If not, pinpoint what is wrong, or doesn't feel right. Then you can begin to correct and move forward making informed shopping decisions.

We have to look inside to create that fab feeling we get from the magic that happens on the outside. The magic on the outside in turn feeds us internally. Symbiotic.

Forgot to see - GOOD JOB. You are going about this the right way.

Stagiaire Fash

Two to three tops for every bottom; how many bottoms for every top?

I think there is a sweet spot between coming up with something new and dazzlingly different every day and getting in such a rut that you only ever wear specific combos.

Since starting here, there have been a couple times I've come up with new combos by thinking through what features a "match" should have for one piece I have on. It doesn't sound like much when I write it, but it feels like "eureka!" I've resolved a tough math problem. You've probably been there.
Otoh, trying different necklaces with my dress yesterday, I was surprised the red one didn't work, despite the way the colors worked together. After a few other fails, I came up with a new law of necklaces.

If you want to knock it all out in a day, you could use the old bed-as-sorting-table method and try on all the combos that seem likely. I'd probably just put on one piece and try on whatever I thought might work, then another, etc, until I'd had enough for one day. But I am clearly no model for closet/wardrobe sorting discipline.

Maybe I should clarify. I didn't mean try on every possible mathematical combination. I already have some idea of what goes with what and why. (Although I agree that the fin thing is to try something you might not have THOUGHT would work. )
What I meant was, I can't just ASSUME that certain combinations would work and be a " 10" or that Angie feel- good outfit. I try the likely suspects from me y prior experience with proportions & fit and then see.
When I'm not in a time crunch to get to work ( rare, but occasional) it's actually a good time to have on, or ready, the planned or likely outfit and spend 10 min to try different shoes or top of necklace or jacket. That's mainly because I'm all fixed up in work mode, so I'm looking at things from that angle. I might walk out in the new outfit or go with the plan and say, next week. That might be because of issues with the day's events or weather or something.

texstyle

Hmm, if you have several of the same style of sleeveless button down and you feel one looks good with the bottoms, then you can likely get away with knowing the other ones will look good too provided the color/pattern work together.

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