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Sleep formula = travel formula = personal uniform?

Suntiger

One of the things I learned from my 2 year wardrobe tracking experiment, was just how much I wear black tops.

In about that time, I changed from a sleep capsule of all black cat burglar to a black muscle tank or long sleeve T + various harem pants (dark prints, olive, black) It's worked so well for me, that it became inspiration for my most recent travel capsule. A bunch of black tank tops + patterned skirts, and black long sleeve top + olive pants for the flight. Everything goes together, but still enough variety.

I've been moving towards minimalism for years now, and starting to embrace much simpler dressing. I do have one other formula, dark non-black (like navy, burgundy, pine) top + black or dark brown pants; but am really enjoying the simplicity of this.
Anyone else doing anything similar these days?

General

14 replies

Latest reply was from Suntiger

Bonnie

Veteran

What a great idea for a travel capsule!

Star

Veteran

As someone that has always had, and still does have, a very colourful wardrobe my tracking told me I mostly wear my black, grey, navy, olive and navy/white striped short and long sleeved tees, and various black button downs. I do wear others but these have the most wears. This tells me I could have just these and maybe 1 or 2 more in accent colours and be totally satisfied. I also found I prefer pattern on the bottom but often ended up with closet orphans because of this. These neutral tops work with all types of bottoms. I think that is the appeal for me. I too am leaning towards minimalism and simple dressing. Have not made any clothes purchase this year yet. Your forumula sounds perfect.

SarahD8

Veteran

That sounds very sensible! If a formula works for you for one purpose, I can see how something similar would work for a different purpose, just tweaked a bit for the varying practicalities. Carry on (with your very efficient carryon)!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Wearing solid neutral tops with patterned bottoms is a great dressing formula! Glad you found a uniform that works across the hours of the day

I love wearing patterned bottoms and have lots!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I love patterned bottoms and generally prefer them to patterned tops, though I do like to have a few of those as well.

Sounds like you have found a formula that is working well for you in different settings/ situations. It is possible to get a lot of variation in such a formula with different textures/ fabric weights and patterns/ colours of the bottoms.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

I'm not really a formula or uniform dresser, but I have been reading about decision fatigue, and they say automating your wardrobe is one of the best things you can do for that. Black tops with long skirts sounds like a smart way to go.

One smart move that has taken years for me to develop, is the discipline to buy the "right" item. Some people are born with this skill. My friend admires it in me. Buying the "right" item usually means buying the less flashy choice, that flatters you even if it wasn't what you were looking for.

Runcarla

Veteran

I personally like a darker top vs a light coloured top. I think it’s because my personal colouring is so light (hair, skin, etc.) that the darker top gives me some definition. Black works, but also navy and other deeper colours.

What has facilitated having a smaller closet has been restricting my palette. I suppose going for all or mostly black is the same thing. I have 20+/- items that are black or dark blue, and almost as many red or red-adjacent burgundy items. Then I have half a dozen items in green, caramel, and light blue. My palette doesn’t fit the normal minimalist codes (thinking scandi palette of light neutrals or urban minimalist in ++black).

In addition to restricting my palette, I restrict my silouhette by limiting the trending shapes. I have a pair of wide leg jeans that Inplay around with, but I’ve taken a pass on barrel leg shapes. I can’t do ‘all the lewks’ - but there is enough variety in my closet to keep me happy!

FWIW, from your earlier posts when you sometimes included an OOTD, I imagine you look fabulous in black!

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Suntiger

Thanks all!
Black is definitely a good color on me, maybe not the absolute best (compared to dark greens), but it's quiet and not harsh with my medium coloring. In a top, it's a bit less expected than pants or skirt. Plus it's a much smaller surface area, especially with my short torso. I wear medium-dark skirt/pants my "ideal value" (based on hair color)- so the black is sandwiched between. It feels more balanced.

Plus, practically speaking, it doesn't stain and I can wear black bras instead of endlessly seeking nude-to-me ones!

Silouette wise, I generally prefer tops to be more fitted and not too long, with looser bottoms. But I have a range of things and the formula works consistently. Maybe black tops make everything else seem more streamlined?

Lisa

Veteran

Minimalism and simple dressing was something very attractive to me and I tried to do for years until I realized I crave color and more variety for my day to day. I still admire minimalist style and minimal sized wardrobes and wardrobes with mostly neutrals, they are classic and timeless.

How fun that your tracking helped you identify what wardrobe and colors (or lack of) work best for you! It makes shopping so much easier when there’s a core style and color behind it. I am able to eliminate options very quickly because I keep my style adjectives and core colors top of mind.

Sloper

Veteran

I used to have a lot of black, grey, and navy for work. Nowadays I’m mostly in greys, cream, white, with some touches of orange and olive. I like pink bras & undies though!

Brooklyn

Veteran

Sounds good. I think I am a formula dresser too, especially in summer. It certainly takes the stress out of dressing to have a few reliable silhouettes to lean on. Also if you have a lot of silhouette variety you need to have different length tops and different height boots to work within them and it all gets complicated. But I am not a minimalist. I have lots of colour!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Sounds like it is working well for you and black probably suits you, which makes it very tempting. Like Brooklyn, I am not a minimalist, but can appreciate why it works so well for some people.

Sal

Veteran

I think when travelling a formula works well. On my recent cool weather trip I mostly wore black or navy tops...with a variety of pants. I did bring one light top - and could have left it out.

I have stages when I wear patterned tops and plain bottoms and then when I swing it around.

Suntiger

Thanks everyone!
This formula works especially well in summer, since I have so many patterned skirts and don't need toppers.

For cold weather, I wear jeans exclusively with black tops, and same with a pair of dark green pants I wear to work. My other winter pants are black or brown. I probably did that cause my heavy puffer is olive, so non-neutral pants are ALGO with it. Coats make winter dressing so complicated