After playing quite a bit with the nifty Random Outfit Generator (ROG) today, I've discovered some interesting things about my wardrobe and the direction my style, apparently, should be headed next. It's not news to me that I'm headed on a (slightly) new path; I'd already jotted down lots of notes about what I had been thinking that direction was, and I've actually been ruminating on this for almost a year now (and taking little baby steps in that direction). It's more a surprise to find that I might not have been quite right about it!
I use my Finds to collect anything that I'm drawn to, things that I'd probably get if funding and fit and space weren't an issue. Using the ROG to generate actual outfits was quite illuminating, in a totally different way than simply browsing through the Finds. What I found was that comparing the ROG with my wardrobe items versus with my collection items revealed a much larger disconnect in style than I'd expected (handy pretend-to-be-Aida links included, if you're so inclined). Of course, my wardrobe section is very incomplete compared to what's available in my entire closet -- in particular it veers spring/summer and active casual because that's what I focused on heavily last year -- but also because I did most of my wardrobe building pre-Finds. And there's definitely more cohesion to Collection ROG Aida which is probably due in part to the much larger number of items to work with and her unlimited funding. But even so, it's quite a useful thing for comparison.
Collection ROG Aida wears:
- More textural rich pieces
- A bit more Urban, and bit Funkier/Quirky
- Far more drape, both top and bottom
- More cardigans
- More tees and blouses (less shirts and sweaters)
- More prints than expected
- Less neutrals
- Longer lines
- Greater variety in bags/footwear
We both wear:
- A lot of white
- A lot of plaid
- Primarily 3-season pieces
- The same few jacket styles
- Mostly pants/almost no skirts
- A pretty soft overall feel
Now in reality I'm not sooo far off of Collection ROG Aida, but there were a ton of generated outfits that I quite liked which I wouldn't be able to emulate using pieces I already have. There were also a couple of pieces I own (toppers in particular) that just didn't seem to go with any of the outfits generated, and while that may be due to the small sample size, in reality I do find it to be the case within my actual working wardrobe as well. And of course, wearing less sweaters isn't practical for my (very wet and mild) climate but I think perhaps it's time to update my blouses.
More interestingly, there were a few things about Collection ROG Aida that I had already figured out on my own that I need to start working towards (texture, more urban, better variety in pieces overall) BUT many of her qualities were actually a bit of a surprise. Two in particular:
- Drape. I'd been itching for more tailoring since last spring, yet there in my Finds it's all full of drape. Right now a lot of my drape is manifesting as oversized, which is not really the case in my Finds.
- Less neutrals. I'm pretty much a neutrals gal at heart, but clearly I'm hankering for even more color (and print).
There was also one additional thing that was a big surprise: Not nearly as sporty-luxe as expected. I'd planned on adding more of those pieces this season; in fact I'd made it one of my goals at the start of the year. I'm not sure whether Collection ROG Aida just isn't that sporty or if haven't been seeing sporty things that appeal to me, but either way I think I will now prioritize this a bit less.
So! Thanks to the ROG I've got a MUCH better idea about what I need to do moving forward style-wise. And while I don't have the unlimited funds of Collection ROG Aida, I'm hoping that a few smart purchases will get me closer to her. Now to reconfigure my shopping list to reflect what I've found... Then go shopping ^^
(And as a final note: I'm certainly not going to use this as THE hard-and-fast indicator of where I should be headed because the Finds are contingent on what's available online that can be collected by YLF; there's always a good list of things that I'm on the hunt for which never materializes at retail, plenty of pretty things that can't be collected, and some pieces that I collected in prior seasons that I might not collect again now. But absolutely a useful tool to help visualize! And far too much fun to play with.)
As always, comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome!
EDIT: Further clarifying thoughts, taken from below:
I've continued mulling over the ideas here and have come to some clarification on the issue of drape. Nearly everyone mentioned/questioned it, which is good. What I was looking at as "drape" should, I think, actually be expanded to a collective of drape, fluidity, and motion. That's what I am looking to add more of, and the key there is add -- I don't want a whole closet full of D/F/M, just want to supplement with more pieces of it.
