What is "remixing", actually? - YouLookFab Forum

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What is "remixing", actually?

catgirl

Veteran

Is it something beyond just wearing the same item a different way? I'm confused about why it's such a *thing* to do - doesn't everyone remix?

General

41 replies

Latest reply was from catgirl

Aida

Veteran

Well, many people buy "outfits", rather than reusing the items in new and different ways. If they feel like something new, they go buy a whole new outfit. So I think it came out of the desire to get more use out of what we have rather than continue to purchase and let otherwise good items languish?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I think some folks get stuck with pairing some items together so often that they just become a 'set' and then they don't get worn with other things?
I can see how maybe a pink sweater ends up always going with a floral skirt with pink in the pattern, for instance.

Kate

Veteran

Yep, it's just wearing the same item with other items. Nothing new or novel about it. I think it's become such a *thing* because it doesn't seem to happen much in the fashion world. The "news" makes a big deal when famous people wear the same item multiple times, and bloggers seem to always be wearing new clothes.

ETA: I think what Aida and Mo said is part of it too. It just seems to me that remixing is a bigger deal in the fashion world than it is in the real world.

Heather

Veteran

For me, I want to make a piece work its magic in a completely different way. This is my new rule before I purchase anything...it must be 'remixed' three different ways.

Queen Mum

Veteran

honest to goodness, I used to buy pieces to go together and wouldn't dream of wearing them any other way. I'm not sure why I had this mindset. The idea of seeing how many different ways I can wear something is relatively new (like within the past 5 years) but it's funny how normal it seems now compared to the way I used to think.

I also wonder if the whole idea of remixing was popularized with the advent of fashion blogs. It seems that there was a season of remixing snobbery... like it would almost be wrong to repeat the same outfit twice in a year (the horror)

fern

Veteran

I'm with AG... Remixing, aka "wearing clothes I own"
On the other hand, I'm shaky on the concept of "outfits" and just beginning to understand that not every top can be worn with every bottom. Thank you to Angie et al for all the posts about proportions!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

My late MIL used to think in terms of "outfits." Whereas my mother was always all about remixing, not that she knew the term. She would think about different ways to wear an item and get more pleasure from it if she could wear it more than one way.

Heather, that is a really neat strategy; try to think of at least 3 ways to wear the piece. When you say "completely" different, how different do you mean? Do you have some visuals?

rae

(website)

Veteran

I tend to fall back on tried-and-true outfits as well. Remixing takes conscious effort... It's like... either I love a piece so much that I want to wear it every day and have one of every color, or after I wear it once I don't want to see it again for a couple weeks at least.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I think that the "problem" with not remixing is that there is the danger of feeling like your wardrobe becoming a set of different uniforms and becoming easily bored - unless you have a huge number of clothes. Remixing items avoids this - it comes hand in hand with the consept of capsules IMHO.

Elly

Veteran

I am all for remixing, but I also feel that I am probably one of the few women that frequent this forum that doesn't find in necessary. I hear the 3-outfits rule alot. I try to find two outfits that something can work in, just to avoid orphan situations and bottlenecks, but I am completely ok with wearing the same outfit every week or two-- with different accessories it makes it even easier. Remixing is fun and opens doors, but I would rather look really stellar every other Tuesday (wearing the same outfit) than look different (but not as killer or as "me") once or twice a month. I also find that different levels of volume in the silhouette top or bottom has to be balanced or played up or down to avoid throwing my hourglass figure out of proportion.

Nadya

Veteran

The term has always puzzled me too. When a blogger says a sweater is remixed it just means its in a different outfit? Wow! The other term I first came across on fashion blogs is "gifted" which just makes my teeth itch. I keep hoping I'll get used it to it since its becoming common but so far, no luck.

catgirl

Veteran

Hmm, seems like I've always been a remixer! It's a function of being a random and undisciplined shopper. Never did I buy outfits as a whole. Now I try to apply Heather's wise rule of finding at least three ways to wear something, on top of it meeting all of my "Aida's list" requirements.

Interesting responses - thanks!

bella

(website)

Veteran

I feel like I have to chime in since I call my blog "Bella Remixes."
As QM explained, some people buy outfits and don't necessarily think of pairing each of these outfits with something else. My mum is one of those people. She has great taste and dresses well, puts great outfits together and never has wardrobe orphans since she purchases coordinating pieces. But she doesn't "remix" these items with other things in her closet. She even purchases fashion jewelry to go with certain outfits and always wears them together. My mom wears these outfits often, she doesn't get bored with them easily. She rethinks her pairings every season and adds/substracts new outfits as necessary.
Now, I think this is the difference. Some of these fashion bloggers self-admitted that they started blogging precisely because of this ( I am thinking of Kendi and her 30 for 30 for example): Their wardrobes were full of "outfits" but they were bored with wearing the same things over and over. So they would go out and purchase new clothes for the thrill of having "new things" but then the novelty would soon fade and they would be out spending more money. Remixing, therefore, was a way to curb fashion spending, making the most of your purchases. I think it caught on because a lot of people identified with this shopping behavior.
If you've always been the kind of person who would remix things in their closet with ease, I think it is wonderful. Yet, for some people it is a new and interesting idea.
As for me, I named my blog Bella Remixes, because I started writing it when I embarked on an installment of 30 for 30, which required me to wear these 30 items in different ways. In general, my journey has been a long one from outfits to remixes. When I was living at home and going out shopping with my mum, she would always make me buy outfits. I pretty much never had an orphan skirt for example because there would always be a matching top that she made me purchase to go with it. As I started to shop on my own, I moved away from this and along the way made some bad purchases which ended up being orphans. At this point, I feel like I am at a place where I can mix the clothes in my closet easily and efficiently and make sure that new items will fit in before I make a purchase. But I absolutely no qualms about wearing a particular outfit over and over if I feel like it's a killer combo.
Sorry for the novel, I hope it helps!

catgirl

Veteran

Bella, that's a perfect explanation. I have a friend like your mom - she wears the same combinations over and over. I think it makes dressing easier for her, same as wearing jewelry in sets.

I never shopped like that, so there were never outfits to break up.

Your novels are always enlightening!

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I am so in awe of anyone who does 30 in 30! I want to try it myself.

I have always been a remixer, with lots of orphans unfortunately.

lyn67

Veteran

Not that I haven't ever purchased a complete outfit in my life, but I am with you Una, here-and I think I masterred remix this year, both seasons:-) I like to be creative!

Sona

Veteran

great discussion. I've never actually bought an 'outfit' so by default am a remixer? It actually makes me want to go in the other direction a little bit too- having one or two 'outfits' ready in my closet that don't require the several item change that often occurs on fly by my pant mornings!

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

To me, "remixing" goes beyond just mixing up tops and bottoms...it often means breaking conventional rules about how an item is generally worn, and thus making it almost unrecognizable at first glance.

Examples:
* necklace worn as bracelet or belt
* blouse worn under dress (Angie did a blog about this)
* pullover worn over dress, making it look like a top and a skirt
* anything worn backwards

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Wow, Bella, that was so interesting; thank you for sharing!

And Elly, although I do "remix" simply because it's the way I've always thought and bought, I'm much like you in that I don't easily get bored of my clothes and would rather look fantastic in the same outfit than so-so in a new combination of items. So I tend to wear the same combinations again and again.

I think I like the YLF challenges because they force me not to do that. I may not wear the combinations I come up with in a challenge ever again, but it does knock me out of my fallback mixes, if you know what I mean, and that's a good thing.

But Sona, I also agree with what you are saying...it can be really comforting to have a few "outfits" figured out, so you just KNOW what to wear for a specific occasion. It takes the stress out of it all.

Jonesy

Veteran

Una, I share your perspective on this: I have always worn things in different combinations or mixes, so I never got what the big deal was. I would just think of it as "wearing clothes." Bella, your thoughts were useful :).

One other term from the fashion blogosphere that I scratch my head over: "over-dyeing." Isn't this redundant, since any time you dye something at home you are dyeing over something else?

MsMary

Veteran

Jonesy, I'm with you. It never really occurred to me that there was any way to wear clothes BUT wear the same stuff over and over in different combinations!

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

Jonesy - No, "overdying" is not redundant if it is the correct term. Over-dying is when something is already dyed. There are many organic cotton items (tees, dresses, etc) that are not already dyed. In that case, you would be simply dying it, not over-dying.

Hope that's clear, I probably shouldn't be posting until my migraine medicine has kicked in.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This might surprise you.

I have clients who do NOT remix. They wear the same head to toe outfits over and over and over again. No closet orphans and no stress about what to wear each morning. They also don't get bored of their clothes and outfit combinations. It's very interesting! If this approach makes them happy - I am all for it.

Remixing is fab if it's your thing - and it's certainly Bella's thing :). But if an outfit feels fabulous as it, why feel pressured to wear the items in other ways? People have different style needs for sure. Some like to remix, others don't. I can absolutely see the advantages of both sides of the strategy.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think...and I may be wrong...my mother's fondness for remixing arose from her Depression era childhood. Truth be told, back then, she probably didn't have enough clothes to remix anything. She'd be lucky to have 3 outfits in total! But in her young adulthood, she was also struggling to buy clothing, and clothes that could be remixed were more affordable than seven separate outfits — which back then would have meant separate (matching) shoes, bag, gloves, likely a hat...no WONDER coats were supposed to be longer than your skirt. No one in her position could have afforded to "match" her coat to all those outfits.

Some of this has transferred itself to me. I've never been in a financial position, really, to buy an entire "outfit" of clothes at one time. Or at least that is how it has felt; in fact, buying piece by piece is often false economy if one doesn't do it wisely and well.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Angie, that is a relief! I initially started keeping all my outfit pics in a file so that I could go back and repeat the exact outfit when I didn't want to stress in the am. Then I started to feel somehow deficient because I wasn't remixing enough - it makes me happy that it isn't something to be ashamed of!

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

I'm one of those odd birds who seems to wear remixed and set outfits in equal measure. The black belted sweater I'm wearing now, for instance, has never been paired with anything other than my grey jeans, and my sweater dress met with such success when paired with my purple and green scarf, boots and moto jacket that I've nevermessed with teh combo since. Most of the time, though, I try to think of no less than two combos in which to wear an item when I purchase it. I have a red and black top that's been incredible in this way. I've belted it over a pencil skirt with piles of pearls, through it on over black skinnies and wore it super casually with boot cuts. My black sheath dress and polka dotted pleione blouse have been similarly versatile, even working well together. I think omy overall preference is to remix, but I'm more than happy to leave an outfit as is if it's working particularly well. A good balance suits me perfectly.

rachylou

Veteran

This is fascinating! I've bought outfits, but it never occurred to me to do the whole kit and kaboodle all the time. On a regular basis. I'm not sure I'd know how to do that.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Rae, I'm glad that you don't feel bad. I am not partial to mega remixing myself. I like to keep some items for said outfit - and other items I remix until the cows come home (like button downs and turtle necks). So high five to you and Michelle!

I have very stylish clients who hang their complete outfits together in their closet. No remixing. It really works for them. More importantly, it makes a stressful style situation a fun process. At the end of the day - that's what it is all about.

And if remixing makes fashion more fun for YOU - go for it

Anonymous

I am a huge 'remixer' as I often buy single pieces and when I first set out on my own, it stretched my wardrobe.

Saying that, there are some things I don't remix, like suits. But I do snicker sometimes at some websites that declare a sweater or blouse 'remixed', those are not special items they are basics,

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