Hey guys! This blog post is going to be about something each one of us does every day – pick out an outfit. If you want tips on how to make a style that works for you, read on!
This post was inspired by my personal history with clothes. I used to wear a lot of bright colors and patterns that didn’t really match. Additionally, I was very sensitive to denim and hated wearing jeans. As I got older, I thought some more about what I was wearing and the look I wanted to achieve. Now, I’m a lot more comfortable with my style and the specific clothes that I wear. My goal in writing this is to help you find this too! Please keep in mind that these are all just general tips and you don’t have to follow any of them if you don’t want to. Your style is your own!
Want to listen instead? Check out the video!
Matching. The first thing that I want to talk about here is matching. You can match items of clothing to each other based on color and style. What does that mean? It means that the colors and individual style of each individual clothing item match each other. For example, if you have a sporty blue tank top with white stripes, you might want to wear it with a pair of sporty white shorts. See? The occasion and the colors both fit. One way to think about it is if you have a piece of clothing that is primarily one color with an accent color, you can pair an item with it that is either one of those colors. Additionally, neutral-colored items (meaning black, brown, white, gray, or even denim) tend to match with any color. All of this also applies to shoes.
The occasion. Make sure that the outfit you’re wearing is appropriate to the occasion. This may include weather or a specific event that you’re attending. Is it hot outside? Then maybe avoid sweatpants. Are you going to a nice dinner or a school formal? Opt for dress pants instead of jeans or cargo shorts. If you aren’t sure what would work for the specific event you’re planning, try asking a friend or family member or do a little research on your own.
Use style references. The internet can be a super helpful tool in regards to fashion. If you use YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, try examining what different creators are wearing and see if you can replicate that look. Pinterest is also an amazing way to find new outfit combinations, and once you make a board of things you like, it’ll start recommending even more ideas. When you look for outfits, try using phrases like ‘formal outfit,’ ‘casual outfit,’ ‘loungewear,’ or ‘athleisure.’ If you’d like, you can also look into different aesthetics and see outfits for those. Examples include ‘dark academia,’ ‘cottagecore,’ and ‘hypebeast.’
Avoid wearing too many patterns or colors at once. Even if you like bright, bold patterns, too many of them at once can be overwhelming. Try opting for only one or two patterns and one to three main colors per outfit. Of course, this is all customizable, so if bright and bold is appealing to you, go for it!
Try some accessories. Add as many accessories as you’d like to your outfit. These may include glasses or sunglasses, hats, belts, bags, jewelry, or anything else that adds a little extra to your look. Make sure these also fit the general theme of your outfit.
Find basics. Basics are items of clothing that can be used for a wide variety of outfits. They tend to go with almost anything else in your wardrobe. Examples include a white tank top, jeans, or plain sneakers.
Make sure you’re comfortable in your clothes. This includes both emotional and physical comfort. If something you’re wearing makes you upset, avoid wearing it. The same goes for anything that’s itchy, scratchy, too tight, or any other characteristic that makes wearing it difficult. Of course, if there’s something you are required to wear or would really like to but don’t enjoy the feel of it, there’s a few hacks that can make this easier. First, if you don’t like a specific material, try something that looks very similar but isn’t made out of the exact fabric (for me, since I didn’t like denim, I wore jeggings for a while.) Second, try thrifting. Thrifted clothes are often softer than brand new clothes since they’ve been washed and worn more often already. Third, look for specific fabrics that you like and try to find clothes that are made of it. If you can, try making your own clothes out of fabric you buy from a fabric store. Last but not least, when it’s appropriate, you can layer clothes to keep any uncomfortable fabric or seams from touching your skin.
Planning outfits can be tricky, but I hope these tips helped you. Each style is unique and wonderful. Here’s to creating your own!
Great ideas!