Thursday, May 24, 2012

my less serious tips: on getting dressed


Somehow I've managed to consolidate my morning donning of outfits into a 5-minute (usually), stress-free (sometimes), fashion-producing (I think) process.

Today's tips: how to get dressed efficiently, fashionably, and without stress.

Figure 1. An outfit created around these shoes. The file name is even called 'shoes.png'.

Tip #1. Create an outfit around one piece. Pick one piece that you really want or need to wear and center your outfit around it. This might be something new, one of your favorites (Figure 1), something that fits your mood (e.g., a brightly colored top), or something necessary (e.g., you have to walk a lot today so you wear comfortable shoes).

Tip #2. Be inspired. Pull fashion inspiration from one of your favorite fashion bloggers and create a similar outfit (Figure 2). And I won't be at all upset if that blogger is, well, me.

 Figure 2. An outfit inspired by this post from Sydney at The Daybook.

Tip #3. Make a mess.  If your initial choice doesn't work, try on variations until something strikes you. Don't worry about the growing piles of discarded tops on your bed - you can clean them up tonight when you have more time (or at least push them aside before crawling into bed).

Tip #4. Have go-to outfits. Have outfits types that you know work and are easy to throw together without thinking. For me, this tends to be either: 
  1. jeans + partially tucked-in blouse + bold necklace + heels
  2. skirt + tucked-in blouse + belt + heels (Figure 3).
A formula for getting dressed? You better believe it.

 Figure 3. A version of my go-to outfit. Skirt + tucked-in blouse + belt + pumps. Done and done.

Tip #5. Don't get dressed. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that on a rare occasion my getting dressed strategy fails me. This leaves me standing naked and dejected surrounded in piles of outfit rejects. When this happens, put back on your PJ's and 'work from home'.

24 comments:

  1. HAHAHA I need this post. Seriously. I mean, I can GET dressed, but the outfits I wear are the lowest maintenance ever. I need like...a personal dresser because I can't make an outfit. But seriously, you're a snappy dresser. I guess I need to accessorise?
    We'll work on this. Time to stop looking 16 and start looking 21.

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    1. thanks for the compliment! accessorizing is really key. maybe that's all you need before you start dressing your age. ;)

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  2. Can you dress me? I mean seriously I love your style. All of it.

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  3. Thanks for the tips! Being pregnant, I've been struggling a bit in the fashion dept. They are seriously lacking in style (and affordability...who wants to pay $100 for something they wont be wearing for very long!?). I love all your outfits though! That orange skirt is adorable!

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    1. i can completely understand that. i can't imagine buying 'temporary' clothes. thanks - orange is my favorite color!

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  4. Formulas make getting dressed so easy. My go-tos are oxford w/ cuffed sleeves, statement necklace and simple chino shorts, or a fitted tank + flowy skirt + sandals. And the mess is unavoidable...when I was in college, my roommate nicknamed my pile of discards "the heap"! "Hey faith, laundry day, grab the heap"..."hey faith, room inspection day, throw a blanket over the heap"...

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    1. sounds like a great set of getting dressed formulas to me!

      and that 'the heap' lingo is perfect. i love that i'm not the only one making a mess in the morning...

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  5. Love this! By the time I left for work this morning, there was 6 or 7 discarded outfits on my bed. Ugh. I'm not usually too bad ... but this morning was a catastrophe. Those brown shoes are amazing!

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    1. haha! yeah some mornings i get it right the first time - and others...well let's just say i hate it when i come home and my room is destroyed...

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  6. Haha 'work from home'. Love it. I have a formula too - mine isn't as good as yours, but I do find great comfort in formulas!

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  7. Great platform wedges! They look like they are actually comfortable also

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    1. hey thanks! they are surprisingly comfy!

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  8. OMG I LOVELOVELOVE your first outfit (and the others), but especially the first one! It's very scholarly-cute! Those socks with the wedges is an awesome idea! Where do you get your ideas?

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    1. thanks, cara! i read a lot of fashion blogs myself. check out my 'my less serious great reads' page for my favorites...

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  9. It is so useful to have formulas like these. I have recently been reading more fashion blogs as well, which have been so helpful to get ideas for outfits. Otherwise I am just throwing things together and hoping not to get weird looks!

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    1. i fell in love with fashion because of blog reading. it is a really great source of inspiration!

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  10. These are AWESOME tips! (Although #3 is the reason my room normally looks like a tornado came through, hahaha)

    You are SO adorable. I love that peach/orange colored skirt. It's so fun!

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  11. Love this tips! I have had plenty of mornings where I'm rushing around like a mad woman because I can't figure out what to wear! I usually try to have a game plan in mind the night before!

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    1. oh i never even think of it until the morning of. unless i have a special event or meeting or something.

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  12. Im new to your blog and am in love! Loving your outfit and all your eats look deeeeevine! <3

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    1. thanks so much hope! glad you found me and are enjoying!

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