The Anatomy of an Outfit

One of the most common styling challenges among women is the lack of inspiration when it comes to pulling an outfit together.

Can you relate to any of these? If so, this blog post is for you.  I’ll share some of my own personal strategies when it comes to the inspiration of a fabulous outfit.

Here are three easy ways to get inspired to a more fashionable and stylish you!

It’s free, it’s easy and almost everyone has at least one social media account.  Find pairings, styling secrets, photos and more on sites like Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  If you find something useful, share it with your friends.

I’ve always got one laying around.  Magazines are great for on the go, and easy reference with tons of shopping tips, “How To’s”, where to buy and looks for less here.  I keep telling myself I’m going to make portfolios full of magazine pages with a variety of looks and styles.  If I ever get around to this, I will share them with you.  If not, make your own for a personal lookbook of inspiration.

Be observant.  There are plenty of fashionable women around.  Pay attention to color pairings, body shapes, and accessories.  We can all learn from others. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and by all means, compliment each other.

These 3 sources of inspiration help me a great deal.  Even if I don’t use something the day I see it, it’s in my reserve, and builds an inspiration foundation.

So what happens when I actually walk into my closet to pull an outfit together?  I pick the first piece based on weather and my activities for the day (guessing most of you do this as well).

So, let’s say I choose a top first (and sometimes my first piece is a top, sometimes a bottom, and sometimes the shoes).  Instead of then choosing the additional pieces by what I usually wear with that top, I do just the opposite, and strategize how to wear that top differently.  That might lead to me to an unexpected color pairing, or a more interesting combination of the pieces all together.

Sometimes it works the first time, sometimes it doesn’t work and I start all over, and sometimes it just needs a little tweaking (which usually comes in the form of accessories).

Here’s an example, several weeks ago, I pulled out a bright turquoise ribbed bodysuit. I literally drug it along the various colors in my closet and stopped at hot pink flowy pants.  I tried them on together and knew it could work. To pull it all together, I found a bright pink and gold statement necklace, and opted for nude pumps and clutch.

Finally, my rules of opposites attract always comes in handy when styling an outfit:

1. Pair a loose with a fitted
2. Pair a classic with a trend
3. Pair a dressy with a casual

I hope this helps you find your own inspiration when you walk into your closet to get dressed. I’d love to hear what works for you.

Until next time, dress like you mean it!