FBFF for April 27th – Outfit Planning (and Outfit Wearing)

Today’s FBFF Questions are all about outfit planning.   Or, as I like to think of it; why I wear what I wear when I wear it.  And given yesterday’s conversation about psychotic weather and today’s outfit, these questions are actually pretty timely for me.  Please to let me explain below.

First, this is what I wore today:

Black leggings (Target) layered under a navy and blue skirt (also Target) with a black micro-ribbed tank (yes, more Target) layered under a coral waterfall cardigan (Nordstrom).  I added cuffed boots (Chinese Laundry), a tassel pendant (Old Navy), vintage bracelet (Lil’ Gypsy) and earrings (Nikki Jacoby Jewelry via 2011 Crafty Wonderland).  Sure that’s a lot of Target for one outfit, but it was comfortable.  And colorful.  That’s a win-win in my opinion.

Now to the questions:

1.      How do you go about picking your outfit for the day? (Do you lay stuff out the night before? Do you plan a whole week's worth of looks Sunday night? Do you wing it every morning?)

It depends.  My outfits are generally a combination of planning and winging it.  In fact, today’s outfit is just one such example of a combination of planning and winging it. The winging it portion comes from the fact that this outfit is a direct result of my not having put my laundry away.  As it turns out, the skirt and cardigan ended up next to each other on my desk chair, I liked the look of them together and went from there.

The planning portion comes from the fact that I ride my bike to work and therefore weather considerations force me to be a least somewhat thoughtful in what I wear. 

Terri asked me yesterday how I stay dry riding to work.  I don’t.  And I don’t even try.  I’m lucky that my ride is only about 10-12 minutes each way.  Yes, if it’s pouring I get soaked, but I’m usually able to get away with only getting a little damp.  And a little dampness is manageable because I make sure I wear clothes that dry quickly.  I am in skirts and tights most of the winter in part because they dry more quickly than jeans.  Leggings also dry fairly quickly – which is another reason for today’s outfit.  It’s supposed to rain off and on and just in case it’s on while I’m on my bike, I chose leggings and a skirt instead of jeans.

I will say though, that I’m trying to be better about planning outfits.  At least to the point of having something in mind if not laid out.  To that end, I keep a list of outfits I’d like to try.  These may be outfit ideas that I get from a blog or in a magazine, or just those that I come up with while staring into my closet.  Of course, many of the outfits on the list are often better in theory and often don’t make it out of the house. 

I have never, ever planned a whole week’s worth of looks on a Sunday.  I can’t even plan a week’s worth of looks to go on vacation.  I just throw a bunch of stuff in a bag and pray I have enough underwear.

2.      Do you try stuff on and then take pics to see how it looks, like Cher in Clueless?

Anybody who has read my blog knows I don’t do this.  No, instead, I like to be surprised by how terrible an outfit photographs right before I post the pictures.  It’s more fun that way.

3.      And are you consistent in your planning or lack thereof, or is your planning limited to special events?

Planning?  What planning?  Seriously, I don’t even always plan for special events.  This outfit, for a girls’ night out and friend’s birthday party?:

Yeah, I came up with that half an hour before I was supposed to be at the bar (which is an hour away).

I did a little better with this one:

But, even for this event, I think I only figured out what I was going to wear the week of the event.  And I was still not that confident in my decision.  At least not until I saw the pictures, so that was a nice change.

4.      Do you have a way of keeping track of which outfits you wore when?

Yes.  I have a blog.  It’s called Fashion for Giants and word on the street is that it’s hugely popular among tall people and/or people who appreciate the sublimely ridiculous.

All kidding aside, I don’t worry too much about when I wore an outfit.  I’m more conscious of when I wore a particular piece, especially if it’s something noticeable.  For example, I am going to try not to wear my hot pink pints every week.  I’m going to limit them to every other week. 

5.      How do you come up with new clothing combinations? (An app? Computer program? Trial and error?)

Wait?  What?  They have an app for that?  Huh.  Technology, it’s amazing.  But, I don’t use it.  The list I mention above is a hand-written list, which I keep in my handbag, of ideas for new clothing combinations. 

Sure, it’s old-fashioned, but when the zombie apocalypse happens, I’ll still have that list of ways to look fashionable while fleeing the living dead and everyone else will just have to wear whatever comes to mind because they lost their fancy app/program.

Want ideas for actually planning outfits?  Visit Katy Rose at Modly Chic for a list of this week’s FBFF participants.  There is bound to be someone who actually plans their outfits.

And have a wonderful weekend, Everyone!

Gracey