Outfit Formulas: Style Ease, On Repeat
There's nothing like the sensation of loving your look. Whether you're in a rush or casually getting ready, the feeling of a well-fitting, creative outfit that lets your personality shine is a fashion high like no other. Like cooking your favorite meal on repeat, a good outfit can be planned and intentionally repeated too; with a little surprise built in. Either way, the final product leaves you feeling ready, put together, and like yourself.
This month we're talking about outfit formulas: what they are, what they are not, and ways to make them a bit more spicy.
Your satisfaction, confidence, and style don't have to come on a whim or feel like a buzzer beater in the 4th quarter. When it comes to outfit formulas, the idea is to distinguish the outcome from the outfit. The outcome? Style ease, being hyped over consistently looking good, and a canvas that provides space for creative freedom. You may have used the same silhouette three times this week, but that's just the outfit- and outfits come in many shapes and sizes.
If you find yourself in a familiar silhouette, top-and-skirt combo, or a tried-and-true blazer, but it leaves you feeling overwhelmed, less put together, or even just bored, you might just be an outfit repeater. However, if your looks come with a sense of confidence, self-awareness, and some intentional pizazz, you're probably using outfit formulas. Formulas help guide you through your own wardrobe and lead you to the best-dressed you. The silhouette that flatters you the most, a color combo that makes your skin radiate, or the perfect blend of comfort and chic are all signs of well-working formulas. The reason so many miss this: settling for something you talked yourself into isn't the same as reaching for something you already knew would work; and make you shine- literally. Your DNA and creative fiber shine when your style and personality have room to meet your needs while staying unique.
Finding what formulas work for you, or creating your own, is what lets your style expand. But before you can reap those benefits, you have to build an outfit deck (the go-to combos you already know work) that speaks to you. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Color-based formulas
This one involves developing color combinations that you love and that flatter your skin, then repeating them in different ways. This means you could discover you love orange and chartreuse, and your closet already has lots of rich jewel tones in it. Then a framework to return to would be pairing that orange sweater with dark wash denim and chartreuse earrings, or taking that chartreuse dress and pairing it with a pair of rust-colored boots. The idea here is knowing what you have and what you love seeing on your body, then letting that combination create dynamic outfits almost on its own, because you already know what colors to look for and pair. Another approach is taking something like all black and pairing it with a pop of color or a print.
- Orange + chartreuse + rust
- Purple + yellow
- All denim + a pop of color or pop of print
- Creams + neutrals
Silhouette-based formulas
Like color, this type has a lot of potential because it comes down to knowing what flatters your body. Understanding your body shape helps you find the formulas that look best on you. For this one, consider the Guru 7 and which silhouette you can create from pieces already in your closet, the goal being visual intrigue, done repeatedly. Small up top and volume on the bottom could look like a fitted turtleneck and a voluminous full-length skirt, or a tank top and baggy jorts. Another formula is an oversized top and a belt, which is really versatile: as long as you have those two elements, your bottoms become interchangeable, and a skirt, shorts, or jeans each bring something new to a fashion cheat code of your making.
- Small up top, volume on the bottom
- Wide leg bottoms, square neck top
- V-neck, flare jeans
- Volume on top + straight silhouette on bottom
Element-based formulas
Element-based formulas rely on specific pieces you already own, which makes this the most specific of the three types, though still a great canvas for your daily creations. The other two rely on a concept or approach to your closet that leaves room for more creative freedom and flexibility; this one relies on having specific garments work together in a specific way. A blazer, baggy denim, and a fitted top is a good example: the more baggy jeans and blazers you own, in different lengths, colors, and sizes, the more shape this one formula can take. You'd think the specificity would limit your outfits, but it still creates endless possibilities.
- Skirt + sweater + boots
- Wide leg + fitted top
- Oversized top + belt
- Shorts + boots
Making it spicy
Once a formula is working for you, the fun part is turning up the volume without losing what made it work. Swap one piece at a time so it stays familiar but never feels stale, and let the specificity of what you already own do the rest.
- Change the color story, keep the silhouette
- Change the silhouette, keep the color story
- Add one bold or unexpected accessory
- Reach for a texture you wouldn't normally pair in
Once you discover the colors and combinations that work for you, next you can experiment with silhouette and saturation. A silhouette based outfit with wide leg pants lands differently than one with parachute pants same. The formula is still wide leg on the bottom and fitted on top but the intensity can be exaggerated. Color is another really great way to do this. Take any set of complementary colors and increase the saturation or vibrancy and you have an elevated approach to any color combination.
That's really the heart of it. No matter what’s going on an outfit formula will stick by you. It isn't a rule, it's a shortcut back to the version of you that already feels good, with just enough room to keep it interesting.