This is interesting to me! I have a big wardrobe and am pretty good at putting together outfits on the fly (and I have some good fast fallback options that work when I’m short on time and confidence). But I think this kind of planning can be useful. I tend to only do this trying-on when either 1) I’ve brought a new piece into my closet and am figuring out how to wear it, or 2) I’m doing a closet edit and need to figure out why I’m not wearing something. The only outfit planning I really do is for a special event or for travel. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you for reading! I was actually quite surprised how interesting planning outfits for the whole week was. I've only done similar experiments as you before (trying out new pieces or/or while culling), and I've only ever planned for the next day or some random day in the future. I think I was half-expecting to give up wearing the planned outfits after the first day or two, but that didn't happen. I have a feeling that if I keep at this, there might be some more insights to follow.
I love the tulle outfit! I think sometimes we get so caught up in others’ reactions , or imagined reactions, that we limit ourselves unnecessarily.
And sometimes photos can look/ feel harsh. More importantly is how you feel when you step out - if you are feeling great then the world be damned ( back to the point above🙃).
Sorry that insomnia has been giving you grief, hope you are feeling better. I've not been much of an outfit planner since I started working from home, as I almost always ignore what I picked out the day before in favour of something more low key. I used to plan my office outfits though and agree that it saves one a lot of stress!
I am sometimes intentional about spotlighting a particular piece--usually a foundational piece like a trouser or skirt or jacket and I will wear it all week in various outfits, weather permitting. Sometimes I realise a piece doesn't work for my life anymore, sometimes I fall madly in love with it again. I plan one or two outfits and then I improvise the rest. It's less work than planning a whole week of outfits!
And yep, nothing I feel good in photographs all that way. I do love all your outfits though; maybe it's because you also shared the context behind them?
Luckily I started to get decent sleep later in the week. It's my stupid hormones, they give me a real roller coaster ride every month!
I like the idea of spotlighting a particular piece of clothing. Sounds like it could be fun, and that the exercise could really tease out the versatility of certain clothes.
And yes -- maybe knowing the context with clothes is more important than the clothes themselves.
I know this isn't the "context" you're referring to, but I think the detail shot of your fringe skirt + shoes is the best photo of this whole post. Pictures often flatten an outfit and rarely give an accurate impression of how you look irl - especially if the distinguishing details are textural. The close-up gave things a lot more life.
I agree! I was just thinking how I always prefer to look at detail shots if I'm looking up a fashion show on Vogue Runway. Textures and small details make a huge difference!
Be still my heart! I am honored that you tried it and ecstatic that it helped. I definitely would have complimented you in your tulle … and also from now on, I am going to provide the theme in the caption of the previous week’s Sunday night outfit planning! 😘
I'm so happy that I tried! I never expected to enjoy the process as much as I did. Goes to show that it's good to try out new things every now and then.
Thank you for sharing your prompt early, Rachel! I really appreciate it!
Thank you for investing such time and energy in this exercise! I too really like your petticoat outfit from Saturday, and am a fan of black and white, trends be damned. It’s so graphic!
You are not alone in wondering “whether outfit pictures in general are distorting our sense of self and the connection we have with our clothes.” I definitely think this is the case for me.
When I think about outfits I have put together that I love, they often fall into the category of outfits I wake up thinking about as I drift awake, bubbling up from my dreams. Unfortunately this only happens occasionally, a few times a season. So I need to make sure I capture them before they escape and are forgotten, usually by hauling the pieces out of the wardrobe as soon as I crawl out of bed.
I love those outfits, too, that emerge from half-sleep! I thought I was the only one who had those! I sometimes have a sudden jolt of inspiration for an outfit moments before I drift to sleep, and if I'm lucky, I can remember it the next day. They're typically something quite unexpected and extremely enjoyable.
That's an interesting read. I never plan outfits a whole week ahead. I often plan outfits on paper when it's actually not needed atm, just writing down combinations of garments, without trying them on. Sometimes I've a clear idea in the morning, but more often I've to decided in the morning basen on the weather and my mood. I often start in my head with one of the ideas I've written down before and complete the outfit when dressing. That has to be rapid decisions because I don't have much time in the morning before leaving the house. Sometimes I can be indecisive and then the fastast solution is to scroll to my IG and do an outfit on repeat.
I never try on outfits in advance, but trying on my clothes by category often to know if they still feel allright. If not I take them out if my wardrobe to try again a couple of days later to see if it's time to let the item go.
That's so interesting that you write down your outfits beforehand! I've never tried anything like that. You basically have an archive of outfit ideas that you can explore. Super fascinating!
I have always shied away from weekly outfit planning - partly because of the time it would take to plan an entire week of outfits, and partly because I am afraid it would take some of the joy and spontaneity out of getting dressed. I absolutely loved the tulle look, and can so relate to the feeling of trying something new and wanting my clothes to be noticed! Reading this was encouraging, and I might even try planning a week of outfits myself.
I highly recommend trying it! It was surprisingly enjoyable. I really didn't think that I'd like it as much as I did. I think there's still room for spontaneity with this type of planning. You can decide to add jewelry or accessories as you're getting ready, and little things like that might tweak the vibe of the outfit just enough to make it feel really "of the moment".
Yay! I love the whimsy of the tulle skirt over the pants. Outfit planning is something I've never really done either as I'm also an intuitive dresser most of the time, but I love adding the extra effort to plan out pieces that don't get much (or any) wear. I think sometimes we take for granted that getting dressed well should feel *so effortless*, but it does take effort sometimes. Like you said, it can take time to grow into our clothes/wardrobe/style. PS photos of outfits can totally distort things. I can't count how many times I've gotten dressed, felt great in and about what I was wearing, and then taken a pic only to find that it didn't really translate to the image. Whatever. We get dressed first and foremost for our real lives in the physical world, not for the internet.
I absolutely devoured your newsletter this week. Firstly, as a fellow migraineur, I want to stand in solidarity with how hideous you would have felt and admire the fact you made such a glorious (pre-planned) effort for the rest of the week, given how tremendously drained one feels post migraine. Secondly, I felt the words IN MY BONES about standing in the closet in underwear with 2 minutes to spare before leaving the house - that is me most days, with 3 children tearing around my feet (and perfectly turned out). I just felt so very seen reading this and you have motivated me to make an attempt at putting effort into planning my wardrobe.
Yay, I'm so happy that I managed to inspire you to try outfit planning! On the days when you're in a hurry or not feeling well, it makes a huge difference to have outfit options available.
I'm sorry to hear that you also suffer from migraines. They're just awful and so debilitating.
Thank you for writing all of this! I've been trying to play with my wardrobe more lately and this has encouraged and inspired me. 🖤
I personally loved your Wednesday outfit best (those shoes are really cute!) And the tulle was a bold choice but a fun one, which I think looked great.
Sending well-wishes for your insomnia. I regularly get the same thing and it's truly awful. 🖤
I actually have a mannequin that I try outfits on from things in my wardrobe. It is spring here in the northeast of the US sort of.. and so I am yearning for color. Nine times out of ten the mannequin outfits work but there is always a one off! I too am sorry that you cannot sleep. When I have this problem I sometimes just get up and get to work on a task quietly, but the next day can be a little tough. Best wishes for some sleep! Keep writing great content. PS- I actually love the tulle outfit. I wonder if you could wear it as some sort of top? Have a great week! Susi the mannequin girl!
Having a mannequin to try your outfits on sounds quite handy!
When I have trouble sleeping, I often get up and read a book for a while, or meditate. Other times I just stay in bed and at least allow my body to rest even if my mind is busy. The next day is always a bit of a challenge but I try to remind myself that I will get through it.
The tulle as a top sounds fascinating. I'm not sure I can pull it off but it's worth a try! I hope you have a great week, too, Susan!
Ooh I loved this exercise so much! I didn’t know Rachel did weekly outfit planning (perhaps the only time I’ve wanted to be on Instagram to see this!!). I am a huge outfit planner despite some of the challenges that you face (ie weather changes). I don’t sit down and do it all at once but I do enjoy finding inspiration on Pinterest and putting it into my Whering app so when I’m feeling uninspired or rushed, I have something at the ready.
Rachel's Instagram is one of the few reasons I didn't leave IG completely. Her Sunday outfit planning sessions are so inspiring and fun to watch. I tend to watch them on Monday mornings when I have breakfast.
That's so cool that Whering works for you and you can store your ideas there. When I used A Closet app for tracking my wears last year (I gave it up this year, for a bunch of reasons), I tried using the outfit planning feature a few times, but I didn't really get much out of it. I think I like feeling the fabrics together, just to get a tactile sense of the outfits.
First off, I love your tulle outfit. Secondly, I completely relate to your hesitations (weather, body and especially mood) while pre-planning your outfits. And finally, your question about how your selfies might distort your self-perception resonates. I learn a lot from my mirror selfies, but I am not sure what to think about an outfit that made me feel good but looks off in a photo.
Mirror selfies are super interesting! I think for me the biggest lesson about outfit pictures over the years has been recognizing that feeling when an outfit that looks/seems "IG worthy", and how that can be a little problematic. It definitely influenced the way I saw my style. When I tracked my wears (individual garments that I actually wore) with an app, it occurred to me that my style was a lot more subdued than my published IG outfit pictures would suggest. But yes, I'd definitely say that mirror selfies and outfit pictures are really helpful in figuring out things like proportion and drape.
Your outfit pics were fascinating to me because you were critical of them but for each picture I thought “man that looks so cool!” It reminded me that even on days where I don’t feel like an outfit is all it could be, to someone else who doesn’t see my closet every day, it might look rad, which I thought your outfits were. Disappointed in your office for not responding to the tulle!! How dare they!?
That's such a good point that no matter how we might see our outfit on a given day, others will look at it from their own perspective and might see in it something that we don't. Sort of makes me want to ask questions about the ownership of an outfit. A single outfit is never just ours. It's as many outfits as there are people who see it and interpret it.
This was a really fun exercise to follow - thank you for sharing. I pretty much always set my clothes out the night before and leave shoes and accessories for the morning. However, I don't plan outfits beyond that unless it's packing for a trip. On the off chance I do plan far ahead, it's usually because of an event or to take advantage of the weather. (ex: this past week we had some scattered warm days + a friend's dinner party, so I made sure to wash/iron a few dresses I was excited to wear)
I'm sometimes surprised by what clothes do vs don't get comments at work. I guess you just never know what will catch another person's eye. That said, I think we can find our clothes more exciting than our coworkers do, especially if we frequently wear standout pieces. A few people I work with are well dressed and/or wear interesting clothes that I enjoy, but it rarely rises to me feeling compelled to say something. Even as someone who's into style/fashion, what other people are wearing is not top of mind when I'm in the office.
Thank you! <3 I definitely agree that most people don't actually pay any attention to what others wear. There are days when I don't pay all that much attention to others myself, although I consider myself a bit of a lurker / observer of others in general.
Ah, planning outfits to take advantage of the weather sounds like a winner. I have prepared for super cold days in the winter in advance before, but planning what to wear on a particularly beautiful day sounds delightful!
I like all these outfits very much. I’m sorry to read about the hard time you’ve had with insomnia, migraines, and weather complications.
The closest I ever get to outfit planning is packing for a trip, when I make sure to take a selection of things that could work together in different combinations, so I still have choice on any given day.
Another way I find is useful in structuring the choosing process (maybe if you lack time or inclination to prepare multiple full outfits) is to chose me or more items that I have not worn in a long time (or, perhaps, ever) and have in mind that the outfit has to incorporate that piece. Choosing this piece in advance, in my experience, means it percolates in my mind in the meantime, and I can quite often then get dressed with it quickly, even though I didn’t chose the rest of the outfit definitely in advance.
Outfit planning with a particular piece in mind sounds like a great idea. I love the thought of allowing the piece to percolate in your mind. Good things can come out of subconscious contemplation!
This is interesting to me! I have a big wardrobe and am pretty good at putting together outfits on the fly (and I have some good fast fallback options that work when I’m short on time and confidence). But I think this kind of planning can be useful. I tend to only do this trying-on when either 1) I’ve brought a new piece into my closet and am figuring out how to wear it, or 2) I’m doing a closet edit and need to figure out why I’m not wearing something. The only outfit planning I really do is for a special event or for travel. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you for reading! I was actually quite surprised how interesting planning outfits for the whole week was. I've only done similar experiments as you before (trying out new pieces or/or while culling), and I've only ever planned for the next day or some random day in the future. I think I was half-expecting to give up wearing the planned outfits after the first day or two, but that didn't happen. I have a feeling that if I keep at this, there might be some more insights to follow.
I love the tulle outfit! I think sometimes we get so caught up in others’ reactions , or imagined reactions, that we limit ourselves unnecessarily.
And sometimes photos can look/ feel harsh. More importantly is how you feel when you step out - if you are feeling great then the world be damned ( back to the point above🙃).
Thank you!
And yes, it's much more important that we feel good in our clothes than what they might or might not look like in a picture.
Sorry that insomnia has been giving you grief, hope you are feeling better. I've not been much of an outfit planner since I started working from home, as I almost always ignore what I picked out the day before in favour of something more low key. I used to plan my office outfits though and agree that it saves one a lot of stress!
I am sometimes intentional about spotlighting a particular piece--usually a foundational piece like a trouser or skirt or jacket and I will wear it all week in various outfits, weather permitting. Sometimes I realise a piece doesn't work for my life anymore, sometimes I fall madly in love with it again. I plan one or two outfits and then I improvise the rest. It's less work than planning a whole week of outfits!
And yep, nothing I feel good in photographs all that way. I do love all your outfits though; maybe it's because you also shared the context behind them?
Luckily I started to get decent sleep later in the week. It's my stupid hormones, they give me a real roller coaster ride every month!
I like the idea of spotlighting a particular piece of clothing. Sounds like it could be fun, and that the exercise could really tease out the versatility of certain clothes.
And yes -- maybe knowing the context with clothes is more important than the clothes themselves.
I know this isn't the "context" you're referring to, but I think the detail shot of your fringe skirt + shoes is the best photo of this whole post. Pictures often flatten an outfit and rarely give an accurate impression of how you look irl - especially if the distinguishing details are textural. The close-up gave things a lot more life.
I agree! I was just thinking how I always prefer to look at detail shots if I'm looking up a fashion show on Vogue Runway. Textures and small details make a huge difference!
Good advice!
Be still my heart! I am honored that you tried it and ecstatic that it helped. I definitely would have complimented you in your tulle … and also from now on, I am going to provide the theme in the caption of the previous week’s Sunday night outfit planning! 😘
I'm so happy that I tried! I never expected to enjoy the process as much as I did. Goes to show that it's good to try out new things every now and then.
Thank you for sharing your prompt early, Rachel! I really appreciate it!
Thank you for investing such time and energy in this exercise! I too really like your petticoat outfit from Saturday, and am a fan of black and white, trends be damned. It’s so graphic!
You are not alone in wondering “whether outfit pictures in general are distorting our sense of self and the connection we have with our clothes.” I definitely think this is the case for me.
When I think about outfits I have put together that I love, they often fall into the category of outfits I wake up thinking about as I drift awake, bubbling up from my dreams. Unfortunately this only happens occasionally, a few times a season. So I need to make sure I capture them before they escape and are forgotten, usually by hauling the pieces out of the wardrobe as soon as I crawl out of bed.
I love those outfits, too, that emerge from half-sleep! I thought I was the only one who had those! I sometimes have a sudden jolt of inspiration for an outfit moments before I drift to sleep, and if I'm lucky, I can remember it the next day. They're typically something quite unexpected and extremely enjoyable.
That's an interesting read. I never plan outfits a whole week ahead. I often plan outfits on paper when it's actually not needed atm, just writing down combinations of garments, without trying them on. Sometimes I've a clear idea in the morning, but more often I've to decided in the morning basen on the weather and my mood. I often start in my head with one of the ideas I've written down before and complete the outfit when dressing. That has to be rapid decisions because I don't have much time in the morning before leaving the house. Sometimes I can be indecisive and then the fastast solution is to scroll to my IG and do an outfit on repeat.
I never try on outfits in advance, but trying on my clothes by category often to know if they still feel allright. If not I take them out if my wardrobe to try again a couple of days later to see if it's time to let the item go.
That's so interesting that you write down your outfits beforehand! I've never tried anything like that. You basically have an archive of outfit ideas that you can explore. Super fascinating!
I have always shied away from weekly outfit planning - partly because of the time it would take to plan an entire week of outfits, and partly because I am afraid it would take some of the joy and spontaneity out of getting dressed. I absolutely loved the tulle look, and can so relate to the feeling of trying something new and wanting my clothes to be noticed! Reading this was encouraging, and I might even try planning a week of outfits myself.
I highly recommend trying it! It was surprisingly enjoyable. I really didn't think that I'd like it as much as I did. I think there's still room for spontaneity with this type of planning. You can decide to add jewelry or accessories as you're getting ready, and little things like that might tweak the vibe of the outfit just enough to make it feel really "of the moment".
I was really surprised myself at how much I liked it.
Me too! Big time!
Yay! I love the whimsy of the tulle skirt over the pants. Outfit planning is something I've never really done either as I'm also an intuitive dresser most of the time, but I love adding the extra effort to plan out pieces that don't get much (or any) wear. I think sometimes we take for granted that getting dressed well should feel *so effortless*, but it does take effort sometimes. Like you said, it can take time to grow into our clothes/wardrobe/style. PS photos of outfits can totally distort things. I can't count how many times I've gotten dressed, felt great in and about what I was wearing, and then taken a pic only to find that it didn't really translate to the image. Whatever. We get dressed first and foremost for our real lives in the physical world, not for the internet.
This, this, this!!: "We get dressed first and foremost for our real lives in the physical world, not for the internet."
And yes, sometimes getting dressed takes effort. The whole idea of style having to be "effortless" is more or less impossible.
I absolutely devoured your newsletter this week. Firstly, as a fellow migraineur, I want to stand in solidarity with how hideous you would have felt and admire the fact you made such a glorious (pre-planned) effort for the rest of the week, given how tremendously drained one feels post migraine. Secondly, I felt the words IN MY BONES about standing in the closet in underwear with 2 minutes to spare before leaving the house - that is me most days, with 3 children tearing around my feet (and perfectly turned out). I just felt so very seen reading this and you have motivated me to make an attempt at putting effort into planning my wardrobe.
Yay, I'm so happy that I managed to inspire you to try outfit planning! On the days when you're in a hurry or not feeling well, it makes a huge difference to have outfit options available.
I'm sorry to hear that you also suffer from migraines. They're just awful and so debilitating.
Thank you for writing all of this! I've been trying to play with my wardrobe more lately and this has encouraged and inspired me. 🖤
I personally loved your Wednesday outfit best (those shoes are really cute!) And the tulle was a bold choice but a fun one, which I think looked great.
Sending well-wishes for your insomnia. I regularly get the same thing and it's truly awful. 🖤
Thank you Holly! I liked Wednesday's outfit, too. Penguin looks for the win!
I'm sorry you suffer from insomnia as well. It's such a struggle sometimes. Just have to remind myself that better nights will come eventually.
I actually have a mannequin that I try outfits on from things in my wardrobe. It is spring here in the northeast of the US sort of.. and so I am yearning for color. Nine times out of ten the mannequin outfits work but there is always a one off! I too am sorry that you cannot sleep. When I have this problem I sometimes just get up and get to work on a task quietly, but the next day can be a little tough. Best wishes for some sleep! Keep writing great content. PS- I actually love the tulle outfit. I wonder if you could wear it as some sort of top? Have a great week! Susi the mannequin girl!
Having a mannequin to try your outfits on sounds quite handy!
When I have trouble sleeping, I often get up and read a book for a while, or meditate. Other times I just stay in bed and at least allow my body to rest even if my mind is busy. The next day is always a bit of a challenge but I try to remind myself that I will get through it.
The tulle as a top sounds fascinating. I'm not sure I can pull it off but it's worth a try! I hope you have a great week, too, Susan!
Ooh I loved this exercise so much! I didn’t know Rachel did weekly outfit planning (perhaps the only time I’ve wanted to be on Instagram to see this!!). I am a huge outfit planner despite some of the challenges that you face (ie weather changes). I don’t sit down and do it all at once but I do enjoy finding inspiration on Pinterest and putting it into my Whering app so when I’m feeling uninspired or rushed, I have something at the ready.
Rachel's Instagram is one of the few reasons I didn't leave IG completely. Her Sunday outfit planning sessions are so inspiring and fun to watch. I tend to watch them on Monday mornings when I have breakfast.
That's so cool that Whering works for you and you can store your ideas there. When I used A Closet app for tracking my wears last year (I gave it up this year, for a bunch of reasons), I tried using the outfit planning feature a few times, but I didn't really get much out of it. I think I like feeling the fabrics together, just to get a tactile sense of the outfits.
I agree on Rachel. She is great!
PS- I really love that tulle petticoat outfit!
Thank you! That makes me so happy!
First off, I love your tulle outfit. Secondly, I completely relate to your hesitations (weather, body and especially mood) while pre-planning your outfits. And finally, your question about how your selfies might distort your self-perception resonates. I learn a lot from my mirror selfies, but I am not sure what to think about an outfit that made me feel good but looks off in a photo.
Mirror selfies are super interesting! I think for me the biggest lesson about outfit pictures over the years has been recognizing that feeling when an outfit that looks/seems "IG worthy", and how that can be a little problematic. It definitely influenced the way I saw my style. When I tracked my wears (individual garments that I actually wore) with an app, it occurred to me that my style was a lot more subdued than my published IG outfit pictures would suggest. But yes, I'd definitely say that mirror selfies and outfit pictures are really helpful in figuring out things like proportion and drape.
Your outfit pics were fascinating to me because you were critical of them but for each picture I thought “man that looks so cool!” It reminded me that even on days where I don’t feel like an outfit is all it could be, to someone else who doesn’t see my closet every day, it might look rad, which I thought your outfits were. Disappointed in your office for not responding to the tulle!! How dare they!?
That's such a good point that no matter how we might see our outfit on a given day, others will look at it from their own perspective and might see in it something that we don't. Sort of makes me want to ask questions about the ownership of an outfit. A single outfit is never just ours. It's as many outfits as there are people who see it and interpret it.
This was a really fun exercise to follow - thank you for sharing. I pretty much always set my clothes out the night before and leave shoes and accessories for the morning. However, I don't plan outfits beyond that unless it's packing for a trip. On the off chance I do plan far ahead, it's usually because of an event or to take advantage of the weather. (ex: this past week we had some scattered warm days + a friend's dinner party, so I made sure to wash/iron a few dresses I was excited to wear)
I'm sometimes surprised by what clothes do vs don't get comments at work. I guess you just never know what will catch another person's eye. That said, I think we can find our clothes more exciting than our coworkers do, especially if we frequently wear standout pieces. A few people I work with are well dressed and/or wear interesting clothes that I enjoy, but it rarely rises to me feeling compelled to say something. Even as someone who's into style/fashion, what other people are wearing is not top of mind when I'm in the office.
PS: I loved the tulle outfit!
Thank you! <3 I definitely agree that most people don't actually pay any attention to what others wear. There are days when I don't pay all that much attention to others myself, although I consider myself a bit of a lurker / observer of others in general.
Ah, planning outfits to take advantage of the weather sounds like a winner. I have prepared for super cold days in the winter in advance before, but planning what to wear on a particularly beautiful day sounds delightful!
I like all these outfits very much. I’m sorry to read about the hard time you’ve had with insomnia, migraines, and weather complications.
The closest I ever get to outfit planning is packing for a trip, when I make sure to take a selection of things that could work together in different combinations, so I still have choice on any given day.
Another way I find is useful in structuring the choosing process (maybe if you lack time or inclination to prepare multiple full outfits) is to chose me or more items that I have not worn in a long time (or, perhaps, ever) and have in mind that the outfit has to incorporate that piece. Choosing this piece in advance, in my experience, means it percolates in my mind in the meantime, and I can quite often then get dressed with it quickly, even though I didn’t chose the rest of the outfit definitely in advance.
Outfit planning with a particular piece in mind sounds like a great idea. I love the thought of allowing the piece to percolate in your mind. Good things can come out of subconscious contemplation!