I Created A 3-Step Daily Uniform Because Clothes Are Hard. Here’s How It Works.
It’s comically simple. But it’s sort of changed my life.
by Audie Metcalf
You know how you love your clothes, but you also hate your clothes?
I’m tired of thinking about them. Tired of putting together outfits. Tired of wondering if these pants work with this shirt.
It’s sort of like how I love food, but if I have to yet again think about what to make for dinner on Wednesday at 5:30 pm I will break into a million pieces.
So after 40 years of opening my closet doors in the morning and sighing audibly, I have put together an outfit template that works for almost every occasion. Here are my 3 criteria:
CHIC: I mean, if this wasn’t a factor, we wouldn’t be so consumed by clothing. We’d just throw on sweatpants every day of our lives and be done with it.
FLATTERING: It’s alarmingly easy to buy pretty clothes that don’t look good on our particular bodies. And then we walk around all day feeling off and don’t know why. And this is why. Clothes must be flattering to our unique body type.
COMFORTABLE: There's plenty of gorgeous pants that I can’t breathe in and high heels I can’t walk in. All of my outfits must be comfortable or I will be in a permanently bad mood.
Ok so let’s get to it. Here’s the outfit with the basic pillars of how to templatize it, and then I’ll show you a few more versions of it and how to make it work for you. And if you prefer to learn the outfit template of Jennifer Aniston’s “street style,” go HERE. I won’t be hurt.
THE OUTFIT TEMPLATE
Ok, so there are the 3 key ideas to use to turn your stressful closet full of “clothes” into “outfits” you’ll actually wear:
BALANCE: I usually do a form fitting top and a flowy bottom. This is what makes it look like an outfit and not just like “wearing clothes.” You can do the reverse as well. I just loathe my legs so this is what works for me.
HIGH/LOW: I wear tons of clothes from Target, Amazon, etc. But I think in order to make those really sing, I invest in a few special pieces—usually bags or hats—which just elevates everything. Just like how IKEA furniture is great, but unless you have a pop or something unique, it all tends to look sort of…blah. I give myself permission to buy an expensive bag because I know I’ll wear it constantly, and it means I can often buy cheaper clothes. ALSO, it means I can gain 20 pounds (cough, covid) and still wear it and not smash it into some corner of my closet in shame. NOT THAT THERE’S ANY SHAME IN GAINING WEIGHT. You get it though. Same goes for shoes. And hats. This is where to invest.
PALETTE: Colors are actually very complex, so I keep things very neutral and/or monochromatic. I have two mini rules within this idea which is that A. I never pair black and a solid color, and B. I never wear white on top and black on the bottom because it’s waitery and mindless. With that in mind, darker colors on top and lighter colors on the bottom create instant chicness.
So here’s a few more outfits that all conform to the template so you can see some variation:
Same thing! Fancy bag, flowy pants, bodysuit in a different color (I bought this bodysuit in 5 colors it’s unbelievable) and it’s an outfit I feel great in. I can run on a dog walk, pick up my kid, dash to a meeting, go to a dinner with friends, and it works. (I only do 2 of those things 99% of the time).
And then the same outfit, just fallified:
I was given this bag many years ago, and could have never afforded it then. But I have used it nearly every day for almost 12 years. So the cost per wear is 50 cents as of today. This is why I love the idea of investing in bags. There is no other piece in my closet that I could possibly say that about. The rag & bone hat is also a somewhat splurgy piece at around $250. But similarly, I wear it every winter, and really feature hats in my ensembles as I loathe LOATHE doing my hair. So its cost per wear is probably less than a cent now. If you are confident about your love for something that you feel you’ll wear a lot, especially an accessory like a shoe, a hat or a bag that’s a great place to invest. Be sure they aren’t trendy though. Then you’ll spend your life uploading things to your Poshmark that you’ll inevitably just forget about. Oops.
Ok, so here’s another one. Same template but reversed! And more casj!
Am I setting the world on fire here? No. Are you asking yourself why you’re still reading an article about how to…wear a t-shirt and jeans? Probably! But this is a cute version of a t-shirt and jeans, yes? And for some of us, dressing casj is hard. Do you ever find that? Like, I know how to put together a fancy outfit, and I definitely know how to look like a schlub, but this medium dressed down thing is hard for me. But you can see that with a cute bag and cute sneaks, the other parts of the outfit all come together.
PS: if jeans never fit you, same. But these jeans are a miracle.
Annnnnd another version of that casj template:
I know. Simple. But I’m telling you, the template makes it simple but still cute. The extra cute bag also helps. And the shoe color. Otherwise it would be sort of nothing. I also do this sweatshirt which is literally $12 and it also looks great. High/low, etc etc.
And lastly, the dressy version of this template, that I use for literally any event that’s fancyish. I even did a version of this for a wedding once! With different colors and insane jewelry of course.
This entire outfit including shoes cost $63. A smocked tube top is a must for a big bust. Don’t be afraid of it! Just look how chic. And then those Amazon pants are magic. I have them in every color. They’re $34! But as you can see, the chic little bag elevates the whole shebang. Another investment “piece” as the fashion people say, and I’ve worn it a gazillion times. Oh, and if you hate doing your hair try this method. It looks cute and pulled together and you don’t have to stand in front of a mirror with burning hot tools with your arms over your head while sweating and swearing.
So there it is. The template that means I gaze upon my sea of clothes every morning without fear or anxiety or dismay. It only took me 40ish years!
What can I say, I’m a slow learner.
Audie Metcalf is the Editor-in-chief of The Candidly, and lives in LA with her family. You can find more of her articles here.
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