Take Notes, Darling

Should you be keeping an outfit journal?

One of my favorite things in my apartment is my Selfie Corner. It’s just a big mirror and a very bright light (nestled between two windows for natural light during the day) in a previously unused part of my living room, but it has done wonders for my Self-Styling Ritual (aka getting dressed).

Something about forcing myself to stop, look at my outfit from all angles, move around to make sure whatever’s tucked or cinched doesn’t get rumpled or pinched, and snap a pic for the archives (the My Outfits folder on my phone), has really gotten me thinking even more deeply about what I wear. Yes, me! The Outfit Overthinker! Turns out, I can over-overthink, and it’s lead to a drastic, noticeable refining of my sense of style.

Though I am a proud Overthinker, there is a level of “intuitiveness” to the way I get dressed. It’s something I believe I was born with, but also a skill that I strive to teach to others. To teach, though, one must understand. And to understand something one views as “intuitive,” one must work backwards. Which is why I recently adopted the Outfit Journal—something I request from clients of my capsule wardrobe service—into my daily routine.

Like the act of taking selfies of every outfit—which, for some of you, may be enough— journaling about them forces me to stop and really evaluate what I’m wearing—but, where selfies are fully visual, journaling pushes me into the psychological.

I promise, though, it’s not as overwhelming as it sounds.

What to Write

Not everyone’s Outfit Journal will—or should—look the same. What you find most useful to write in your journal will ultimately depend on what you need from your journal. The only thing that’s going to be consistent for everyone is making sure you document what you’re journaling about—meaning, you know, the outfit itself. I personally prefer my selfies (I date my journal entries to make sure I can reference them), but you may prefer a spreadsheet where you list your items and then your thoughts, or a Notion template, or an app like Indyx where you can upload your wardrobe, create outfits, and add notes that way. If you’re a part of the 1%, meaning you have a printer, you can even take pics of your outfits—on you, or in a flat lay, or on a mannequin, whatever—and glue them into a physical journal. Or draw it! It’s up to you! Get creative! I write mine in a composition notebook I got for free at a movie screening.

How Do I Look?

In the True Style Universe, “flattering” is a four-letter word. I reject the idea that dressing “for your body type” is the only worthwhile goal, and I’m not in the business of telling people what they can’t wear just because their bones and body fat is arranged in a certain way. But, that doesn’t mean I deny the importance of feeling like you look good in your clothes, and for most of us, that means honoring what we love about our bodies and maybe drawing attention away from what we don’t.

I’ve written before about the extensive scarring I have on my legs, and how all of my outfits are crafted in a way that hides it. While I’ve built my wardrobe around that, I haven’t built my wardrobe around all the body fluctuations I’ve experienced over the past couple of years, or around my new little quirks that come with it like those days I don’t want to wear a “real” bra or suddenly care about how my butt looks from behind.

If you’re someone dealing with body changes or you’re just not sure you think you look good in the clothes you’re wearing, writing down how you actually perceive your body in your outfits can help. I tend to keep mine simple—i.e. “this skirt makes my legs look short”—but also ask questions—”should I shorten it? Would it be better with different shoes? Can I balance it out with a different shirt? Does it matter if my legs look short, actually?”

Feelings

It’s one thing to look good, but do you feel good? And no, “I feel okay” is not the same as “hell yeah, I feel f*ckin’ GOOD!”

Beyond even just feeling good, though, good, how? Do you feel sexy? Do you feel feminine or masculine or somewhere in between? Do you feel powerful? Do you feel dainty? This is the most useful for those who like their wardrobes…but not necessarily their style. How would you like to feel in your clothes? How do you actually feel? How do we bridge the gap?

Documenting your feelings about your outfits can be as simple as using kindergarten-style smiley and sad faces (bonus points for stickers). You could write about or even make a collage of images that inspired or remind you of your outfit. For me, though, as someone who loves to create a story around every outfit I wear, I like to jot down a quick little narrative behind my blouses and maxi skirts. It’s my Main Character Energy—or perhaps my repressed introversion—that demands I step into a character outside of myself every time I’m perceived: “I feel like a retired art teacher whose two main food groups are white wine and heirloom tomatoes.” Be sure, though, to mention why you feel this way: “this long linen skirt that I only sometimes bother to de-wrinkle (I didn’t, today) and equally rumpled cotton shirt are the kinds of pieces that could’ve easily been plucked from either a flea market or a rack at one of those boutiques that only sells neutral clothes and soy wax candles.”

“I Wish I Had A—”

It’s happened to all of us: you’re standing in front of the mirror, fully dressed, looking at your outfit and something’s missing. Or, maybe you’re not even dressed, yet, but you’re under pressure and in a rush to put something cute together and you just don’t have the right something to elevate this outfit over something you’d throw on any other day.

Most of us have a running wishlist, and that’s a good idea, too—especially if you’re regularly going through it and getting rid of the items that no longer resonate with you—but those tend to be a little more aspirational than the quick “wishes” that flash into our heads when we’re in a crisis. The next time you find yourself thinking “gosh, I wish I had a cooler jacket” or “why are all my shoes black?”, write it down! Don’t worry about what the piece looks like just yet—you can do your research later—just get it down and—more importantly—keep track of if and when you write down the same things. This is your needlist. If your goal is to shop more effectively and fill in the gaps in your wardrobe—either with more basics, or more fun—you’re gonna need a way to figure out what’s actually necessary, what to prioritize, and what makes the most sense.

Piece by Piece

It’s time to get analytical.

This is the most labor-intensive method, but it pays off in dividends, especially if your goal is to overhaul your wardrobe or your style.

What did you wear today? A white t-shirt and jeans? Describe the t-shirt: is it stiff and boxy or lightweight and clingy? Do you like the way it looks? Do you like the way it feels? What would you change about it? How does it look with those jeans? Speaking of those jeans—

What wash is the denim? How do they fit? Why did you buy them? How are they cut? How long are they? Have they changed since you last wore them? What about since you first wore them? Do you normally wear them with a t-shirt? Would you wear them with a t-shirt again?

I know what you’re thinking: “surely you don’t expect me to do this with every item I wear every single day?” And, kinda? I mean, you don’t necessarily have to answer the same questions every time you rewear something, but, it helps to take note of how the pieces you’re rewearing behave when they’re reworn—like, after washing or with different undergarments or as a part of a different outfit, etc. Do those jeans work with those shoes or should they strictly be worn with boots? Do you wear boots often enough to justify boot-only jeans? Should you maybe look into jeans that can be styled with boots and sandals, too?

I’d actually recommend spinning this off into its own little Wardrobe Journal, with a dedicated page or section for each piece you own. Don’t forget to record your feelings!

As you journal, some themes should arise and, with them, some questions. Maybe you feel your most confident in purple, but, then why do you only own two purple tops? Maybe none of your leggings make your butt look as good as you want them to, so why do you keep buying jeans instead of replacing the leggings you’d prefer to live in?

Too often, when we want to make changes to our wardrobes or style, we’re kinda…vague. “I wanna add more color.” Okay, what colors do you like wearing? “I wanna look cooler?” Well, what makes you feel cool? Your journal gets your head out of the clouds and, eventually, will serve as the roadmap toward achieving your Style Goals. You just have to start. And, if you need help converting those notes into action…you know where to find me!