Originally posted on Refinery29.com
The problem to solve for: What’s the bare minimum of clothes you should pack for a trip?
The elements of the equation: Your outfits can be split into three parts: tops, bottoms, and “onesies” that include jumpsuits and dresses. As long as you know how many days (or how many outfits) you’ll want bring with you, the math is easy.
Showing your work: Work backwards. Take the number of days and subtract the amount of onesies you want to bring. That final number should be the multiple of the number of shirts you’ll bring and the number of skirts and pants. For instance, if you’re traveling for 12 days (lucky duck), and you want to bring three dresses and one romper, you can either bring two shirts and four bottoms, or four bottoms and two shirts. You will have to repeat certain items, so make sure everything matches. Add an extra shirt or bottom if there’s room, but this formula gives you the bare minimum of what to pack.
The problem to solve for: How to properly layer your clothes, given all your pieces have different fabrics, lengths, and degrees of bagginess.
The elements of the equation: There are two components to each garment: how slim it is and how lightweight it is. Those are the only things that really matter! Sleeve and hem lengths shouldn’t factor into this equation at all
The problem to solve for: It’s freakum dress time! How many of your assets should you show off versus cover up?
The elements of the equation: There are two heirarchies of assets here. Your boobs, butt, and legs are considered Tier A. Your shoulders, back, thighs (via slits), parts covered by sheer fabric, and parts showing through cut-outs all count as Tier B.
Showing your work: Choose one from Tier A and one from Tier B. If you’ve got none from A, choose up to two from B. Of course, deviate from this if you feel like a queen in your dress — but if you’re stuck, this is a good place to start.
The problem to solve for: How do you mix prints without your outfit looking too crazy?
The elements of the equation: Consider each clothing item and whether it counts as a print or a solid — and yes, shoes, bags, belts, scarves, and anything larger than the size of a cell phone counts!
Showing your work: If you’ve only got two prints in your outfit you don’t need any solid to balance it out. If you’ve got three, consider working in one solid item (the easiest is to layer a jacket on top, or wear a pair of jeans). Got more than four prints? Shoot for having two solids.