The building blocks of a great outfit consist of shape, fit, color, and texture. All of these components come together to create a well balanced and put together look. These building blocks are the same for both women and men, and can be adapted based on your needs and your style.
Shape
The first step to understanding the building blocks of a great outfit is dressing based on your body type and knowing the shape of your body. You can either measure yourself or you can look at the visuals below to get a better idea of what kind of body shape you have. Once you understand what kind of body shape you have, you can get a better idea on how to dress for it.
*** Visuals below from Who What Wear***
If you’re wondering how to find clothing that flatters your body, it’s important to take note of your body shape and your best features so you can highlight those. This can take some time and getting used to, so if you’re struggling, reach out for help. As a stylist, I love helping people see how clothing can make them look and feel their best, and other stylists feel the same way.
Fit
No one is going to be looking at the tag on the inside of your clothing but you. If it bothers you that much, cut out the size tag once you purchase the clothing.
The number size is not what matters; it’s all about the fit. Getting the right sized clothing (either going up or down in size) will compliment your body better. I see a lot of people who are stuck on the number and forget about the fit, which results in them squeezing into a smaller size, and actually looking less flattering than if they were to go up to the correct size.
It’s always important to remember that fitted clothing is different than tight clothing. If something is tight, it will be bunched and gathered in the wrong areas which makes the garment lay incorrectly. Fitted clothing lays properly and compliments the body without discomfort and fabric distortion. This goes for clothing that is too large as well. If a garment is gaping or bunching in an area it shouldn’t, it is too big. This means that you should either get the item tailored to your body or get a smaller size.
A key factor to finding clothes that fits properly is fitting clothing to the largest part of your body and tailoring down from there. For men, the shoulders are often the broadest part of the body. Ensure that your jackets and shirts fit well in the shoulders, and then get the rest of the garment tailored to fit your shape. If you’re someone that is busty, or if your bottom half is larger than your top, make sure that you purchase clothing to fit the largest part of you. You can always get something tailored smaller to fit the rest of your body, but remember that it is much easier to take something in than to let it out and make it larger.
Color
People often think that they have to match colors. Colors don’t have to match, they just have to go together. In fact, if you try to match colors too closely, it can sometimes look worse!
Instead of matching colors exactly, try to choose colors within the same family. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t wear many bright colors, so I often stick with neutrals. For this outfit, I went with black, white, and grey. When you are working with neutrals, you can add pretty much any color as an accent. An accent color can appear in any item of clothing from shoes to tops, ties, or purses.
For men, if you’re going business casual or formal, you’ll want to stick with the same color family for your belt and shoes. For example, if you’re wearing black shoes, you’ll want to wear a black belt. Same thing with brown. If you’re wearing a different color shoe you can pair it with a black or brown belt, but with black and brown specifically, you’ll want the shoes and belt in the same color family.
Texture
As I said before, I’m not one to wear a lot of color, so I rely heavily on texture to add interest to an outfit. For example, the jacket I’m wearing is a grey and black knit, which adds texture to the outfit so not everything is solid and plain.
Try a textured jacket or top to add visual interest to an outfit. Textured scarves are also a great way to go because they are an easy accessory to throw on, and they’re relatively inexpensive. By adding texture to an outfit, you add interest without having to add color, and it breaks things up so the outfit doesn’t feel so boring.
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When you go to put an outfit together in the morning, think about the building blocks of a great outfit. Focus on shape, fit, color, and texture to create a cohesive look that flatters your body and highlights your personal style.