You only have 10 or 15 minutes to leave the house some days, but you still want to look presentable. This can be difficult if you take an hour or so to put something together or are just sick of what you wear.

At DHS, 50% of students dress in sweats or jeans and are overall “comfortable,” as most said. But for the other handful who want to put more effort into their outfits, it may be difficult depending on the capacity of your wardrobe. “having a lot of clothes lowkey speeds up the “I have nothing to wear” process, so that sucks …” Putting on your outfits comes from what is in your closet and what is accessible to you. The survey shows, on average, that students believe their wardrobes have a 5-6 range in versatility.

This can also be a cause of overconsumption. It really depends on the type of pieces you own. Maybe a larger wardrobe works for you, but that’s not always the case. This student states, “I buy something new every few weeks when I outgrow something.”

This may be a sign to declutter. Maybe you have something that you never wear or an item you think is okay. You should be able to feel like every piece you own is more than okay, even if its a basic. Having so many options can be overwhelming. And if you’re someone who is a 1-hour put outfit together, you may end up with piles of clothes because you dont remember what’s actually in it, or you’re just shifting through so many clothes to figure out what matches one thing. Creating a limit of challenges makes you think a little more outside the box, making it more beneficial so you don’t have all those clothes sitting around.

 @sreyahalder_ on Tiktok introduces The Rule of 7 as a tool to ensure your outfits don’t feel lacking. Every item counts as an item, and your goal is to reach 7 points. A layered top or complicated shirt and bottoms can count as 2 points. Accessories are also a great way to get closer to those points. It’ll appear like you put in a lot more effort and may even boost your mood for the day because you’ll feel good knowing you look presentable. 

In addition, playing with the shape of an outfit may be great as well. This means weaning a top or layer-able item the “wrong way.” For example, wearing a shirt backward may look more interesting because of the silhouette. Or if you wear skirts, sinching the side of one with a bobby pin makes it appear more interesting.” Basics don’t have to look boring.” There are still many ways to stylize an outfit. If an outfit is not interesting by color, then make it interesting through its shape, and if an outfit is not interesting by shape, then make it interesting through texture, and of course, if it isn’t by texture, it has to be through color. These are just simple ways to think about putting an outfit together. 

Considering that many students at DHS wear blue wave merchandise, tips like these can help ensure that your typical basic school merchandise looks less thrown together.  Throw a sweater over a hoodie with a pair of straight or wide-leg jeans, so you still feel comfortable but look more put together.