Habits That Make Putting Outfits Together Easy

putting outfits together, online style coach

I’m sharing six simple habits you can start today to make putting together outfits easier. These habits will help you if you’re struggling when you look at your closet.

Start by noticing your habits around clothing. Do you only buy things on sale? Do you shop last minute before events? Are you purchasing for your aspirational self but never actually wearing those items? Identifying these patterns is the first step to change. We can’t change what we aren’t aware of, so take a moment to reflect. Which habits support you in having a wardrobe you love, and which ones have you held onto that no longer serve you? Once you recognize these, you can shift those habits and incorporate one or more of the six habits I’m sharing today.

One thing I always recommend is a thorough closet edit. Depending on where you are in life, you might do this once a year or before each season. It helps you pull out pieces that no longer fit, don’t make you feel great, or no longer align with your style, and become more comfortable letting them go.

During a closet edit, you’ll likely come across some “maybe” pieces. These are items you still like but rarely wear, and you might not even know why. These are worth taking a closer look at to understand what’s holding you back from wearing them.

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The first habit is to create a designated space for “maybe” pieces. This could be a standing rack, a chair, your bed, or even a section of your closet. These are the items you’re not ready to fully let go of but aren’t currently wearing. The goal is to practice wearing these pieces. I encourage you to start styling and wearing these items. Pay attention to how you feel when you put them on.

After a month, if you still aren’t reaching for them, that’s a strong sign it’s time to let them go. You don’t need to feel guilty because you gave them a fair shot. If you had the intention to wear an item, but something always felt off, that’s a clear indicator it no longer belongs in your wardrobe.

2. Pay Attention To What You Like

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Think about what makes you feel great in an item. Is it the color, texture, fabric, quality, silhouette, or a specific style that resonates with you? Look at the pieces you wear most. What is it about those pieces that you love? Now, compare them to the items that you rarely wear. What is it about those pieces that don’t work for you?

Attention to these details will help you understand your preferences and make better decisions when adding new items to your wardrobe. Putting outfits together is effortless if your closet is filled with pieces that feel good to wear.

Be mindful of what you love and what you don’t. Build your wardrobe based on your personal style and lifestyle, not just social media trends or the latest fashion fads.

3. Having A Shopping List

Having a shopping list is so helpful. When I work with women on closet edits, we go through their style, lifestyle needs, and ideal outfits for different situations. From there, I identify the missing pieces, that prevent them from easily making outfits they love.

Open a new note on your phone and start tracking what you’re missing. Keeping a running list of these gaps to make shopping so much easier. You’ll have a plan instead of feeling overwhelmed shopping in stores or online. I also encourage my clients to prioritize their shopping lists.

If you need a classic coat but get distracted by a fun leather jacket, consider your budget. If you have the flexibility to buy both, go for it! But if your wardrobe budget is limited, try focusing on foundational pieces first. Once you have your capsule wardrobe essentials, then you can start adding statement pieces that reflect your style. Prioritizing your shopping list will make getting dressed easier and far less stressful.

4. Practice Making Outfits

The next habit is a fun one, practicing putting together outfits. Like any skill, getting better at styling requires practice. Without practice, it’s much harder to improve. I recommend setting aside time once a week to experiment with outfits using what you already own. It can be 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or even an entire afternoon. If you have a standing rack, it’s a great tool for organizing your outfits for the week, but if not, a chair or bed works just as well. The key is to build the habit of practicing outfit creation. This makes getting dressed effortless over time.

5. Dry clean, Steam, And Tailor Your Clothes

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The next habit is ensuring everything in your closet is ready to wear. Nothing needs to be dry cleaned or steamed, and any necessary tailoring has been taken care of. The goal is to have everything in your closet ready to wear at any moment. Get in the habit once a week of handling these maintenance tasks. Drop off or schedule a pickup for any dry cleaning, and set aside time to steam or iron any pieces that need it so you don’t have to think about it in the morning.

For anything that needs tailoring, commit to getting it done. I always suggest placing those items in a separate, visible area of your closet. Somewhere accessible and not tucked away, where you’ll forget about them. You can also put them near your front door, so when you leave the house, you remember to take them with you. Set the intention and schedule a specific day and time to bring them to the tailor. These small habits will make getting dressed easier when you don’t have time to deal with clothing that isn’t ready to wear.

6. Keep Your Closet Organized

putting outfits together, Personal styling

The next habit is having an organized closet so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Once you’re done with your closet edit, the next step is to organize what’s left. A well-organized closet saves time putting outfits together and prevents unnecessary shopping. People with disorganized closets spend more money because they forget what they already own.

One of the easiest ways to structure your closet is by category. Tops in one section, layers in another, bottoms in their own space, and dresses in a separate area if you wear them. Once sorted by category, you can refine further by arranging each section from casual to dressy. Another helpful method is organizing by color, going from light to dark.

For special occasion pieces, place them in the least accessible part of your closet since they aren’t part of your daily rotation. Everyday items should be front and center, making them easy to reach. If you have the space, I highly recommend hanging up everything you wear outside the house, including T-shirts and jeans. Lounge clothes, workout gear, and pajamas can stay in drawers, as they don’t need to be on display. Many times, when going through clients’ closets, they pull out items from a drawer they completely forgot about, proving the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” applies to clothing as well.

Another essential habit is putting things away properly at the end of the day. When you come home, take a moment to hang up your clothes, put them in the laundry bin, or add them to your dry cleaning pile. Consistency with this habit keeps your closet organized and makes getting dressed stress-free in the long run.