What to Wear on a Bad Outfit Day?

- By S.P.

We all have those days. The outfits, like the stars, refuse to line up. Suddenly, every item is outdated, off-theme, and frankly, outburst-inciting. Take a deep breath and calm down. You’re simply having a bad outfit day. You loved your wardrobe yesterday, and you’ll probably love it again tomorrow. All you have to do is get through today. Having a bad outfit day is serious enough to maneuver your train straight past the productivity stop on a one-way to Wallowville - we love to mope there! Fortunately, there are ways around a day when your closet is being unkind to you. 

1. Always come prepared:

In a perfect world, you have the ideal power suit for every work event and the sweetest sundresses for all summer days. In reality you have minutes to get ready before you’re late enough to warrant a warning - and you haven’t eaten breakfast yet. My point is you’re not always going to be perfectly dressed for every occasion. Keeping this in mind, it doesn’t hurt to have a few staple outfits in your closet - solid pieces you know work well together. Worried about outfit-repeating? Change up your hair or accessories to distract from that little fact. 

2. Preparation didn’t work:

Seeing as we’re having trouble putting outfits together, let’s limit the amount of items we have to deal with. I’m talking dresses, jumpsuits, and matching sets - they’re very literally ‘off the rack’. All-in-one outfits take away the stress of choosing what to wear because they come pre-made. These are great staples to invest in for a rushed day. 

      3. Comfort over fashion statements:

If you’re scrambling to find an outfit, chances are you’re pretty frazzled yourself. The last thing you want is to be nervously sweating in a bodycon dress. Today is not the day to try out those new uncomfortable shoes or make any other show-stopping changes to your appearance. Don’t take a chance - play it safe.  Feeling (appropriately) comfortable in an outfit will give you enough confidence to pull it off. Maybe avoid sweats in the office, though. 

4. Work backwards:

If all else fails, work backward from what you’ve got planned for today. Think about where you’ll be going and what you're going to be doing - envision it. Consider the weather and the level of comfort you’re going to want. Once these objectives are clear, approach your problematic outfit accordingly. Find one piece you feel confident about wearing and continue changing it up until an entire outfit appears before you. 

5. Anything can be saved:

So, you’ve tried everything, and you’re really just not feeling your outfit today - that’s okay. Put on something simple and focus on your hair, makeup, or accessories instead. Your clothing is simply a base for you to build on. Redistributing those extra efforts into a different department can change your entire look.