How to not get lost in the sauce?
Some days I like preppy styles, some days gorp, some days workwear, sometimes minimalist streetwear.
I have bits and pieces from different styles.
But somedays I feel like my wardrobe and style isn't as cohesive as I would want it to be.
Is it bad to have pieces from different styles?
When does it become too much?
How do you avoid getting carried away?
22 Replies
1. I think take inspiration from aesthetics you like, you don’t need to hard spec into something at all.
2. If you’re actually considering getting dripped instead of eating, it’s too much.
3. It’s tempting to think you can be a fashion mf if you buy clothes, but really it takes years and years of collecting. On a long enough timeline you’ll get there. Allow yourself to enjoy the discovery without feeling like you need to consume.
It’s one thing to like looking at certain styles and another to like wearing them. Over a long timescale you should try different things in small doses to figure out what’s right for you. For example, while I like looking at gorp, after trying a couple of heavily “gorp” styled things I realized I would never be the kind of person who felt comfortable rocking climbing sneakers and a technical parka in public. Ditto for tweed blazers and earthy corduroys for prep
Meanwhile, after trying on some very directional workwear, I realized I do feel comfortable wearing things like an all black denim Canadian tuxedo and oversized patchwork shirts
1. not at all. in fact id say thats a good thing. nobody else in the world cares if your wardrobe as a whole is consistent or not, so just do what you want.
2. as long as you're building up emergency fund/savings and not going into debt, spend your discretionary income on whatever you want
3. ask yourself how many times you expect to wear it. what outfits/occasions would you wear it with.
also, in general getting hobbies that revolve around doing things instead of collecting things really put perspective on how unnecessary excessive consumerism is
I'm currently going this direction. Any tips on minimizing the cost of exploring such pieces?
Thanks for everyone’s advice! 🙏🏽
Beginner's Guide to Buying Expensive Clothes for Less
Did you just stumble upon MFA and find yourself appalled by the prices of some of the shit you saw in WAYWT? Are you looking to try some higher end clothing but put off by the prices? Did you fall in love with something in WAYWT and then find out it costs more than your rent? Then this guide is for you.
buying on sale + secondhand is a good way to reduce costs. at the same time, you need to be comfortable realising you'll be spending a bit of money at an overall loss
it's like learning to cook. ingredients cost. you buy to experiment. you cook some stuff, which in retrospect you didn't like - never to cook again. but overall it's made you a better cook
It might also be a good idea to try to figure out why you like certain things instead of just liking them. That is pretty hard to do though
Just allow yourself to like different styles and maybe try to figure out what you like about them so you can pick up little details here and there. Cohesion is a thing that takes a long time, so just enjoy the process of learning first
You can also plan a shopping trip with no intention to buy. Like, get dressed in some clothes you like and visit some nice stores and try stuff on. Don't be a jerk and try like two dozen things on, but generally stores understand that window shopping is an important part of acquiring customers. (Also, don't be a butt by finding something you like in a store but then scouring the internet for a better price)
I see and at least with some stuff I don't like, I could just sell it/donate it
The best advice I ever got was
-wait a few weeks after something got you excited before buying it
-consider how that one piece might work with the other stuff you own
First one used to be me. If I want something and it sits in my head rent free for months, I will buy it regardless of whether or not it’s on sale. Or let things sit in a cart and after a few weeks the feeling generally passes and I delete the cart.
Then my wardrobe started up scaling up and certain pieces don’t sit long nor ever restock 
Fashion isn’t just about pieces, it’s about styling, I’d say it’s more styling, so there are loads of ways to experiment with different aesthetics and vibes without buying things or with buying things cheaply/infrequently
Like people said, secondhand is king, but also modifying things you don’t wear or styling things in ways you wouldn’t expect
You might find that stuff you thought didn’t mesh, does if you do it right
This is so true, styling existing pieces in different ways is such a game changer
"Then my wardrobe started up scaling up and certain pieces don’t sit long nor ever restock feel this
feel thisI bounce between preppy, streetwear, and imaginary friend. What helps me is to think about items with big Venn diagrams. What items can you buy that will work for preppy, minimalist, and gorp?
Baggies 😀
Then he better get them baggies in every conceivable color (and some of the inconceivable ones)
tan ones work for a lot of looks
I really like Derek’s(?) analogy where clothes are like words and putting together and outfit is more like a full sentence. Having a lot of clothes doesn’t mean you can style any of it well
esp. if you end up just having a bunch of jackets