“WHY DON’T YOU JUST MAKE YOUR OWN CLOTHES?” THE SHORT ANSWER: I still have the knowledge, but I no longer have the space, time, or resources. THE LONGER ANSWER: It takes an immense amount of infrastructure and labor to make clothes (fast fashion has made them so cheap that we’ve developed a kind of societal blind spot around this). When I ran a clothing business, I had all of that infrastructure in place-machines, materials, tools, workspace, industry connections, patterns-and I was in my studio for hours every day, so it was easy to just stay after work and make myself a dress. At that time, I did make most of my own dance clothes. But that's not my life anymore! If I wanted to make a dress now, I’d have to unpack all of my machines and have them serviced (they’ve been in storage for years) and then I’d have to find a fabric source in my current town. For a good quality jersey knit, I would likely pay a premium (it costs a lot more per yard to buy a few yards of fabric at a hobby shop than to buy an entire bolt of the same fabric at a warehouse in the Los Angeles garment district, where I used to source my materials). By the time I had enough fabric for some trial-and-error and the necessary machines functioning, I would have already spent a lot of money-like, possibly two or three hundred dollars-and, more importantly, a great deal of time. Then I’d have to take over our dining room to do the project, which would be inconvenient because that’s where we eat our meals. Finally, there is no guarantee that the dress would come out particularly well, especially not the first time, because I haven’t sewn a garment in years. It would probably take a couple of tries to get it right, and that would eat up more fabric and more time. So yes, it could be done because I know how to do it. But it wouldn’t be efficient-I would spend way more time, money, and labor getting to the finished product than I will spend shopping for and buying a dress. If someday we live somewhere with space for me to sew regularly, I’ll likely get the machines back out, start a small fabric collection, and work towards a setup which will allow me to make clothes again in an economical and enjoyable way. But because doing it right now would be exhausting and expensive, it's not actually an appealing prospect. Instead, I’ll go to a consignment shop or thrift shop and find something secondhand that works for dance, and I’ll enjoy the hour or two that I spend there, which is a very appealing prospect :) THE METAPHORICAL ANSWER: I’m like someone who owned a sushi restaurant five years ago when she lived near the coast. Now I’ve sold the restaurant and I live inland. If it was 6pm and we were hungry and I wanted to go out to eat at a sushi place, and you said to me, “Why not just make your own sushi?” I would say, “But it would take days for me to prepare my kitchen to make sushi, and I’d have to buy a whole bag of sushi rice, whole jars of ginger and wasabi...just to make one meal? And where would I get the sushi-grade fish?” THANK U FOR COMING TO MY 3-PART TED TALK
My mum used to make my brother and I clothes when we were young (90s) as it could either save money, or you could end up with much nicer things for the same money. The cost of non-wholesale fabric, thread, zips, patterns etc has gone up so much in Australia that unless you can get very lucky at a discount fabric shop (mostly only available in big cities) it becomes very expensive to sew, let alone the time costs. I enjoy sewing but (particularly as a non-expert) it is generally impractical compared to occasional careful new acquisitions and second hand clothing.
Thank you for the long version, my mom (82) always wants to know why I don't sew after 10 years of lessons in my youth. I actually hate it and am terrible, but you've provided a better answer lol! My mom is verrrrrrrry frugal, so she'll understand that part. I'm so bad at sewing, it's a huge waste of money for me to even buy the fabric...even cheaply made clothes are far, far better constructed than my home sewing skills allow. Unless gaping, puckered seams are hot for summer?
Did you just give me permission to stop thinking I'll sew my own clothing?!? I've always altered secondhand items to make them my own but some part of me holds on to the fantasy that I'll pick up a pattern and make myself something from scratch. There are so many garments floating around already, the relative cost to make a new one just can't compare. Not to mention the time and effort to learn those new skills... time to give away the sewing machine and fabric hoard? Something to think about at least.
Hannah, I appreciate your thorough and informative answer. I recently saw a TH-cam vlog on another channel about how people should make their own clothes in their leisure time to be truly sustainable, and I actually disagree. It requires real skill, resources and time to make clothes, as you so clearly explain. It's fine for people who want to make their own clothes to do so. For the rest of us, wouldn't it be better to pay garment workers a living wage (at least) and ensure safe and dignified working conditions?
An important category for me to consider is clothes for my period. I know there’s certain things I can’t wear if I don’t want any accidents, and having designated undies for that too. But even just clothes where I know I’m gonna be bloated and if I’m going out I need to accommodate that. Love how DETAILED this is, this is so helpful
In addition, I find that I mostly feel like shopping right after my period and then I end up with too much level 4 clothes, because it's what I feel like wearing when I'm ovulating. Forgetting that I need that level 3 and below for the rest of my cycle :D Shopping with your period cycle in mind should be a video in itself :)
I would add a sub-level - i was missing this in my own wardrobe until I recognized how much I needed it a few years ago, and having this little module of clothes and shoes for all seasons has been a game changer! So my level -1 is “Dirty Deeds.” For things like yard work and gardening and painting and other various chores that get dirty. I’ll go to goodwill every so often and pick up a t-shirt or sweatpants or sneakers and I have a whole drawer dedicated to these things. Not glamorous or sexy, but I end up wearing them almost every day. I’m wearing some now! 😆
Amen!! ❤ Was just having these thoughts as well while watching the vid. I do a lot of renovating our home, and end up turning more lounge-y clothes inside out if I'm painting, for example - but it's so nice to still feel cute (and yes I will still put on eye makeup & plenty of vibrant lipstick while on the 'job'), and therefore to just have a section of wardrobe dedicated to the 'dirty deeds' as you so aptly called them! This also includes a fun apron, of which I have many, both for dirty deeds as well as for cooking! 😁🥰
@@rebeccajordan4491 Yes! Aprons are grand. They really feel like a uniform to me - in the best way. After a decade in art school they are a quintessential tool in any medium! I even get a little dopamine rush when I'm putting one on - knowing I'm about to do something fun 😁🌟✌🏻
Same here…I paint and garden everyday, and have cute outfits for that. Earth colored linen, especially with rougher textures work for me…vests,dresses, flowy pants in cuts that allow free movement are very comfy, and stains either don’t show, actually add the character of the fabric.
I never put it into words before, but this video made me realize I actually organize my closet by levels of formality (office appropriate, varying levels of casual, home) as opposed to by type (dresses, tops) or color. I watch a lot of organization content and have never seen anyone else organize their clothes the same way I do, but now it makes sense why I find it so much easier to get dressed this way (I highly recommend). Ha, thanks for helping me understand myself better!
This is freaking brilliant. I may actually start organizing my closet into these categories. I think it would greatly simplify life to ask "what level of dress do I need for what I'm doing" and head to that area. Honestly, all capsule wardrobes should include your methodology. This is probably why most of us have fallen down with that.
i had the same exact thoughts! and really brought my attention to why capsule wardrobes didn’t make much sense to me. but that system plus this could work pretty well!
Can't someone make it into an app, please? Like, we would take pictures of our clothes and classify them by formality level and when we need outfits for an event, the app would give us inspiration according to the level of formality of the event!
As someone who went from working in the financial core of a major city to pregnancy, to young motherhood, to pandemic, to being a stay at home mom I’ve had to completely rearrange and come to a new understanding of what my wardrobe needs to offer me. This video helps to break it down so clearly, will be making my own chart. Many thanks!!
Going through this also! My comfort zone is business casual but my life running after toddlers and having long mornings and evenings tells me I need to head into a different direction😂
Thank you for the diversity in the examples! As a fat woman I rarely see myself represented in videos like these, and it honestly makes my brain go "oh this advice is not for me" even if I know that that's an irrational thought 😅. Representation is so important! 🙏❤️
Thank you for intellectualizing the way we experience fashion and consumption! Truly the only fashion content I don’t mentally tune out after the first 3 minutes. ✨
I watched these two videos twice, went through the whole process, and was actually shocked to find that not only does my wardrobe match my lifestyle constraints, but in proportion to each level of formality and how often I wear it. I didn't really realize how often I actually wear each piece of my wardrobe, but it makes much more sense now
I always appreciate the inclusivity of size - and also ethnicity and gender - you show when pulling examples for these videos. Many people wouldn't think about it, and I love that you do. Deep thanks for that.
I did an exercise like this after realizing I was shopping for my "fantasy self," a gal who appeared not need sensible shoes (Why? She would never walk!), and not my real life. Sadly, I learned I needed way more comfortable shoes and casual outfits instead of clothes that were useful for nightclubing and concert going. I also realized how often I am in "house clothes," and with that knowledge, I invested in better quality PJs and lay around outfits (hello, cashmere!). I would encourage everyone to audit their lives and the clothes for those lives, and, armed with that knowledge, proceed accordingly with their hard earned shopping dollars.
Bingo! Shopping for my Fantasy Self, as well…. especially with makeup, shoes and jewelry 🤑, but my Real Self is binging TH-cam, Netflix, etc. and walking the pups! Learning=Winning!!
Oh, yeah 😅 or sometimes you just exaggerate a certain part of your life. For example, as a social dancer, just like the author of the video, I know way too well that many dancers are guilty of having 90% of their wardrobe for dance events and only 10% for "real life" 😂 like, who needs comfortable pants for errands when you can buy one more sequin dress.
Such a terrific video, thank you so much for putting it together. I am a(n almost) 60-year-old man who retired three years ago and moved from the USA to southern Spain. I finally have the time to think about a personal style and the clothes I wear and want to wear. I recently discovered this and your other videos and they are helping me immensely. ...even with super basic concepts like putting words to how I want to dress, I love “polished casual”. I also love that the way you present your ideas and concepts they can be applied to both women's and men's (and gender neutral) styles. ...and it is about style and not just fashion. Thank you again for your videos.
hannah, my dear, you're absolutely FEEDING US with excellent content lately. thank you so much. you are a breath of fresh air in this fast fashion-dominated field.
love the video! the only thing I feel you missed when talking about how much more often you need level 2 and 3 clothing than level 4 is that the higher the category the higher the attention to outfits (wearing the same outfit in a formal situation is uncommon whereas wearing the same two outfits to the gym for weeks is normal) so I do believe that the felt need for more level 4 clothing than level 2 and 3 makes sense and is reasonable :)
I've never been big into fashion because I don't find it very intuitive, but the way you approach fashion in a way that breaks it down is so helpful to me!! I've been thoroughly enjoying your fashion content
I find this really helpful. One thing about higher formality clothes, for me, is that I tend to not want to repeat them as much. Making me want more variety for 5's than I do for 1's. Also, living in Minnesota, we see extreme differences in how we spend time in summer versus winter. That's another thing to consider.
Yes! That's the case for me as well. That might also explain why she had fewer level 3 clothes than her usage suggested. Things we wear to knock around the house aren't really seen by others, so repetition isn't a consideration.
Agreed! I love the concept of the statistics and wonder if it could be taken a step further by applying some multipliers to represent the need for more variety in some levels than others. If one were using these numbers as guidelines to how many outfits to own, for example, then we might apply a multiplier of 0.5 or even 0.25 to the number of uses in a month to determine our needs for Level One pieces, assuming these are normally worn at home and alone. On the other end, Level 4/5 items (ie tango clothing) would need a 1.0 or 1.25 multiplier, assuming one would not want to repeat the tango outfit in the same month.
This is a useful tool to quantify reality vs fantasy closets. I have a hunch that my wardrobe is skewed toward the fantasy and my reality closet should get more love. Thank you for grounding your thought process in hard data. Now I’m off to crunch some numbers. 😀
Haha so true. I have a huge amount of summer clothes although most of the year its pretty cold where I live. I guess I tried to make summer approach faster by buying the clothes 😅
Very true for me as well. I have WAY too much level 5 clothing when I spend most of my days in level 3/4. I am a magpie for silk tops and dresses when my reality is I’m the mum of an 18-month-old and I spend most of my days on the floor. I am going to crunch my numbers as well and report back. I also have been trying to break out of my comfort zone with my every day clothes and trying not to treat some items as “too precious” to wear when I’m caring for my daughter. On Monday I wore a checkered blazer that has a vintage 90s vibe over my tee and jeans and felt amazing, even though I spent the day at home with my wee’an and going to Target! :)
@@Ophelia441 😊Encourage you to keep experimenting with your wardrobe. Maybe avoid wearing anything too precious when finger painting 🎨, rolling around the floor, or other messy activities with 🤍daughter. Instead flirt with your level of formality when heading out to run errands, visit the library, go to a museum, walk at the park, tea party, whatever. Your adding a much loved blazer to such a casual, simple tee & jean could instantly add a 🧂 dash of glamour to the everyday. You're deciding you're worth it. So play with your finery. See if there's a realistic way to enjoy these pieces today rather than saving for your fantasy life. Even a small addition will put a spring in your step. 👀Others will take notice of your delight too. Am a person who doesn't wear jeans, but will wear ✂️ cut-offs to hike or do my household chores. 😬While comfy, I know this garment doesn't put me at my personal best. Last week, I tried out some neglected dresses & a skirt sitting in my closet in a new manner that brought unexpected compliments😮. Tested out: (1) a bold floral tea length cotton skirt w/a solid tank top, matching sneakers, & a contrasting sweater from print over my shoulders as a scarf. Also (2) a body-con black tee & bike shorts under a short med. blue linen jumper dress that I unbuttoned from the bottom to the empire waist. It showed only a glimpse of slimmer legs & proportions below. Lastly, (3) belted a fuscia t-shirt dress (to remove some of the volume & length) over gray bike shorts & matching sneakers.🧢Added a coordinating cap too in each look as 🌞sun protection. In every outfit, I felt comfy, casual, yet wholly feminine🎉. 🤫 The late 👑Queen Elizabeth's "at home" attire is giving me 🪄 inspo. Although she too had actual utility fabrics & wellies for mucking about the horses or dogs in inclement weather🌧. She also wore darling earthy toned tartan skirts, cashmere twinsets, & ordinary oxfords for pulling her grandkids about on the ponies or walking the grounds. As someone who prefers skirts〰️ but not heels or silk〰️I admired how ⚜️Her Majesty wore feminine & formal silhouettes in a wholly unfussy manner to do her ordinary everyday casual country pursuits. 🤔I have perfect plaid & pencil skirts that deserve airing. Decided I'm going to adopt more of her ✨️ regal style for myself. Just need a touch of edge or rebellion to keep me being too precious or from 🤶frumpy town. 💚Bridget from Cali☘️ (using my pal's YT acct)
This just blew my mind. I always felt like I had too much loungewear when it was all put away in my drawers, but I was wearing it all constantly (and wearing it out) and never felt like I had enough. Think I’m definitely going to arrange my drawers and wardrobe into the categories so it’s easier to pick out outfits that suit the occasions
I'll definitely need to formally go through this exercise because even just watching your breakdown made me realize that despite wanting to buy more loungewear and activewear, for some reason I feel bad about it because I think "well I'll just be shlepping around in it, it's not fancy enough to bring me joy" when in reality, I should just find more lounge/activewear that is as exciting as the casual/dressy things I don't wear nearly as often.
One thing I would recommend which no one thinks about until they need it is buy a cute tote and fill it with new and comfy pajamas or leisure, socks, underwear, lotion, dry shampoo, make up, hair ties, toothpaste and toothbrush, mouthwash, hand sanitizer and snacks. This is good if you ever have to take yourself to the hospital or someone else does. It’s a way to take home with you in an uncomfortable environment. ❤
That is a great idea and if its not too insensitive ro say, as we get older. My Mother went into hospital suddenly, and sent me all ober the city looking for her specific nightwear preferences. On top of worrying about her health it was exhausting.
This is such a great way to view it! I live mostly in level 4.5 - as a freelance photographer who also gives tours and courses at a local contemporary art gallery, I get to dress however I want, and I love being fancy and well put together. I have always gravitated towards to dressy clothes, but used to think I had to "save" those pieces for occasions, but now I'm like "every day is an occasion to have fun with my appearance". I don't wear jeans or tshirts or sneakers, I don't feel at home in them. A cool thing about living my life at level four is that I don't need to change clothes from day to evening - most of my outfits are dinner plans appropriate, but also very comfortable to me, because I wear them day in day out. After living like this for a few years, I'm waaaay happier like this than in the jeans and hoodies I thought I had to wear daily.
counterpoint to your fashion math: just because you wear level 1, 2, 3 clothing more often doesn't really mean that you need more of it. I work from home and so the majority of time, I'm wearing level1 clothing. However, I wear the same three sets of pajamas day in and day out. Also, it's more socially acceptable to outfit repeat on lower levels of clothing, so that's why most of my time shopping is still invested in level 4 clothing.
okay, this video was SO helpful. I’m super organized and tend to categorize and curate everything in my life, and never considered approaching my wardrobe like this. I love that you included a category that was specific to you (tango) because I have some pretty unique categories in my life (cosplay, bowhunting, burlesque) and this method is going to revolutionize how I acquire new pieces and make sure I have day-to-day clothes that suit what I’m actually doing.
This is SO interesting. Made me realize that I think of myself as someone who dresses casually, but it's actually more often formal casual (even for errands, just like you) than I thought.
Thank you SO much! This completely explains why neither my formerly pretty minimalist wardrobe nor the casual “mom-style” works for me. Having two kids, working part-time with various obligations I didn’t have before definitely requires more thought about how to structure my wardrobe.
This was life changing experience. It’s been a month since I reorganized my clothes and wardrobe according to 5 levels from this video. That was the best thing that I have ever done! I learned where are the gaps in my wardrobe and what level I wear the most. I realised I should invest in Level 1, and I was very intentional when I bought 2 pairs of new pajamas of the highest quality. Silky cotton, timeless design. I dress so much quicker and more put together nowadays 🎉 Thank you again for this fantastic advice.
I bought some 32 degrees knit dresses. They are solid colors, and I wear them as nightgowns. They are much dressier than print nightgowns, and feel like I’m dressed if someone comes to the door. And, since they don’t have lace or buttons, they are supper comfortable.
You tend to pay a lot of attention to things that some people find trivial but in fact have a huge affect on my mood and are fun to dig into. Thanks!! an over arching theme that beautiful things matter and adorning ourselves is almost a magical ritual♥️
I created 6 categories for myself (lounge, active, daily casual, dressy casual, daily formal, dressy formal) dressy formal is like a gown, daily formal is more office type wear. Dressy casual is like a cute dress I would wear to go out for drinks. I dont know if these are gonna make sense in daily life, but hanged all my pieces by category and it already cleared my mind a lot! Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Oh my god… I was literally trying to look up this exact topic on TH-cam the other day and couldn’t find a good video for it and then lo and behold… you posted this! It’s a perfect breakdown of a simple but comprehensive exercise. I have been trying to articulate my disorganized thoughts around this and you made it so clear - thank you for making this video!
I usually go for pieces which can be dressed up and down easily by playing with accessories. Dress your outfit up with heels&blazer or dress it down with trainers&knit.😃
I was not understanding this video at all but I started reading the comments and I got it! This girl is brilliant! Never heard anything like this before .
Such an interesting new mental tool, Hannah! So these are my thoughts from spending some time with it thinking about clothes as a person with a very small closet: A. Activewear is just not on this scale for me: I have 1 full set of training clothes that I wear only when I'm actually exercising. B. I'm feeling my best self at lvl 4 and I almost always purchase items for that level when I do purchase things. C. The pieces of clothing in my lvl 3 & 1 categories are clothes originally purchased for lvl 4 but have slipped down the levels as they get worn in. D. I hate with a passion getting dressed for lvl 5 and I have almost no piece of clothing decidedly at this lvl. Why is that? 2 reasons come to mind: 1. The clothes designed & produced for that lvl are performing very badly on the scales of practicality (ironing, hand washing, etc.) and of comfort and these scales matter a lot for me. 2. And maybe more interestingly of all: I feel like lvl 5 clothes have the largest degree of gender performativity imbedded in their design and so most clothes of that lvl (that are designed for my body & size) make me feel a lot of uncomfortable feelings. My action list: I. I spend a very respectable amount of time in lvl1 clothes, maybe I should allocate a bit of my budget to make me feel a bit better when I'm wearing them. II. Start giving some thought about what a lvl5 outfit that I feel great in would look like and feel like on my body.
Hallelujah for the point raised re: formalwear and “dressy” wear and gender performativity! Recently out non-binary person here, feeling much the same. But I love Hannah for frequently including a gender-nonconforming model - and for having included them in this video as the front-and-center example of dressy wear! And they were CRUSHING IT! Cis or trans, formalwear tends to polarize our gender expression. Some people are made for that; they absolutely LIVE for it. And then there’s the rest of us, who struggle with it sometimes. ♥️ thank you for being yourself and being aware of implicit gender roles in certain clothing - we all can feel pressured by gender norms at times, even if we’re cisgender. Cheers!
This is literally the exact concept that I have been struggling with! I am often changing and reorganizing my Pinterest boards but I’m unable to really clearly delineate what the differences are between them. And I just haven’t quite defined some of my “levels”. Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this so well!
Yes, this was an a-ha moment for me too. My prepandemic wardrobe was polished casual work clothes and Pajamas so I would shop and eat out in variations of work outfits 😮 I have shifted since then after consuming other content but this really hit the nail on the head. It took a while for me to establish a sense of what my leisure style is - working from home and the choices available helped with that.
I have entered a new phase of my life, changing positions at work including working part-time and moving to retirement in approximately a year. The dress code for this position is scrubs, I have been having fun exploring scrubs and that still presents professionalism. With that I have been clearing out my closet and this guide is at perfect timing. This switch has also included my husband’s wardrobe, I gagged when he piled up many of his dress clothes to donate. The approach you presented is amazing and it’s not too late for us to implement for our closets.
This video helped me reconcile two of my aesthetic pursuits, the historic everyday and the goth. I was feeling rather nervous about trying to cultivate what felt like two different wardrobes (18th c inspired apron skirts, shifts and blouses vs. goth skirts with slits, cropped t shirts and baggy black pants), but now it makes sense that I see myself using the historic everyday AS my everyday outfits (I think more in line with your levels two or three) and the goth outfits as my casual wear to meet friends and go to nice places. Thanks so much for sharing!
I stumbled upon your channel due to my TH-cam suggestions, and I am trying to catch up on many of your old videos. They are all extremely interesting, but this is the one that has opened my eyes to why I am so dissatisfied with my closet. Thanks to you, I have decided to start a year of low spending, and creating something that really reflects my needs, and not what the trends try to get us to buy. Thank you for all your amazing work!
I did this type of wardrobe analysis a year ago, and something that helped me visualize how much of my wardrobe I should reserve for each category of formality, was a pie chart. It was very helpful to see what 40% looked like next to 15%, 18%, 5% and also what that number should be out of the whole. I understand that 5% (formal) is less than 18%, 40%, but seeing how small a percentage it was in the grand scale of my wardrobe really hit home. As in, if my wardrobe contains 25 full outfits, only 1 outfit should be a formal one.
Thanks for this suggestion! I just made my own pie chart and it was really helpful to see it layed out like that. Made me realise (like Hannah) I really don't need anymore polished casual clothing at the moment as it's only 8% of what I wear monthly!
I wear dresses 90% of the time, so I tend to come across to most people as level 4 if I don't try, 5 if I do. The truth is though I the dresses I wear out of the house are usually a level 3 if I don't style them, level 4 if I do. It's so interesting how a dress is perceived as "dressed up" when I really just hate pants.
Now this is content any conscience consumer who's thrashing out their relationship to fashion and their wardrobe can use! I will absolutely be using this process to help me right-size my wardrobe assortment to my actual lifestyle. Thanks Hannah!
I’ve struggled with trying to feel great in my clothes for years and I can say that this is the best method I’ve ever come across for creating a functional wardrobe. I was so excited to go to my closet and classify my clothes using your system. I realise I shop with polished casual outfits in mind when what I need is more active and leisure wear - I tend to downgrade clothes to fill that role and have always wondered why I feel a bit shabby 😂😂😂 thank you so much for this video. I think you have an actionable method which would make a wonderful book - with fabulous photos like the ones you show! Keep up the great work and thank you again!!!
I am hooked by this process. For me I would need a category for gardening and messy outdoor work. That is the equivalent of ragbag, level zero, for me, though I would place some of the type of clothes you mentioned for level 3 like faded tshirts in there. I cant wait to do this process for myself. Edit. I semi did this without understanding it at anintellectual level when I realized I had great clothes for work but nothing that looked good for casual and have spent the last few years building in that area. But I still end up with too much in the " polished " zone.
I'm a little late to the game but I just came across this video the other day. I went through your process and found it so, so helpful. I've read so much on how to curate a wardrobe and yours is honestly the best method I have come across. It has been such an eye-opener to examine my life and to realize that I spend most of my time in the unpolished casual category but that I spend the majority of my time and money on curating my polished casual category! I am an older, chubbier woman and I love seeing all the body types and genders you included in your examples. Thank you for sharing your talents. I'm loving your videos!
I think a fair variable is that polished or semi polished casual (in my lifestyle) is something I count as getting dressed, rather than just covering my body. I therefore want more variation. When I'm going full casual (deep cleaning etc) I can wear the same unexciting fleeces etc, so long as they're sufficiently clean and not precious I don't care. Even more so unless I'm staying somewhere with a non partner I wear one long top most nights for sleepwear, only swapping in a random t shirt when that items in the laundry.
This is a great idea. My wardrobe isn't the big issue for me, but because I live in Minnesota I have at least six levels of outerwear) 1) hoodies/light jackets 2) leather jackets and uninsulated wool jackets and blazers 3) insulated jackets, light down jackets and fleeces 4) parkas and fur coats 5) expedition level parka...all of these are really necessary and I have multiples in every category. We are currently in the very short period for blazers in Minnesota so I'm wearing them frantically whether they are really necessary or not. Maybe I need to apply your system to the unknowable nebula of the coat closet.
Former Minnesotan, now living in Canada: I understand so well! Just in the dressy category I have long dress coat, midi dress coat, and fur coat. Then there is the snowboard jacket that I actually ski in, and the old ratty ski jacket for shoveling snow!
I love this! My 'activewear' is more hiking clothes than tights and has a lot of crossover with my work clothes and unpolished casual. Thanks for walking us through this so we can fit it to our lifestyles!
I'm really grateful for this video b/c I'm about to graduate and enter the workforce in a hybrid position... My lifestyle is about to change drastically, and the clothing that I'll feel comfortable/appropriate in throughout my daily activities will change. I'll definitely apply this exercise to my life soon to really ground my wardrobe in reality!
This is amazing! I am a teacher and wear polished casual for work. Like you, I enjoy wearing polished casual for most of my errands out of the house. But I am also very conservative in my dress for work, to a level I don't need in the rest of my life. I'm so glad your categories helped me think this through, because maybe I need "polished casual - work conservative" and "polished casual - comfy sexy" categories, so that I don't feel like the buttoned up requirements of my job overflow into my personal life. Some of this comes down to styling (just button up more of the buttons) but other times I will skip an item of clothing entirely if it doesn't work for work (usually it's that neckline!). This is giving me permission to make room for outfits that don't "work for work." Thank you thank you!!
This was super helpful to conceptualize how to create a balanced wardrobe and to find any gaps. One curiosity: how many outfits would someone want depending on if they are more minimalistic or if they want more choices. It seems that if you have favorites, you might have unworn clothes you like but never wear because you simply don’t have an actual need for them. Also, with bold statement pieces, people might remember seeing you wear the same outfit, (if this matters), while basics or more neutral clothing might be more easily rotated or worn more often. Also, the need is less if the social situations are with different people in different environments. As a self-employed Art Therapist, I work four days a week in some capacity, but see totally different people, so I sometimes wear the same thing. I don’t have enough clothes that work in the size I need currently and rely on wearing lots of black (too much) and changing up accessories and jewelry. Thank you! I will work this process! It might also be cool to create a very functional and more stylish wardrobe capsule based on this type of analysis. I think we all have more of what we need in certain areas, and might be missing other things. :)
I love the inclusiveness of your examples! I suffer from feeling overdressed for everything before I leave the house and "downgrade" whatever I wear to draw less attention usually. I changed outfits like twice a day too, possibly because it's so damn hot here in Houston and I don't want to wear sweaty ANYTHING.
Thank you! It is the best video I know of on this topic. I often shop for clothes that satisfy my fantasies about my lifestyle, and after spending all the money and energy on finding and buying stuff I just put those beautiful and expensive clothes in my closet because I have no weddings, cruises and business meetings coming up. My lifestyle is very basic; sleep, lounge/sport/work, work/grocery shopping, going for a nature walk/beach on the weekends. The contents of my closet do not support my lifestyle at all. I am unhappy with how I dress daily, because all I wear are plain grey t-shirts and something like sleep-sport-bike-winter underwear shorts, replacing this with sweatpants and a hoodie during the winter. Everything is grey and black ;( I was going to write a short comment… it turns out I am writing a “poor me” essay 😂. Thank you again. I am going back to finding “MY” style.
I've been watching your fashion videos and a light bulb turned on in my head! I've been trying things in my closet that I never thought I would try and I'm having a blast
Interesting! I love your categories, but mine would look a little different: 1. Lounge/Sleep x30 2. Outdoor/Active x6 3. Polished Casual x5 4. Business casual x16 5. Dressy x3 I think seasonal attire is also an important consideration. For example, my outdoor/active attire in summer might include a lot of swimwear, short-sleeved moisture wicking shirts, and floppy hats. In the fall and winter, I might need more fleeces and knit caps. I always struggle to pack appropriately for camping and hiking in cooler weather. The same is true for dressy situations. I have a couple of dresses that I like to wear when I go out to string quartets and plays, but none that really work for winter. I feel like I need to make this list for warm, cold, and shoulder seasons and build from there. Often, when I struggle to find something to wear, it isn't the level of formality that is amiss, but the right temperature within that formality level.
Biggest congratulations on 100k Hannah!! Have been here since midway through your nobuy year and love your Patreon too…. My partner knows the sound of your voice and was like the other day “you have been listening to this woman forever!” Definitely an important part of my routine and this video is another example of why- high quality, deeply insightful, deeply practical and just presented in the most calming and approachable way. Thanks for doing your work in the world!!
Thank you for this video. It is exactly what I needed. Have been thinking about this topic, and you gave me a concrete way to quantify. I bought 4-5 loungey nightgowns for summer -- same item in different prints -- and felt indulgent, but I wore them every night at home! It was such a pleasure to look nice and be comfortable in our hot, hot weather.
This is exactly what I needed to revamp my wardrobe! I am struggling so much recently with putting together outfits and thus am wearing the same few pieces over and over again because a lot of what I have doesn't make me feel good about myself, and it needs to be appropriate for the situation. I am definitely going to be sitting down and doing this process so I can revamp my wardrobe. I needed a way to analyze the issue because I don't like wasting money on pieces and having a disproportionate amount of clothing for various events.
I think this is so useful. I would like to say that for me, some of my polished casual outfits like jeans and newer, brighter tees will move down a category to my more casual when they become a little tired looking or distressed. That makes certain clothes more practical depending on the style and fabric. Good quality jeans, plain colored cotton tees and cotton sweaters and even a button down shirt are all appropriate to a polished look when they are new and can be also be appropriate to an unpolished look when they are older. I can move them down a category and replace them with newer, polished items. So I spend most of my moneyy on carefully chosen polished casual
I just did this exercise and I’m blown away!!! Instead of going through 5 levels of formality, I went with 3 (1 for comfortable, 2 for casual, and 3 for dressy). And what I found is that in my 8 recurring lifestyle situations, I like to either be comfortable or dressy and not casual 😄 that was a surprise but it makes sooo much sense 😅. Thank you Hannah for this video!!!
This is the best fashion video in the whole youtube it literally feels like a life changer watching this. I had this huge problem of not knowing my fashion personal style or why my wardrobe is never right and this changed that for the best. Thank you sooo much you are actually SO underrated for the kind of helpful videos and different from others you make. Seriously thank you you're so helpful 🫶💖🌷
As a non-binary person who’s also been dealing with self-esteem issues and family trauma… I HAVE been feeling chronically underdressed. But just because I don’t know EXACTLY how I want to look or dress, shouldn’t mean I lose sight of “you deserve to look nice. You deserve to have polish. You’re the one deciding what that means.” Thank you for this. My whole life, I’ve abhorred shopping for clothes, mostly because things that got approval from other people didn’t feel “right” on me. The person I saw in the mirror looked nice, but it was an image of somebody else. Over time I just stopped wanting anything dressy or even polished because I hated seeing myself as that other, alien person. I didn’t understand how everyone else found it so easy. It actually made me angry. Now I’m still struggling, and I don’t really have a great budget for rebuilding a wardrobe, but in terms of cost per wear, my existing clothes have been worn absolutely into the ground. It’s time for something new. And some of that includes “trans stuff” like gender-affirming underwear, shoulder padding, tailoring for button-downs etc… but most of it really doesn’t. Most of it is just this idea that I deserve to have nice things.
"The person I saw in the mirror looked nice, but it was an image of somebody else." That resonated so hard. I didn't know other people felt that way. I've only recently been able to put it into words. Thank you
At first I thought this is super a analytical but it’s great! I after rating my 1 to 5 need more 1&2 have plenty of 3 & 4! I’m not in your age group but this has by far been beneficial for me! I feel good about the 2 pair of jogging pants I just bought. Now it’s time to get the fall clothes sorted! Thanks for sharing
Hannah, i just LOVE your fashion viideos! They are so thoughtful, inspiring and universal! I'll definitely analyze my lifestyle-wardrobe fit following your method. However, i'll still need to find a solution for those situations where different formality levels mix, without necessarily change clothes. In my example it is my commute to work using my bicycle (level 2) while working in the office wearing level 4. I'd like to have a magic wand to create clothes that match both formality levels all the time - again, without the need to change in between. Meanwhile i'm settling into wearing level 3 for both due to my unwillingness to bring clothes to change into, even though this means that i feel underdressed at Work. Sigh! Huge problem... ;)
I'm so curious - when buying clothes do you have certain brands that you always look at first (eg Reformation, Everlane, etc)? Based on how their style, fit, colors etc work for you? Or do you have a strategy of looking at clothing sites with multiple brands (Saks Fifth, FarFetch, etc). Or - do you start with second hand stores/sites? Right now in my reduced budget state I'm looking for basics on Amazon (so sad but true - but they have some good oversized linen shirts and pants) and Banana Republic Factory for my nice casual clothes, simply bc it's a fast way to find colors and cuts that work for me that I can afford.....Would love to see a video on buying strategies especially with set budgets.
This is phenomenal. A brilliant and most helpful approach to wardrobe I’ve ever seen. I’ll definitely check out the others in the series as well. I’ve just retired and am currently trying to reevaluate my clothing. This is a great approach. Thank you!
I’d be so interested for you to do a video about outerwear. And how this concept applies to outerwear wear but also temperature appropriate amounts of clothing.
I envy your robe and pj collection and after watching this I'm going to indulge myself by buying/making a lovely robe! Thanks for giving yourself "permission " to indulge yourself... it sets a good example.
I've been so over style and clothing videos as they all feel the same but I love your new series! Fresh, non-judgemental and inclusive and bringing new ideas that are so practical xxxx
I love this and will definitely be giving it a try. But I also wanted to add, if your lounge wear and pjs make you feel good and you enjoy them, an you can afford them, you don't need to justify them at all. Just enjoy.
This video helped me so much more than any capsule wardrobe video or anything like that. Because I’m just not a dressy person and my work doesn’t require dressy clothes. So the ‚must have‘ pieces I find in those videos or online don’t work for me and they don’t make sense in my wardrobe. So thinking about how often I need which level of formality during the month and then sort my wardrobe according to that makes so much more sense. This way I can find out which pieces I am missing and which ones I have too many of that I don’t need on a regular basis. Thank you so much!
My exercise is walking so I wear either level 3 or 4 clothes for that. So I only have four levels in my life. I really liked how you described how to figure out how much time you spend in each level. Kathy B
I really appreciate how intentional you are about showing different body types and noticing size ranges! A lot of fashion creators can be alienating to large and fat bodies, but your images make it clear that all body types can follow along.
Wow! This helps me understand my wardrobe so much better!! I have a wardrobe app (smart closet) where I keep track of my items. I'll see if I can add levels to it! I feel frumpy at home sometimes because I don't have nice loungewear. It's old clothing that's no longer fit for public viewing. But.. I spend every day in a home situation! I don't always go to work or out, but I have more clothes for that than lounge wear. What a cool concept, I'm going to do this in more detail!🎉
Thank you so much for this system! I realize that i have so many level 5 dresses, when I only wear them about 5-6 times a YEAR. I'm a yoga instructor and artist, so even though I like to be dressed up, i should be prioritizing activewear and loungewear, plus some painting clothes i don't mind getting dirty.
This was immensely eye opening. Thank you so much for putting this little workshop together! I truly appreciate it. My wardrobe does NOT match my lifestyle at all right now!
This is so timely & awesome. Changed career from top executive to more casual environment on general staff. Then this position went to WFH (woohoo) with only occasionally going into office. Minimal outings with looking towards moving out if burbs to more rural location. Been struggling clearing and downsizing. Off to start making lists and get closet wrangled & still feel good about my style and have enough options!
Ive kind of stumbled into this method recently myself since I got a new job that requires more formality and have since had to overhaul my wardrobe. I got as far as listing all the recurring events but I’m glad the video goes into greater analysis of how to build my closet!
This was such a great exercise! I've been really struggling with my closet the past couple of years as I went permanently WFH and I love getting dressed up but just don't need to often. I need the stylish level 2 which is basically non-existent in my wardrobe right now.
this is so important... I work in a workshop where a uniform work wear is required, after work I'm so worn out I just change in sweatpants because I rarely go out anymore. So I dress 2 days a week, which led to my wardrobe being way too big for what I need now. I'm glad I managed to chance to a 4 day work week now, so I'll have one more day dressing however I want ♥ I'll keep everything you say in mind
So here's the thing: I'm not terribly interested in what you talk about, but your way of talking and your personality is so reassuring and encouraging that once a month I find myself watching and listening to you, as you were a distant relative of mine who I don't see often but still enjoy catching up with. Thank you!!
I find that the more formal the level the more variety you need in proportion to the frequency of wearing. This is because the social and environmental situations can be quite varied and require different clothes. Also you may only wear them periodically, like on a trip, but need sufficient for a week.
I did this, after the find your own style video, and i took some notes as well. Turns out my preference in clothes and the things i need in my life go hand in hand. Also, i don't have alot of social events, so it's dominated by sleepwear/lounge, and then a merger of lvl3-4 for work. Where practicality, safety and comfort play a huge role. Because my work requires alot of physical work. I will definitely be keeping my list in mind when i do my closet cleanout !
This was SO helpful. My husband is a diplomat, but we came back for two postings to the US in late 2019, and bam, COVID. So I went straight to Level 1 and 2. For last year, I had a few Level 4. But now, back overseas, and we will need to be almost ALL Level 4, 5, and cocktail and formal. Privacy is zero, so you need to even be zero Level 1 in case of emergency, So it was awesome for me as an assessment tool about my shopping or non-shopping.
This is just what i needed!! i keep buying stuff for level 4&5 but instead, I'm only wearing 1&3... But now realizing I have no idea what my personal style looks like at 1&3
FANTASTIC!! What a thoughtful exercise. I can’t wait to try. Most times these types of videos just regurgitate the same info….borrrring. This was off the charts helpful. Thank you.
“WHY DON’T YOU JUST MAKE YOUR OWN CLOTHES?”
THE SHORT ANSWER: I still have the knowledge, but I no longer have the space, time, or resources.
THE LONGER ANSWER: It takes an immense amount of infrastructure and labor to make clothes (fast fashion has made them so cheap that we’ve developed a kind of societal blind spot around this). When I ran a clothing business, I had all of that infrastructure in place-machines, materials, tools, workspace, industry connections, patterns-and I was in my studio for hours every day, so it was easy to just stay after work and make myself a dress. At that time, I did make most of my own dance clothes.
But that's not my life anymore! If I wanted to make a dress now, I’d have to unpack all of my machines and have them serviced (they’ve been in storage for years) and then I’d have to find a fabric source in my current town. For a good quality jersey knit, I would likely pay a premium (it costs a lot more per yard to buy a few yards of fabric at a hobby shop than to buy an entire bolt of the same fabric at a warehouse in the Los Angeles garment district, where I used to source my materials). By the time I had enough fabric for some trial-and-error and the necessary machines functioning, I would have already spent a lot of money-like, possibly two or three hundred dollars-and, more importantly, a great deal of time. Then I’d have to take over our dining room to do the project, which would be inconvenient because that’s where we eat our meals.
Finally, there is no guarantee that the dress would come out particularly well, especially not the first time, because I haven’t sewn a garment in years. It would probably take a couple of tries to get it right, and that would eat up more fabric and more time.
So yes, it could be done because I know how to do it. But it wouldn’t be efficient-I would spend way more time, money, and labor getting to the finished product than I will spend shopping for and buying a dress. If someday we live somewhere with space for me to sew regularly, I’ll likely get the machines back out, start a small fabric collection, and work towards a setup which will allow me to make clothes again in an economical and enjoyable way. But because doing it right now would be exhausting and expensive, it's not actually an appealing prospect. Instead, I’ll go to a consignment shop or thrift shop and find something secondhand that works for dance, and I’ll enjoy the hour or two that I spend there, which is a very appealing prospect :)
THE METAPHORICAL ANSWER: I’m like someone who owned a sushi restaurant five years ago when she lived near the coast. Now I’ve sold the restaurant and I live inland. If it was 6pm and we were hungry and I wanted to go out to eat at a sushi place, and you said to me, “Why not just make your own sushi?” I would say, “But it would take days for me to prepare my kitchen to make sushi, and I’d have to buy a whole bag of sushi rice, whole jars of ginger and wasabi...just to make one meal? And where would I get the sushi-grade fish?”
THANK U FOR COMING TO MY 3-PART TED TALK
❤❤❤
My mum used to make my brother and I clothes when we were young (90s) as it could either save money, or you could end up with much nicer things for the same money. The cost of non-wholesale fabric, thread, zips, patterns etc has gone up so much in Australia that unless you can get very lucky at a discount fabric shop (mostly only available in big cities) it becomes very expensive to sew, let alone the time costs. I enjoy sewing but (particularly as a non-expert) it is generally impractical compared to occasional careful new acquisitions and second hand clothing.
Thank you for the long version, my mom (82) always wants to know why I don't sew after 10 years of lessons in my youth. I actually hate it and am terrible, but you've provided a better answer lol! My mom is verrrrrrrry frugal, so she'll understand that part. I'm so bad at sewing, it's a huge waste of money for me to even buy the fabric...even cheaply made clothes are far, far better constructed than my home sewing skills allow. Unless gaping, puckered seams are hot for summer?
Did you just give me permission to stop thinking I'll sew my own clothing?!? I've always altered secondhand items to make them my own but some part of me holds on to the fantasy that I'll pick up a pattern and make myself something from scratch. There are so many garments floating around already, the relative cost to make a new one just can't compare. Not to mention the time and effort to learn those new skills... time to give away the sewing machine and fabric hoard? Something to think about at least.
Hannah, I appreciate your thorough and informative answer. I recently saw a TH-cam vlog on another channel about how people should make their own clothes in their leisure time to be truly sustainable, and I actually disagree. It requires real skill, resources and time to make clothes, as you so clearly explain. It's fine for people who want to make their own clothes to do so. For the rest of us, wouldn't it be better to pay garment workers a living wage (at least) and ensure safe and dignified working conditions?
An important category for me to consider is clothes for my period. I know there’s certain things I can’t wear if I don’t want any accidents, and having designated undies for that too. But even just clothes where I know I’m gonna be bloated and if I’m going out I need to accommodate that.
Love how DETAILED this is, this is so helpful
In addition, I find that I mostly feel like shopping right after my period and then I end up with too much level 4 clothes, because it's what I feel like wearing when I'm ovulating. Forgetting that I need that level 3 and below for the rest of my cycle :D Shopping with your period cycle in mind should be a video in itself :)
Tbh, I have never had kids but I have a couple of pregnancy pants to wear in my period
I would add a sub-level - i was missing this in my own wardrobe until I recognized how much I needed it a few years ago, and having this little module of clothes and shoes for all seasons has been a game changer! So my level -1 is “Dirty Deeds.” For things like yard work and gardening and painting and other various chores that get dirty. I’ll go to goodwill every so often and pick up a t-shirt or sweatpants or sneakers and I have a whole drawer dedicated to these things. Not glamorous or sexy, but I end up wearing them almost every day. I’m wearing some now! 😆
I love this!
Amen!! ❤ Was just having these thoughts as well while watching the vid. I do a lot of renovating our home, and end up turning more lounge-y clothes inside out if I'm painting, for example - but it's so nice to still feel cute (and yes I will still put on eye makeup & plenty of vibrant lipstick while on the 'job'), and therefore to just have a section of wardrobe dedicated to the 'dirty deeds' as you so aptly called them! This also includes a fun apron, of which I have many, both for dirty deeds as well as for cooking! 😁🥰
@@Robutnikon I need aprons!! I think they would be game changers.
@@rebeccajordan4491 Yes! Aprons are grand. They really feel like a uniform to me - in the best way. After a decade in art school they are a quintessential tool in any medium! I even get a little dopamine rush when I'm putting one on - knowing I'm about to do something fun 😁🌟✌🏻
Same here…I paint and garden everyday, and have cute outfits for that. Earth colored linen, especially with rougher textures work for me…vests,dresses, flowy pants in cuts that allow free movement are very comfy, and stains either don’t show, actually add the character of the fabric.
I never put it into words before, but this video made me realize I actually organize my closet by levels of formality (office appropriate, varying levels of casual, home) as opposed to by type (dresses, tops) or color. I watch a lot of organization content and have never seen anyone else organize their clothes the same way I do, but now it makes sense why I find it so much easier to get dressed this way (I highly recommend). Ha, thanks for helping me understand myself better!
This comment also made me realize my account got hacked because what is this username 🤦🏻♀️ what a day of realizations
Ditto. Lol
I do this too! I feel so much more organized after watching this 😂
Me too!
@@ClodofEarth😮 I hope you checked up on your other account if they have the same/similar passwords
This is freaking brilliant. I may actually start organizing my closet into these categories. I think it would greatly simplify life to ask "what level of dress do I need for what I'm doing" and head to that area. Honestly, all capsule wardrobes should include your methodology. This is probably why most of us have fallen down with that.
i had the same exact thoughts! and really brought my attention to why capsule wardrobes didn’t make much sense to me. but that system plus this could work pretty well!
I had the same thought!
Came here to say this exact thing!
What is a capsule wardrobe?
Can't someone make it into an app, please? Like, we would take pictures of our clothes and classify them by formality level and when we need outfits for an event, the app would give us inspiration according to the level of formality of the event!
As someone who went from working in the financial core of a major city to pregnancy, to young motherhood, to pandemic, to being a stay at home mom I’ve had to completely rearrange and come to a new understanding of what my wardrobe needs to offer me. This video helps to break it down so clearly, will be making my own chart. Many thanks!!
Going through this also! My comfort zone is business casual but my life running after toddlers and having long mornings and evenings tells me I need to head into a different direction😂
So true, and relatable!
And on top of all that, I still love to get dressed up once in a while!
Thank you for the diversity in the examples! As a fat woman I rarely see myself represented in videos like these, and it honestly makes my brain go "oh this advice is not for me" even if I know that that's an irrational thought 😅. Representation is so important! 🙏❤️
I was just about to say the same thing about the dressy woman in a wheelchair and the masc person in femme clothes!
I noticed that too and loved it!
I was about to comment on the same thing! I noticed it too and it's sooo good!
As a cat, I also appreciated the inclusion of one of my cousin felines in his classy olive green level 4 sweater.
I came here to say that too! Wonderful examples!
Can i just take a moment to appreciate the diversity of the models for your examples? So effortlessly inclusive. 🎉
Thank you for intellectualizing the way we experience fashion and consumption! Truly the only fashion content I don’t mentally tune out after the first 3 minutes. ✨
Well said
I watched these two videos twice, went through the whole process, and was actually shocked to find that not only does my wardrobe match my lifestyle constraints, but in proportion to each level of formality and how often I wear it. I didn't really realize how often I actually wear each piece of my wardrobe, but it makes much more sense now
I always appreciate the inclusivity of size - and also ethnicity and gender - you show when pulling examples for these videos. Many people wouldn't think about it, and I love that you do. Deep thanks for that.
I wanted to give you a shout out for this as well, Hannah!
And the inclusivity of various ages too
My gosh, yes. I came for a fun fashion watch and I ended up with Feelings??? Wow
same
Yes!!
Can we just talk about the fabulous examples of formality levels?! I love all of these and their style AND inclusivity
Yes! Also came here to comment on how lovely it was to see the many different examples, on a beautifully inclusive range of people!
Yes yes! This is literally the only channel I've found so far with both genuinely useful style concepts/tips and also inclusive inspiration.
I did an exercise like this after realizing I was shopping for my "fantasy self," a gal who appeared not need sensible shoes (Why? She would never walk!), and not my real life. Sadly, I learned I needed way more comfortable shoes and casual outfits instead of clothes that were useful for nightclubing and concert going. I also realized how often I am in "house clothes," and with that knowledge, I invested in better quality PJs and lay around outfits (hello, cashmere!). I would encourage everyone to audit their lives and the clothes for those lives, and, armed with that knowledge, proceed accordingly with their hard earned shopping dollars.
Bingo! Shopping for my Fantasy Self, as well…. especially with makeup, shoes and jewelry 🤑, but my Real Self is binging TH-cam, Netflix, etc. and walking the pups!
Learning=Winning!!
Oh, yeah 😅 or sometimes you just exaggerate a certain part of your life. For example, as a social dancer, just like the author of the video, I know way too well that many dancers are guilty of having 90% of their wardrobe for dance events and only 10% for "real life" 😂 like, who needs comfortable pants for errands when you can buy one more sequin dress.
Such a terrific video, thank you so much for putting it together. I am a(n almost) 60-year-old man who retired three years ago and moved from the USA to southern Spain. I finally have the time to think about a personal style and the clothes I wear and want to wear.
I recently discovered this and your other videos and they are helping me immensely. ...even with super basic concepts like putting words to how I want to dress, I love “polished casual”. I also love that the way you present your ideas and concepts they can be applied to both women's and men's (and gender neutral) styles. ...and it is about style and not just fashion.
Thank you again for your videos.
hannah, my dear, you're absolutely FEEDING US with excellent content lately. thank you so much. you are a breath of fresh air in this fast fashion-dominated field.
love the video! the only thing I feel you missed when talking about how much more often you need level 2 and 3 clothing than level 4 is that the higher the category the higher the attention to outfits (wearing the same outfit in a formal situation is uncommon whereas wearing the same two outfits to the gym for weeks is normal) so I do believe that the felt need for more level 4 clothing than level 2 and 3 makes sense and is reasonable :)
I've never been big into fashion because I don't find it very intuitive, but the way you approach fashion in a way that breaks it down is so helpful to me!! I've been thoroughly enjoying your fashion content
I find this really helpful. One thing about higher formality clothes, for me, is that I tend to not want to repeat them as much. Making me want more variety for 5's than I do for 1's. Also, living in Minnesota, we see extreme differences in how we spend time in summer versus winter. That's another thing to consider.
Yes! That's the case for me as well. That might also explain why she had fewer level 3 clothes than her usage suggested. Things we wear to knock around the house aren't really seen by others, so repetition isn't a consideration.
Agreed! I love the concept of the statistics and wonder if it could be taken a step further by applying some multipliers to represent the need for more variety in some levels than others. If one were using these numbers as guidelines to how many outfits to own, for example, then we might apply a multiplier of 0.5 or even 0.25 to the number of uses in a month to determine our needs for Level One pieces, assuming these are normally worn at home and alone. On the other end, Level 4/5 items (ie tango clothing) would need a 1.0 or 1.25 multiplier, assuming one would not want to repeat the tango outfit in the same month.
This is a useful tool to quantify reality vs fantasy closets. I have a hunch that my wardrobe is skewed toward the fantasy and my reality closet should get more love. Thank you for grounding your thought process in hard data. Now I’m off to crunch some numbers. 😀
wow, amazing angle and so true. This really dovetails with the fantasy self stuff.
Haha so true. I have a huge amount of summer clothes although most of the year its pretty cold where I live. I guess I tried to make summer approach faster by buying the clothes 😅
Very true for me as well. I have WAY too much level 5 clothing when I spend most of my days in level 3/4. I am a magpie for silk tops and dresses when my reality is I’m the mum of an 18-month-old and I spend most of my days on the floor. I am going to crunch my numbers as well and report back. I also have been trying to break out of my comfort zone with my every day clothes and trying not to treat some items as “too precious” to wear when I’m caring for my daughter. On Monday I wore a checkered blazer that has a vintage 90s vibe over my tee and jeans and felt amazing, even though I spent the day at home with my wee’an and going to Target! :)
@@Ophelia441 😊Encourage you to keep experimenting with your wardrobe. Maybe avoid wearing anything too precious when finger painting 🎨, rolling around the floor, or other messy activities with 🤍daughter.
Instead flirt with your level of formality when heading out to run errands, visit the library, go to a museum, walk at the park, tea party, whatever. Your adding a much loved blazer to such a casual, simple tee & jean could instantly add a 🧂 dash of glamour to the everyday.
You're deciding you're worth it. So play with your finery. See if there's a realistic way to enjoy these pieces today rather than saving for your fantasy life. Even a small addition will put a spring in your step. 👀Others will take notice of your delight too.
Am a person who doesn't wear jeans, but will wear ✂️ cut-offs to hike or do my household chores. 😬While comfy, I know this garment doesn't put me at my personal best. Last week, I tried out some neglected dresses & a skirt sitting in my closet in a new manner that brought unexpected compliments😮.
Tested out: (1) a bold floral tea length cotton skirt w/a solid tank top, matching sneakers, & a contrasting sweater from print over my shoulders as a scarf. Also (2) a body-con black tee & bike shorts under a short med. blue linen jumper dress that I unbuttoned from the bottom to the empire waist. It showed only a glimpse of slimmer legs & proportions below. Lastly, (3) belted a fuscia t-shirt dress (to remove some of the volume & length) over gray bike shorts & matching sneakers.🧢Added a coordinating cap too in each look as 🌞sun protection. In every outfit, I felt comfy, casual, yet wholly feminine🎉.
🤫 The late 👑Queen Elizabeth's "at home" attire is giving me 🪄 inspo. Although she too had actual utility fabrics & wellies for mucking about the horses or dogs in inclement weather🌧. She also wore darling earthy toned tartan skirts, cashmere twinsets, & ordinary oxfords for pulling her grandkids about on the ponies or walking the grounds.
As someone who prefers skirts〰️ but not heels or silk〰️I admired how ⚜️Her Majesty wore feminine & formal silhouettes in a wholly unfussy manner to do her ordinary everyday casual country pursuits.
🤔I have perfect plaid & pencil skirts that deserve airing. Decided I'm going to adopt more of her ✨️ regal style for myself. Just need a touch of edge or rebellion to keep me being too precious or from 🤶frumpy town.
💚Bridget from Cali☘️
(using my pal's YT acct)
The thing is pjs you can rewear a bunch so you also don’t need as many. So I would half that number or even third it haha
This just blew my mind. I always felt like I had too much loungewear when it was all put away in my drawers, but I was wearing it all constantly (and wearing it out) and never felt like I had enough. Think I’m definitely going to arrange my drawers and wardrobe into the categories so it’s easier to pick out outfits that suit the occasions
I'll definitely need to formally go through this exercise because even just watching your breakdown made me realize that despite wanting to buy more loungewear and activewear, for some reason I feel bad about it because I think "well I'll just be shlepping around in it, it's not fancy enough to bring me joy" when in reality, I should just find more lounge/activewear that is as exciting as the casual/dressy things I don't wear nearly as often.
Amen! 😊
One thing I would recommend which no one thinks about until they need it is buy a cute tote and fill it with new and comfy pajamas or leisure, socks, underwear, lotion, dry shampoo, make up, hair ties, toothpaste and toothbrush, mouthwash, hand sanitizer and snacks. This is good if you ever have to take yourself to the hospital or someone else does. It’s a way to take home with you in an uncomfortable environment. ❤
That is a great idea and if its not too insensitive ro say, as we get older. My Mother went into hospital suddenly, and sent me all ober the city looking for her specific nightwear preferences. On top of worrying about her health it was exhausting.
This is such a great way to view it! I live mostly in level 4.5 - as a freelance photographer who also gives tours and courses at a local contemporary art gallery, I get to dress however I want, and I love being fancy and well put together. I have always gravitated towards to dressy clothes, but used to think I had to "save" those pieces for occasions, but now I'm like "every day is an occasion to have fun with my appearance". I don't wear jeans or tshirts or sneakers, I don't feel at home in them. A cool thing about living my life at level four is that I don't need to change clothes from day to evening - most of my outfits are dinner plans appropriate, but also very comfortable to me, because I wear them day in day out. After living like this for a few years, I'm waaaay happier like this than in the jeans and hoodies I thought I had to wear daily.
counterpoint to your fashion math: just because you wear level 1, 2, 3 clothing more often doesn't really mean that you need more of it. I work from home and so the majority of time, I'm wearing level1 clothing. However, I wear the same three sets of pajamas day in and day out. Also, it's more socially acceptable to outfit repeat on lower levels of clothing, so that's why most of my time shopping is still invested in level 4 clothing.
okay, this video was SO helpful. I’m super organized and tend to categorize and curate everything in my life, and never considered approaching my wardrobe like this. I love that you included a category that was specific to you (tango) because I have some pretty unique categories in my life (cosplay, bowhunting, burlesque) and this method is going to revolutionize how I acquire new pieces and make sure I have day-to-day clothes that suit what I’m actually doing.
This is SO interesting. Made me realize that I think of myself as someone who dresses casually, but it's actually more often formal casual (even for errands, just like you) than I thought.
Thank you SO much! This completely explains why neither my formerly pretty minimalist wardrobe nor the casual “mom-style” works for me. Having two kids, working part-time with various obligations I didn’t have before definitely requires more thought about how to structure my wardrobe.
This was life changing experience. It’s been a month since I reorganized my clothes and wardrobe according to 5 levels from this video. That was the best thing that I have ever done!
I learned where are the gaps in my wardrobe and what level I wear the most.
I realised I should invest in Level 1, and I was very intentional when I bought 2 pairs of new pajamas of the highest quality. Silky cotton, timeless design.
I dress so much quicker and more put together nowadays 🎉
Thank you again for this fantastic advice.
I bought some 32 degrees knit dresses. They are solid colors, and I wear them as nightgowns. They are much dressier than print nightgowns, and feel like I’m dressed if someone comes to the door. And, since they don’t have lace or buttons, they are supper comfortable.
You tend to pay a lot of attention to things that some people find trivial but in fact have a huge affect on my mood and are fun to dig into. Thanks!! an over arching theme that beautiful things matter and adorning ourselves is almost a magical ritual♥️
I created 6 categories for myself (lounge, active, daily casual, dressy casual, daily formal, dressy formal) dressy formal is like a gown, daily formal is more office type wear. Dressy casual is like a cute dress I would wear to go out for drinks. I dont know if these are gonna make sense in daily life, but hanged all my pieces by category and it already cleared my mind a lot! Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Oh my god… I was literally trying to look up this exact topic on TH-cam the other day and couldn’t find a good video for it and then lo and behold… you posted this! It’s a perfect breakdown of a simple but comprehensive exercise. I have been trying to articulate my disorganized thoughts around this and you made it so clear - thank you for making this video!
I usually go for pieces which can be dressed up and down easily by playing with accessories. Dress your outfit up with heels&blazer or dress it down with trainers&knit.😃
I was not understanding this video at all but I started reading the comments and I got it! This girl is brilliant! Never heard anything like this before .
Such an interesting new mental tool, Hannah! So these are my thoughts from spending some time with it thinking about clothes as a person with a very small closet:
A. Activewear is just not on this scale for me: I have 1 full set of training clothes that I wear only when I'm actually exercising.
B. I'm feeling my best self at lvl 4 and I almost always purchase items for that level when I do purchase things.
C. The pieces of clothing in my lvl 3 & 1 categories are clothes originally purchased for lvl 4 but have slipped down the levels as they get worn in.
D. I hate with a passion getting dressed for lvl 5 and I have almost no piece of clothing decidedly at this lvl. Why is that? 2 reasons come to mind:
1. The clothes designed & produced for that lvl are performing very badly on the scales of practicality (ironing, hand washing, etc.) and of comfort and these scales matter a lot for me.
2. And maybe more interestingly of all: I feel like lvl 5 clothes have the largest degree of gender performativity imbedded in their design and so most clothes of that lvl (that are designed for my body & size) make me feel a lot of uncomfortable feelings.
My action list:
I. I spend a very respectable amount of time in lvl1 clothes, maybe I should allocate a bit of my budget to make me feel a bit better when I'm wearing them.
II. Start giving some thought about what a lvl5 outfit that I feel great in would look like and feel like on my body.
Hallelujah for the point raised re: formalwear and “dressy” wear and gender performativity! Recently out non-binary person here, feeling much the same.
But I love Hannah for frequently including a gender-nonconforming model - and for having included them in this video as the front-and-center example of dressy wear! And they were CRUSHING IT!
Cis or trans, formalwear tends to polarize our gender expression. Some people are made for that; they absolutely LIVE for it. And then there’s the rest of us, who struggle with it sometimes.
♥️ thank you for being yourself and being aware of implicit gender roles in certain clothing - we all can feel pressured by gender norms at times, even if we’re cisgender. Cheers!
This was very useful. I struggle with shopping for the various areas of my life and always seem to over buy for the life I don't have.
This is literally the exact concept that I have been struggling with! I am often changing and reorganizing my Pinterest boards but I’m unable to really clearly delineate what the differences are between them. And I just haven’t quite defined some of my “levels”. Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this so well!
Yes, this was an a-ha moment for me too. My prepandemic wardrobe was polished casual work clothes and Pajamas so I would shop and eat out in variations of work outfits 😮 I have shifted since then after consuming other content but this really hit the nail on the head. It took a while for me to establish a sense of what my leisure style is - working from home and the choices available helped with that.
I have entered a new phase of my life, changing positions at work including working part-time and moving to retirement in approximately a year. The dress code for this position is scrubs, I have been having fun exploring scrubs and that still presents professionalism. With that I have been clearing out my closet and this guide is at perfect timing. This switch has also included my husband’s wardrobe, I gagged when he piled up many of his dress clothes to donate. The approach you presented is amazing and it’s not too late for us to implement for our closets.
This video helped me reconcile two of my aesthetic pursuits, the historic everyday and the goth. I was feeling rather nervous about trying to cultivate what felt like two different wardrobes (18th c inspired apron skirts, shifts and blouses vs. goth skirts with slits, cropped t shirts and baggy black pants), but now it makes sense that I see myself using the historic everyday AS my everyday outfits (I think more in line with your levels two or three) and the goth outfits as my casual wear to meet friends and go to nice places. Thanks so much for sharing!
I stumbled upon your channel due to my TH-cam suggestions, and I am trying to catch up on many of your old videos. They are all extremely interesting, but this is the one that has opened my eyes to why I am so dissatisfied with my closet. Thanks to you, I have decided to start a year of low spending, and creating something that really reflects my needs, and not what the trends try to get us to buy. Thank you for all your amazing work!
I did this type of wardrobe analysis a year ago, and something that helped me visualize how much of my wardrobe I should reserve for each category of formality, was a pie chart. It was very helpful to see what 40% looked like next to 15%, 18%, 5% and also what that number should be out of the whole. I understand that 5% (formal) is less than 18%, 40%, but seeing how small a percentage it was in the grand scale of my wardrobe really hit home. As in, if my wardrobe contains 25 full outfits, only 1 outfit should be a formal one.
Thanks for this suggestion! I just made my own pie chart and it was really helpful to see it layed out like that. Made me realise (like Hannah) I really don't need anymore polished casual clothing at the moment as it's only 8% of what I wear monthly!
I wear dresses 90% of the time, so I tend to come across to most people as level 4 if I don't try, 5 if I do. The truth is though I the dresses I wear out of the house are usually a level 3 if I don't style them, level 4 if I do. It's so interesting how a dress is perceived as "dressed up" when I really just hate pants.
Me too! Kudos to another mostly-dresses woman.
Now this is content any conscience consumer who's thrashing out their relationship to fashion and their wardrobe can use! I will absolutely be using this process to help me right-size my wardrobe assortment to my actual lifestyle. Thanks Hannah!
I’ve struggled with trying to feel great in my clothes for years and I can say that this is the best method I’ve ever come across for creating a functional wardrobe. I was so excited to go to my closet and classify my clothes using your system. I realise I shop with polished casual outfits in mind when what I need is more active and leisure wear - I tend to downgrade clothes to fill that role and have always wondered why I feel a bit shabby 😂😂😂 thank you so much for this video. I think you have an actionable method which would make a wonderful book - with fabulous photos like the ones you show! Keep up the great work and thank you again!!!
I am hooked by this process. For me I would need a category for gardening and messy outdoor work. That is the equivalent of ragbag, level zero, for me, though I would place some of the type of clothes you mentioned for level 3 like faded tshirts in there. I cant wait to do this process for myself.
Edit. I semi did this without understanding it at anintellectual level when I realized I had great clothes for work but nothing that looked good for casual and have spent the last few years building in that area. But I still end up with too much in the " polished " zone.
I'm a little late to the game but I just came across this video the other day. I went through your process and found it so, so helpful. I've read so much on how to curate a wardrobe and yours is honestly the best method I have come across. It has been such an eye-opener to examine my life and to realize that I spend most of my time in the unpolished casual category but that I spend the majority of my time and money on curating my polished casual category! I am an older, chubbier woman and I love seeing all the body types and genders you included in your examples. Thank you for sharing your talents. I'm loving your videos!
I think a fair variable is that polished or semi polished casual (in my lifestyle) is something I count as getting dressed, rather than just covering my body. I therefore want more variation. When I'm going full casual (deep cleaning etc) I can wear the same unexciting fleeces etc, so long as they're sufficiently clean and not precious I don't care.
Even more so unless I'm staying somewhere with a non partner I wear one long top most nights for sleepwear, only swapping in a random t shirt when that items in the laundry.
This is a great idea. My wardrobe isn't the big issue for me, but because I live in Minnesota I have at least six levels of outerwear) 1) hoodies/light jackets 2) leather jackets and uninsulated wool jackets and blazers 3) insulated jackets, light down jackets and fleeces 4) parkas and fur coats 5) expedition level parka...all of these are really necessary and I have multiples in every category. We are currently in the very short period for blazers in Minnesota so I'm wearing them frantically whether they are really necessary or not. Maybe I need to apply your system to the unknowable nebula of the coat closet.
Former Minnesotan, now living in Canada: I understand so well! Just in the dressy category I have long dress coat, midi dress coat, and fur coat. Then there is the snowboard jacket that I actually ski in, and the old ratty ski jacket for shoveling snow!
I love this! My 'activewear' is more hiking clothes than tights and has a lot of crossover with my work clothes and unpolished casual. Thanks for walking us through this so we can fit it to our lifestyles!
I'm really grateful for this video b/c I'm about to graduate and enter the workforce in a hybrid position... My lifestyle is about to change drastically, and the clothing that I'll feel comfortable/appropriate in throughout my daily activities will change. I'll definitely apply this exercise to my life soon to really ground my wardrobe in reality!
This is amazing! I am a teacher and wear polished casual for work. Like you, I enjoy wearing polished casual for most of my errands out of the house. But I am also very conservative in my dress for work, to a level I don't need in the rest of my life. I'm so glad your categories helped me think this through, because maybe I need "polished casual - work conservative" and "polished casual - comfy sexy" categories, so that I don't feel like the buttoned up requirements of my job overflow into my personal life. Some of this comes down to styling (just button up more of the buttons) but other times I will skip an item of clothing entirely if it doesn't work for work (usually it's that neckline!). This is giving me permission to make room for outfits that don't "work for work." Thank you thank you!!
This was super helpful to conceptualize how to create a balanced wardrobe and to find any gaps. One curiosity: how many outfits would someone want depending on if they are more minimalistic or if they want more choices. It seems that if you have favorites, you might have unworn clothes you like but never wear because you simply don’t have an actual need for them. Also, with bold statement pieces, people might remember seeing you wear the same outfit, (if this matters), while basics or more neutral clothing might be more easily rotated or worn more often. Also, the need is less if the social situations are with different people in different environments. As a self-employed Art Therapist, I work four days a week in some capacity, but see totally different people, so I sometimes wear the same thing. I don’t have enough clothes that work in the size I need currently and rely on wearing lots of black (too much) and changing up accessories and jewelry. Thank you! I will work this process! It might also be cool to create a very functional and more stylish wardrobe capsule based on this type of analysis. I think we all have more of what we need in certain areas, and might be missing other things. :)
I love the inclusiveness of your examples! I suffer from feeling overdressed for everything before I leave the house and "downgrade" whatever I wear to draw less attention usually. I changed outfits like twice a day too, possibly because it's so damn hot here in Houston and I don't want to wear sweaty ANYTHING.
I love you include all kinds of people in your examples, so refreshing!
i come back to this video again and again for inspiration. what a GEM that only 300K people have seen. the others are missing out on this wisdom
Loving the fashion content. Please continue to analyze our fashion consumption and enjoyment! And love that you are so inclusive with examples.
Omg why has no one even broken it down like this! Makes so much sense. Thankyouuuuu
Thank you! It is the best video I know of on this topic. I often shop for clothes that satisfy my fantasies about my lifestyle, and after spending all the money and energy on finding and buying stuff I just put those beautiful and expensive clothes in my closet because I have no weddings, cruises and business meetings coming up. My lifestyle is very basic; sleep, lounge/sport/work, work/grocery shopping, going for a nature walk/beach on the weekends. The contents of my closet do not support my lifestyle at all. I am unhappy with how I dress daily, because all I wear are plain grey t-shirts and something like sleep-sport-bike-winter underwear shorts, replacing this with sweatpants and a hoodie during the winter. Everything is grey and black ;( I was going to write a short comment… it turns out I am writing a “poor me” essay 😂. Thank you again. I am going back to finding “MY” style.
I've been watching your fashion videos and a light bulb turned on in my head! I've been trying things in my closet that I never thought I would try and I'm having a blast
Interesting! I love your categories, but mine would look a little different:
1. Lounge/Sleep x30
2. Outdoor/Active x6
3. Polished Casual x5
4. Business casual x16
5. Dressy x3
I think seasonal attire is also an important consideration. For example, my outdoor/active attire in summer might include a lot of swimwear, short-sleeved moisture wicking shirts, and floppy hats. In the fall and winter, I might need more fleeces and knit caps. I always struggle to pack appropriately for camping and hiking in cooler weather. The same is true for dressy situations. I have a couple of dresses that I like to wear when I go out to string quartets and plays, but none that really work for winter. I feel like I need to make this list for warm, cold, and shoulder seasons and build from there. Often, when I struggle to find something to wear, it isn't the level of formality that is amiss, but the right temperature within that formality level.
Biggest congratulations on 100k Hannah!! Have been here since midway through your nobuy year and love your Patreon too…. My partner knows the sound of your voice and was like the other day “you have been listening to this woman forever!” Definitely an important part of my routine and this video is another example of why- high quality, deeply insightful, deeply practical and just presented in the most calming and approachable way. Thanks for doing your work in the world!!
Thank you for this video. It is exactly what I needed. Have been thinking about this topic, and you gave me a concrete way to quantify. I bought 4-5 loungey nightgowns for summer -- same item in different prints -- and felt indulgent, but I wore them every night at home! It was such a pleasure to look nice and be comfortable in our hot, hot weather.
This is exactly what I needed to revamp my wardrobe! I am struggling so much recently with putting together outfits and thus am wearing the same few pieces over and over again because a lot of what I have doesn't make me feel good about myself, and it needs to be appropriate for the situation. I am definitely going to be sitting down and doing this process so I can revamp my wardrobe. I needed a way to analyze the issue because I don't like wasting money on pieces and having a disproportionate amount of clothing for various events.
I think this is so useful. I would like to say that for me, some of my polished casual outfits like jeans and newer, brighter tees will move down a category to my more casual when they become a little tired looking or distressed. That makes certain clothes more practical depending on the style and fabric. Good quality jeans, plain colored cotton tees and cotton sweaters and even a button down shirt are all appropriate to a polished look when they are new and can be also be appropriate to an unpolished look when they are older. I can move them down a category and replace them with newer, polished items. So I spend most of my moneyy on carefully chosen polished casual
You are one of the best styling youtubers I've come across so far. Following for sure and thank you so much, it makes so much sense!
I just did this exercise and I’m blown away!!! Instead of going through 5 levels of formality, I went with 3 (1 for comfortable, 2 for casual, and 3 for dressy). And what I found is that in my 8 recurring lifestyle situations, I like to either be comfortable or dressy and not casual 😄 that was a surprise but it makes sooo much sense 😅. Thank you Hannah for this video!!!
This is the best fashion video in the whole youtube it literally feels like a life changer watching this. I had this huge problem of not knowing my fashion personal style or why my wardrobe is never right and this changed that for the best. Thank you sooo much you are actually SO underrated for the kind of helpful videos and different from others you make. Seriously thank you you're so helpful 🫶💖🌷
As a non-binary person who’s also been dealing with self-esteem issues and family trauma… I HAVE been feeling chronically underdressed. But just because I don’t know EXACTLY how I want to look or dress, shouldn’t mean I lose sight of “you deserve to look nice. You deserve to have polish. You’re the one deciding what that means.”
Thank you for this. My whole life, I’ve abhorred shopping for clothes, mostly because things that got approval from other people didn’t feel “right” on me. The person I saw in the mirror looked nice, but it was an image of somebody else.
Over time I just stopped wanting anything dressy or even polished because I hated seeing myself as that other, alien person. I didn’t understand how everyone else found it so easy. It actually made me angry.
Now I’m still struggling, and I don’t really have a great budget for rebuilding a wardrobe, but in terms of cost per wear, my existing clothes have been worn absolutely into the ground. It’s time for something new.
And some of that includes “trans stuff” like gender-affirming underwear, shoulder padding, tailoring for button-downs etc… but most of it really doesn’t. Most of it is just this idea that I deserve to have nice things.
"The person I saw in the mirror looked nice, but it was an image of somebody else." That resonated so hard. I didn't know other people felt that way. I've only recently been able to put it into words. Thank you
At first I thought this is super a analytical but it’s great! I after rating my 1 to 5 need more 1&2 have plenty of 3 & 4! I’m not in your age group but this has by far been beneficial for me! I feel good about the 2 pair of jogging pants I just bought. Now it’s time to get the fall clothes sorted! Thanks for sharing
Hannah, i just LOVE your fashion viideos! They are so thoughtful, inspiring and universal! I'll definitely analyze my lifestyle-wardrobe fit following your method. However, i'll still need to find a solution for those situations where different formality levels mix, without necessarily change clothes. In my example it is my commute to work using my bicycle (level 2) while working in the office wearing level 4. I'd like to have a magic wand to create clothes that match both formality levels all the time - again, without the need to change in between. Meanwhile i'm settling into wearing level 3 for both due to my unwillingness to bring clothes to change into, even though this means that i feel underdressed at Work. Sigh! Huge problem... ;)
Wow level three to me just looks like FASHION. All of those outfits are amazing.
I'm so curious - when buying clothes do you have certain brands that you always look at first (eg Reformation, Everlane, etc)? Based on how their style, fit, colors etc work for you? Or do you have a strategy of looking at clothing sites with multiple brands (Saks Fifth, FarFetch, etc). Or - do you start with second hand stores/sites? Right now in my reduced budget state I'm looking for basics on Amazon (so sad but true - but they have some good oversized linen shirts and pants) and Banana Republic Factory for my nice casual clothes, simply bc it's a fast way to find colors and cuts that work for me that I can afford.....Would love to see a video on buying strategies especially with set budgets.
this would be a great video topic!
@@HannahLouisePoston yipee - looking forward!
This is phenomenal. A brilliant and most helpful approach to wardrobe I’ve ever seen. I’ll definitely check out the others in the series as well. I’ve just retired and am currently trying to reevaluate my clothing. This is a great approach. Thank you!
I’d be so interested for you to do a video about outerwear. And how this concept applies to outerwear wear but also temperature appropriate amounts of clothing.
I envy your robe and pj collection and after watching this I'm going to indulge myself by buying/making a lovely robe! Thanks for giving yourself "permission " to indulge yourself... it sets a good example.
I've been so over style and clothing videos as they all feel the same but I love your new series! Fresh, non-judgemental and inclusive and bringing new ideas that are so practical xxxx
I love this and will definitely be giving it a try. But I also wanted to add, if your lounge wear and pjs make you feel good and you enjoy them, an you can afford them, you don't need to justify them at all. Just enjoy.
This video helped me so much more than any capsule wardrobe video or anything like that. Because I’m just not a dressy person and my work doesn’t require dressy clothes. So the ‚must have‘ pieces I find in those videos or online don’t work for me and they don’t make sense in my wardrobe. So thinking about how often I need which level of formality during the month and then sort my wardrobe according to that makes so much more sense. This way I can find out which pieces I am missing and which ones I have too many of that I don’t need on a regular basis. Thank you so much!
My exercise is walking so I wear either level 3 or 4 clothes for that. So I only have four levels in my life.
I really liked how you described how to figure out how much time you spend in each level.
Kathy B
I really appreciate how intentional you are about showing different body types and noticing size ranges! A lot of fashion creators can be alienating to large and fat bodies, but your images make it clear that all body types can follow along.
HANNAH!! this is gold! Wow! So grateful for this information. Thank you, Queen!
You are really making fashion pursuits so much more attainable. The whole thought process of it all makes so much sense!!! Thank you
Wow! This helps me understand my wardrobe so much better!!
I have a wardrobe app (smart closet) where I keep track of my items. I'll see if I can add levels to it!
I feel frumpy at home sometimes because I don't have nice loungewear. It's old clothing that's no longer fit for public viewing.
But.. I spend every day in a home situation! I don't always go to work or out, but I have more clothes for that than lounge wear.
What a cool concept, I'm going to do this in more detail!🎉
Thank you so much for this system! I realize that i have so many level 5 dresses, when I only wear them about 5-6 times a YEAR. I'm a yoga instructor and artist, so even though I like to be dressed up, i should be prioritizing activewear and loungewear, plus some painting clothes i don't mind getting dirty.
This was immensely eye opening. Thank you so much for putting this little workshop together! I truly appreciate it. My wardrobe does NOT match my lifestyle at all right now!
This is so timely & awesome. Changed career from top executive to more casual environment on general staff. Then this position went to WFH (woohoo) with only occasionally going into office. Minimal outings with looking towards moving out if burbs to more rural location. Been struggling clearing and downsizing. Off to start making lists and get closet wrangled & still feel good about my style and have enough options!
Ive kind of stumbled into this method recently myself since I got a new job that requires more formality and have since had to overhaul my wardrobe. I got as far as listing all the recurring events but I’m glad the video goes into greater analysis of how to build my closet!
This is a great process to go through to determine what you need vs what you have in your wardrobe. Thank you.
This was such a great exercise! I've been really struggling with my closet the past couple of years as I went permanently WFH and I love getting dressed up but just don't need to often. I need the stylish level 2 which is basically non-existent in my wardrobe right now.
I am polished casual everywhere every time. Makes life easier
this is so important... I work in a workshop where a uniform work wear is required, after work I'm so worn out I just change in sweatpants because I rarely go out anymore. So I dress 2 days a week, which led to my wardrobe being way too big for what I need now. I'm glad I managed to chance to a 4 day work week now, so I'll have one more day dressing however I want ♥ I'll keep everything you say in mind
Wow that was very useful! I applied your formula to my wardrobe and finally found the reason of my ‘nothing to wear’ issue, thanks a lot! ❤
So here's the thing: I'm not terribly interested in what you talk about, but your way of talking and your personality is so reassuring and encouraging that once a month I find myself watching and listening to you, as you were a distant relative of mine who I don't see often but still enjoy catching up with.
Thank you!!
This was eye-opening. I never appoarched creating my wardrobe this way! Thank you!!
I find that the more formal the level the more variety you need in proportion to the frequency of wearing. This is because the social and environmental situations can be quite varied and require different clothes. Also you may only wear them periodically, like on a trip, but need sufficient for a week.
I did this, after the find your own style video, and i took some notes as well.
Turns out my preference in clothes and the things i need in my life go hand in hand. Also, i don't have alot of social events, so it's dominated by sleepwear/lounge, and then a merger of lvl3-4 for work. Where practicality, safety and comfort play a huge role. Because my work requires alot of physical work.
I will definitely be keeping my list in mind when i do my closet cleanout !
This is the most natural, inclusive group of people when you show the fashion examples - I love it
Finally. Thank you. This is so Realistic. If i keep on top of house cleaning i stay at your level 1, 4, 3.
This was SO helpful. My husband is a diplomat, but we came back for two postings to the US in late 2019, and bam, COVID. So I went straight to Level 1 and 2. For last year, I had a few Level 4. But now, back overseas, and we will need to be almost ALL Level 4, 5, and cocktail and formal. Privacy is zero, so you need to even be zero Level 1 in case of emergency, So it was awesome for me as an assessment tool about my shopping or non-shopping.
This is just what i needed!! i keep buying stuff for level 4&5 but instead, I'm only wearing 1&3... But now realizing I have no idea what my personal style looks like at 1&3
FANTASTIC!! What a thoughtful exercise. I can’t wait to try. Most times these types of videos just regurgitate the same info….borrrring. This was off the charts helpful. Thank you.