When it comes to adding to my wardrobe I always have the five outfit rule at the back of my mind. I wish I could buy everything I see and love (don’t we all) but unfortunately my bank balance doesn’t allow it. It’s not just designer pieces that I apply this rule to, it’s every item of clothing and pair of shoes.
What is the five outfit rule?
The five outfit rule is pretty simple. When you see an item that you just have to have you can only buy it if you can think of five different outfits that you can wear it with. These outfits should come to mind straight away, no having to wrack your brains to desperately come up with things, and no cheating. When I say cheating I mean if the item of clothing you want happens to be a top you can’t just pair it with five different coloured pairs of jeans.
By following this rule it means that you won’t be wasting money on something that you won’t get the wear out of. How many times have you bought something because you loved it in the store but when you get home you realise it doesn’t go with anything you own. Rather than return it you then end up having to buy several new pieces to make one outfit that you only end up wearing a couple of times before it sits unloved at the back of your wardrobe.
Take these Office boots for example. I loved them when I first saw them but I held off buying them as I own a greyish brown pair of ankle boots and a pair of black stiletto ankle boots. I started to really miss having a flat pair of black boots that I could easily throw on. In the past I owned a pair of black cowboy style ankle boots that I wore religiously everyday for about two years before they started letting in water. I knew I would get the wear out of the office boots but I still had to apply the rule, particularly as this pair has a lot of studded embellishment.
Outfit One.
Leather Jacket – Asos
Jeans – New Look
Jumper – Missguided
Outfit Two
Leopard Print Jacket – New Look
Vest – New Look
Jeans – Topshop
Outfit Three
Denim Shirt – New Look
Black Jeans – New Look
Black Vest – New Look
Outfit Four
Cream Jumper – New Look
Gilet – Fazane Malik
Jeans – Topshop
Outfit Five
Jumper – River Island
White Shirt – Vero Moda at ASOS
Coated Jeans – New Look
Do you follow any rules before you can make a purchase?
