Since the early days of this blog, I have advocated a concept I called the uniform template. Basically, it is a formula of pieces which create a look you feel comfortable wearing in a given season and lifestyle segment. for example, I used the following templates last summer (illustration):
Leisure – shorts and sandals + tee + blazer
Casual – dress and summery flats
Active – yoga pants plus sleeveless top
Recently, I began to doubt the concept. Is it a little bit boring to repeat the same formula every day? I doubted until I began exploring the minimalist wardrobe-building material at Into Mind. What I call uniform template, she calls proportion. And it was the use of that particular word that made me realize the brilliance of the idea.
One of the more complicated elements in an outfit is the proportions. And it is a big deal! Once you have a really great outfit design, doesn’t it make sense to replicate it, rather than starting over from scratch? Using different colors, fabrics, and accessories will create enough variety that you will not look like you are wearing the same thing – a uniform.
I have reached a couple of conclusions on this topic –
- I think I like the idea of changing the vocabulary from “uniform template” to “proportion template”. Like? Or perhaps there is an even better alternative.
- I want to offer this, the creation of a personalized proportion template, as an add-on service to the Style Line Analysis.
What I would do: starting with the base you like to use (bottom and shoes), for the particular lifestyle segment, I would design a proportion template for your unique body type including the shape of the skirt or pants, how long the top should be, placement of the belt, etc.
My first thought is that those are different things. On consideration, though, consistency in proportions is one of the main reasons to follow a uniform for everyday looks. If everything goes together, you have more options.
Lol. I hadn’t even gotten that far when I wrote this; just in the last day or two I started thinking about the possibilities for mixing and matching with using a proportion template. It definitely would work.
If the colors were right. I was working with a gal in her closet the other day and we came to the conclusion that, although there were alot of combinations that technically worked, there was hardly anything that she was happy wearing together because of the character of the color harmonies. I have run into that in my own wardrobe too, so I am working on a structure to think it through.
There is always plenty to think about, isn’t there? 😉