We can shop end of season sales! – In July, all stores are getting rid of their Summer inventory so they all have huge sales much bigger than Black Friday. Why does this benefit our Fall wardrobe? Because Fall/Winter pieces that didn’t sell, got returned or never made the floor are brought onto the floor and mixed in with the Summer clearance because stores need to get rid of it too!
We plan our wardrobes for upcoming seasons early because we know what we’re shopping for which helps us stay on track. By staying focused on what items you want you’re less likely to make impulse purchases. Back to reason 1, having your wardrobe planned out early allows you to shop end of year sales or the Nordstrom Anniversary Sales without impulse purchasing a bunch of stuff you won’t use.
HOW WE PLAN WHAT WE’RE SHOPPING FOR
BRAINSTORM: think about the styles that have been catching your eye, is there something you wanted last year? What we’re your go-to pieces last year? Are you still into them? Do you need to update them? Are you going for a new vibes this season?
RESEARCH: Go to Pinterest and search the styles you’re brainstorming. Scroll down your favorite Instagrammers feed. Get styling ideas and inspiration there. Are there pieces you already have that works will the vibe of your upcoming wardrobe? What are the key pieces you have to have?
LIST: Now that you’ve brainstormed and done some research you should have a strong idea as to what you’ll be wearing for the new season. Write a list of your must have pieces and include items you already have, this will keep you from buying items you already have but forgot about…. You know we’re getting old ha! I put my list in my Notes on my phone so I can always reference it while shopping unexpectedly.
CATEGORIES: Put your list of new purchase wants into price tiers. My tiers are over $200, $100-$200 and $50 and under. This helps to give a quick visual of how much money you’re looking to spend. If your budget is tight, you know to keep your top tiers down to an item or two. You can also get a very loose idea as to how much you’ll be spending. You know if you have 10 items in your 2nd tier and only 3 in you bottom tier you may want to reevaluate your life and brainstorm more affordable options for some of those items. Do you really need a $75 hat because that’s what all the girls on Instagram are wearing or will the $20 options at Target and Amazon work?
MUST HAVES: Lastly, determine which items are your must haves. Which pieces are going to make the biggest impact on the versatility of your wardrobe? THOSE are your must haves NOT a loud ass Adidas track suit! (even though I prioritized one last year haha do as I say not as I do) … My must haves are always the items I’ll wear the most. This year my must haves were Spanx leather leggings and Mini UGG Boots. Both items I kept reaching for last year but didn’t have them to actually put on. Because I planned my wardrobe early and shopped sales I got both items for $75 total. Shout Out Nordstrom Notes!
At the end of the video above I did a quick Fall Haul for you guys, I left quite a few pieces out like my Champion sweatsuit, a thrifted blazer and an MCM clutch but I talk too much and had to cut a few pieces out.
I shared a Rule of 5 featuring this dress earlier in the Spring, since then I’ve actually had the chance to start wearing it in real life (it was too cold to wear the first time around). Because of this I wanted to share again all the ways I’ve styled this dress irl, the original Rule of 5 as well as the blog post featuring this dress.
This dress has become an instant fave early in the seasons, even though it’s denim it’s oversized fit makes it lightweight. It’s just easy to throw on and go. With fun sandals or sneakers with a cute handbag it’s instantly chic. I just love like I knew I would when I originally purchased it.
Above is how I wore this dress last Sunday for #sundayfunday shenanigans!
In a shocking turn of events all accessories in this look are from Amazon. I’ll have an Amazon finds post coming for you guys next week so stay tuned for that…
When I originally planned this look this was my first thought. A head to toe obnoxious monochrome yellow look. The dress itself paired with the turban immediately make it glam but the lemon jelly sandals and PVC bag keep it down to earth ( haha in my head at least).
This dress isn’t excellent quality but it absolutely works for throw on and go when this Atlanta heat turns up. It’s insanely light weight, perfect for a beach vacay and a little sheer even though it’s lined. You can slightly see my black undershorts through the dress, I’ll have to wear actual short liner things that come in nude *rolls eyes*
I wear shorts undershorts under all dresses for numerous reasons. It prevents chub rub, it stops my booty cheeks from grabbing the dress material, it keeps my Britney safe from creepers eyes and the shorts smooth things out and lift things up a little bit. Oh, they also keep the booty from jiggling too much which helps to keep disgusting creepers from undressing you even more with their eyes and discourages completely inappropriate “advances”
The fact that I just wrote that is extremely foul, fucked up and wrong that that’s even a factor when I get dressed but that’s the world with live in. I digress …. but you know what I’m thinking.
Anywho …. I prefer teeny tiny athletic shorts over the spanx nylon type shorts. Athletic shorts are thicker and are more absorbant. The nylon just aren’t as comfortable to me. If you don’t have a fresh wax or shave hairs will poke through the nylon kind itching your legs and what not. That may be TMI to some people but it’s a real thing and 100% considered when making a what shorts to wear underneath decision.
With the change of shoes and a hat we instantly made this gloriously flowy maxi dress more casual chic than glam. TBH, I like the casual look more than the glam but that shouldn’t surprise anyone here. I mean, I’m cool and this look is cool! lol
This look was actually a last minute look I put together last minute, I’m talking at the end of shoot/done for the day but had this hat and sneakers in the trunk for a previous look and deciding to throw it on for on impromptu 2nd look. My random last minute throw on everything you’re loving at the moment are always my favorite looks. Occasionally, I look like Rainbow Bright (you win some you lose some) but 9 times out of 10 it’s an effortless chic look which is exactly what it is.
Next time you’re getting ready don’t think about an outfit just put on everything you’re obsessed with and see what happens. Worst case scenario, you look crazy and you change before you leave the house.
5 WAYS TO STYLE A MAXI DRESS
While thinking of the next Rule of 5 I asked you guys if you’d like to see a maxi dress and it was an overwhelming yes! So I styled this dress 5 ways on Sundays video. When switching up the styling on a flowy maxi dress accessories including hair style are KEY to making the looks look different.
In 2013 I lost everything, my job, my relationship, my business wasn’t doing well either. The day I moved in with my boyfriend at the time, he ended the relationship so not only did I lose everything I was homeless too. Technically, he expected and wanted me to continue living together but even at my lowest time I don’t play that shit. Four days after the technical break-up I packed my car and went home to Charleston where I stayed for the next few months while I tried to find the strength to pick myself up and move forward. I lost myself through all of this, including 20lbs.
Me Circa 2013 in Charleston trying to get my life together while birthing The Rule of 5
With the need to start fresh and the fact that I couldn’t fit into anything in my closet I purged a solid 85% of my closet. I literally had less than 50 pieces total hanging in my closet and half of it barely fit. I needed an entirely new wardrobe and had $100-$150/month I could spend on clothes. Mind you, my favorite denim retails for $150 so I knew building a new wardrobe on such a small budget was going to be a challenge.
To give you an idea of my background, I’ve worked in Fashion 15+ years and earned my B.A. in Fashion Marketing. I love fashion, styling and shopping just as much if not more than the next girl! I am a firm believer in quality over quantity, I preach Cost per Wear when determining how much an item is actually worth, I 100% believe you should splurge on good denim that is going to make you feel amazing and lift your booty just right. No matter how tight your budget is with strategic shopping and budgeting you can have a wardrobe of well curated quality pieces.
Between my budget, my need for a new wardrobe and my desire for quality pieces I had to get creative. This is how, when and why The Rule of 5 was born.
WHY 5?
I chose the number 5 because 3 wasn’t challenging enough, I needed to maximize my looks as much as possible and 3 looks just wasn’t going to cut it. There are 5 days in the work week, 5 was an actual challenge but not too challenging that I couldn’t accomplish it, so 5 it was.
Going forward, every new piece I bought I had to create 5 looks featuring the new piece I wanted to purchase with items I already owned. If I couldn’t do that I didn’t buy the item.
Because I was down to nothing instead of using the Rule of 5 on random pieces I found while out shopping I reverse engineered it. Prior to shopping, I brainstormed the most basic staple pieces I could easily style 10 plus ways and I shopped for those. There was ZERO impulse shopping.
I will never forget what I bought the first month. I bought 3 items.
Denim. I desperately needed denim and bottoms, I was swimming in all the bottoms I owned so I invested in a good pair of jeans. I paid $70 for them (50% off), they were my #1 go-to jeans for the next year as I needed so many other pieces. That’s how much time passed before I could invest in another pair of jeans. FYI: I still have both pairs of jeans.
Blazer. The second item was a classic black blazer with gold hardware. I believe it was around $50. I still have this item too. Through the purge the only pieces that still fit were tops and shoes. I could create 10-15 looks with the denim and blazer alone just by switching out the top and shoes.
Joggers. Y’all know I LOVE joggers and I found a twill black pair at Target for $20 ish. Like I said before I still had tops, shoes and accessories that I could wear and fit so a pair of pants that are versatile was a great buy for my first round. I still own these as well, in fact I wore them today.
The pair of $20 joggers I bought my first month on The Rule of 5 in 2013 *pic circa 2018*
Not only did I start my wardrobe rebuilding with classic pieces I stuck with a neutral color palette. The color pallete was crucial to being able to maximize my wardrobe. If I bought prints and random colors I wouldn’t have been able to pair everything together. By sticking to a black, white and denim color palette in classic silhouettes EVERYTHING was interchangeable. For the next year everything I purchased was black, white or denim. I didn’t even buy grey. The pops of pink came a year later
Since 2013 I’ve fully rebuilt my wardrobe and my clothing budget has increased but I still use The Rule of 5. The Rule of 5 is beneficial in so many ways. Not only does it help you maximize your wardrobe, it stops you from making impulse purchases aka throwing money away on items never worn or only worn once. In addition, you’ll only bring new items in that you absolutely love.
The Rule of 5 encourages you to shop your closet. Once your mind is conditioned to shop your closet you’ll start thinking about what’s in your closet to wear to XYZ event instead of instantly going out and spending $100 on a dress for one occasion.
You’re reasoning and need to use The Rule of 5 may not be as drastic as mine was when I created it ( I really hope it’s not) but it’s beneficial to us all for many reasons.
WHY YOU SHOULD IMPLEMENT THE RULE OF 5
You’ll stop making wasteful one hit wonder purchases.
You will save money because see #1
You will develop a curated wardrobe making it easier to purge and get rid of the pieces you don’t wear or love and feel amazing in.
You’ll actually start wearing every piece you own!
YOU WILL SAVE MONEY!!! Yes, this is here twice
It’s great for the environment
HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE RULE OF 5
When you’re out shopping ask yourself right there in the middle of Nordstrom, Target etc “what do I currently own that I can wear this item with?” Specifically, create 5 outfits head to toe with this one piece you want to buy with pieces already in your closet. Personally, I do 85% of my shopping online which makes this super easy to implement. Take your laptop/phone with your shopping cart browsers open in your closet and put together 5 different looks with items you already own featuring each piece you want to buy.
If you’re someone who impulse shops on your phone while out and about this is going to make you pause on checking out until you’re able to get home and in your closet. The waiting period alone is going to cut down on wasteful impulse purchases.
Because you’ve styled outfits featuring your “new buy” with items you already own you’re going to be able to wear your new item(s) as soon as you receive it. No more putting a new top in your closet until you buy the pants to go with it then forgetting you ever bought the top.
By implementing The Rule of 5 you will only bring new clothes into your wardrobe you will actually wear. You can’t wear a new top if you have nothing at home to wear it with, Duh! You’ll also have stronger knowledge of your personal style and what pieces fit in to it.
If you’re on a “shopping spree” and are buying a head to toe look on one trip (I rarely do this but know a lot of people do). Look at each piece as an individual and ask yourself in addition to the piece you’re purchasing, Can I create 4 more outfits from pieces already in my closet with this item?” If the answer is no, PUT IT BACK!
NO, you can not say this top will look great with x,y,z already in my closet IF I buy this pair of shoes. NO, NO, NO! You have just added another item you potentially won’t wear and you just threw MORE money away. There is nothing worse than cleaning out your closet and finding item after item that has never been worn with the tags still attached.
Even if you are questioning a dress or jumpsuit ask yourself, “How can I give this dress 5 different vibes with items I already own”. Layer with a jacket or vest, switch up your shoes, handbags, hairstyles. Your accessories MAKE an outfit. Maximize, Maximize, Maximize! Remember, we are enhancing what we already own with new pieces.
There are going to be times we don’t follow the rule to a T. Occasionally we’ll have a special event or want to get into full theme for a vacation. We let these slide because YOLO!
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE …
Vacations: You should be able to wear most things again but I’m DYING for a crop top maxi skirt set that I prob wouldn’t wear on my weekly Target run. It’s understandable to want to indulge in the full vibe while on vacation that wouldn’t necessarily fit in your day to day life. So, #TreatYoSelf that’s what vacation is all about.
Prom: I doubt anyone reading this is going to prom but just in case.
Weddings: This ONLY applies if you are the actual bride or are in the wedding party. If you are a guest, you better wear that dress to every wedding you’re invited to the whole Summer. If anyone judges you, jokes on them because they threw their money away worrying about what someone else thinks and your money is sitting right in the bank or went towards a new handbag. Other peoples opinions of you should never be a priority or reason behind spending money.
Special Occasions in General: Personally, I will NOT buy anything unless I can get multiple wears out of it but you do you.
Holiday: I totally give myself a pass for Ugly Christmas Sweaters and what not. This past season I bought a Gingerbread sweatsuit and have worn it twice in public but it’s a cute set so I added it to my home lounge wear.
The Gingerbread Sweatsuit
Now that you have a better understanding of The Rule of 5 and how to implement it into your shopping habits it’s time to actually use it!
To help you I created a downloadable Rule of 5 Shopping Checklist to save on your phone. You can reference this when you are stumped or need to be reminded you’re about to make a poor shopping decision
The easiest way to dress down a dress is to add sneakers. I kept my sneakers crisp with white sneakers with black details to tie into the dress. By adding a clean classic black and white stripe print it adds a playful touch while keeping the look crisp.
It’s no secret I’m not a fan of prints in my wardrobe. While I love prints on the rack and on others there is just something off when I put them in my closet, I NEVER reach for them. When I do play with print it’s typically classic and crisp prints such as a stripe and I like to keep it to 2 colors. This way the prints aren’t as overwhelming to my solid neutral closet.
To me, the Nike check on my sneakers counts as a print so in my mind my sneakers and turban are print mixing! lol
For a more dressed up look I let my bob shine bright like a diamond. Threw on some large and in charge Gucci Inspired earrings. Borrowed my friends straw tote and added my fave nude sandals.
Occasionally, I need a neutral season appropriate handbag and in those instances I borrow a handbag from my photo taking PIC. I don’t own a straw tote at this time and while I was shopping for one I bought a clear PVC Hermes inspired bag instead *kanye shrug* I’ll keep borrowing bags for pix I guess lol
By keeping my accessories neutral and a tad more feminine it adds a ladylike touch and imho dresses the look up.
In 2013 I lost everything, my job, my relationship, my business wasn’t doing well either. The day I moved in with my boyfriend at the time, he ended the relationship so not only did I lose everything I was homeless too. Technically, he expected and wanted me to continue living together but even at my lowest time I don’t play that shit. Four days after the technical break-up I packed my car and went home to Charleston where I stayed for the next few months while I tried to find the strength to pick myself up and move forward. I lost myself through all of this, including 20lbs.
Me Circa 2013 in Charleston trying to get my life together while birthing The Rule of 5
With the need to start fresh and the fact that I couldn’t fit into anything in my closet I purged a solid 85% of my closet. I literally had less than 50 pieces total hanging in my closet and half of it barely fit. I needed an entirely new wardrobe and had $100-$150/month I could spend on clothes. Mind you, my favorite denim retails for $150 so I knew building a new wardrobe on such a small budget was going to be a challenge.
To give you an idea of my background, I’ve worked in Fashion 15+ years and earned my B.A. in Fashion Marketing. I love fashion, styling and shopping just as much if not more than the next girl! I am a firm believer in quality over quantity, I preach Cost per Wear when determining how much an item is actually worth, I 100% believe you should splurge on good denim that is going to make you feel amazing and lift your booty just right. No matter how tight your budget is with strategic shopping and budgeting you can have a wardrobe of well curated quality pieces.
Between my budget, my need for a new wardrobe and my desire for quality pieces I had to get creative. This is how, when and why The Rule of 5 was born.
WHY 5?
I chose the number 5 because 3 wasn’t challenging enough, I needed to maximize my looks as much as possible and 3 looks just wasn’t going to cut it. There are 5 days in the work week, 5 was an actual challenge but not too challenging that I couldn’t accomplish it, so 5 it was.
Going forward, every new piece I bought I had to create 5 looks featuring the new piece I wanted to purchase with items I already owned. If I couldn’t do that I didn’t buy the item.
Because I was down to nothing instead of using the Rule of 5 on random pieces I found while out shopping I reverse engineered it. Prior to shopping, I brainstormed the most basic staple pieces I could easily style 10 plus ways and I shopped for those. There was ZERO impulse shopping.
I will never forget what I bought the first month. I bought 3 items.
Denim. I desperately needed denim and bottoms, I was swimming in all the bottoms I owned so I invested in a good pair of jeans. I paid $70 for them (50% off), they were my #1 go-to jeans for the next year as I needed so many other pieces. That’s how much time passed before I could invest in another pair of jeans. FYI: I still have both pairs of jeans.
Blazer. The second item was a classic black blazer with gold hardware. I believe it was around $50. I still have this item too. Through the purge the only pieces that still fit were tops and shoes. I could create 10-15 looks with the denim and blazer alone just by switching out the top and shoes.
Joggers. Y’all know I LOVE joggers and I found a twill black pair at Target for $20 ish. Like I said before I still had tops, shoes and accessories that I could wear and fit so a pair of pants that are versatile was a great buy for my first round. I still own these as well, in fact I wore them today.
The pair of $20 joggers I bought my first month on The Rule of 5 in 2013 *pic circa 2018*
Not only did I start my wardrobe rebuilding with classic pieces I stuck with a neutral color palette. The color pallete was crucial to being able to maximize my wardrobe. If I bought prints and random colors I wouldn’t have been able to pair everything together. By sticking to a black, white and denim color palette in classic silhouettes EVERYTHING was interchangeable. For the next year everything I purchased was black, white or denim. I didn’t even buy grey. The pops of pink came a year later
Since 2013 I’ve fully rebuilt my wardrobe and my clothing budget has increased but I still use The Rule of 5. The Rule of 5 is beneficial in so many ways. Not only does it help you maximize your wardrobe, it stops you from making impulse purchases aka throwing money away on items never worn or only worn once. In addition, you’ll only bring new items in that you absolutely love.
The Rule of 5 encourages you to shop your closet. Once your mind is conditioned to shop your closet you’ll start thinking about what’s in your closet to wear to XYZ event instead of instantly going out and spending $100 on a dress for one occasion.
You’re reasoning and need to use The Rule of 5 may not be as drastic as mine was when I created it ( I really hope it’s not) but it’s beneficial to us all for many reasons.
WHY YOU SHOULD IMPLEMENT THE RULE OF 5
You’ll stop making wasteful one hit wonder purchases.
You will save money because see #1
You will develop a curated wardrobe making it easier to purge and get rid of the pieces you don’t wear or love and feel amazing in.
You’ll actually start wearing every piece you own!
YOU WILL SAVE MONEY!!! Yes, this is here twice
It’s great for the environment
HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE RULE OF 5
When you’re out shopping ask yourself right there in the middle of Nordstrom, Target etc “what do I currently own that I can wear this item with?” Specifically, create 5 outfits head to toe with this one piece you want to buy with pieces already in your closet. Personally, I do 85% of my shopping online which makes this super easy to implement. Take your laptop/phone with your shopping cart browsers open in your closet and put together 5 different looks with items you already own featuring each piece you want to buy.
If you’re someone who impulse shops on your phone while out and about this is going to make you pause on checking out until you’re able to get home and in your closet. The waiting period alone is going to cut down on wasteful impulse purchases.
Because you’ve styled outfits featuring your “new buy” with items you already own you’re going to be able to wear your new item(s) as soon as you receive it. No more putting a new top in your closet until you buy the pants to go with it then forgetting you ever bought the top.
By implementing The Rule of 5 you will only bring new clothes into your wardrobe you will actually wear. You can’t wear a new top if you have nothing at home to wear it with, Duh! You’ll also have stronger knowledge of your personal style and what pieces fit in to it.
If you’re on a “shopping spree” and are buying a head to toe look on one trip (I rarely do this but know a lot of people do). Look at each piece as an individual and ask yourself in addition to the piece you’re purchasing, Can I create 4 more outfits from pieces already in my closet with this item?” If the answer is no, PUT IT BACK!
NO, you can not say this top will look great with x,y,z already in my closet IF I buy this pair of shoes. NO, NO, NO! You have just added another item you potentially won’t wear and you just threw MORE money away. There is nothing worse than cleaning out your closet and finding item after item that has never been worn with the tags still attached.
Even if you are questioning a dress or jumpsuit ask yourself, “How can I give this dress 5 different vibes with items I already own”. Layer with a jacket or vest, switch up your shoes, handbags, hairstyles. Your accessories MAKE an outfit. Maximize, Maximize, Maximize! Remember, we are enhancing what we already own with new pieces.
There are going to be times we don’t follow the rule to a T. Occasionally we’ll have a special event or want to get into full theme for a vacation. We let these slide because YOLO!
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE …
Vacations: You should be able to wear most things again but I’m DYING for a crop top maxi skirt set that I prob wouldn’t wear on my weekly Target run. It’s understandable to want to indulge in the full vibe while on vacation that wouldn’t necessarily fit in your day to day life. So, #TreatYoSelf that’s what vacation is all about.
Prom: I doubt anyone reading this is going to prom but just in case.
Weddings: This ONLY applies if you are the actual bride or are in the wedding party. If you are a guest, you better wear that dress to every wedding you’re invited to the whole Summer. If anyone judges you, jokes on them because they threw their money away worrying about what someone else thinks and your money is sitting right in the bank or went towards a new handbag. Other peoples opinions of you should never be a priority or reason behind spending money.
Special Occasions in General: Personally, I will NOT buy anything unless I can get multiple wears out of it but you do you.
Holiday: I totally give myself a pass for Ugly Christmas Sweaters and what not. This past season I bought a Gingerbread sweatsuit and have worn it twice in public but it’s a cute set so I added it to my home lounge wear.
The Gingerbread Sweatsuit
Now that you have a better understanding of The Rule of 5 and how to implement it into your shopping habits it’s time to actually use it!
To help you I created a downloadable Rule of 5 Shopping Checklist to save on your phone. You can reference this when you are stumped or need to be reminded you’re about to make a poor shopping decision
