Friend Friday...

I'm sure most of you have seen various other bloggers taking part in Friend Fridays, sponsored by ModlyChic.
Since I have been remiss in updating the blog lately (I swear I keep meaning to take and upload photos for you, but I can't find anywhere inside to pose, and it's just TOO DARNED COLD outside!) I have decided to start taking part in these little Q&Asessions to at least keep the blog semi-conscious.
After all, I'm still here, and I'm still reading and commenting!


1. How do you determine what you will wear that day?

For work, I usually set my outfit out the night before -- this allows me to sleepwalk through my morning as much as possible. The most important thing I keep in mind is the weather. If it is cold, rainy, or snowy outside, I take that into account when selecting something to wear, adding extra layers or avoiding something that wont hold up well in the rain. It is always a little cool in my office also, so when it's hot outside, I always try to remember an extra layer for inside.
Other than the weather, I keep in mind other things like comfort, pieces I haven't worn in a while, clothing items or accessories that are new to me, or things I've seen that have inspired me. If I see a trend in the outfits I've been putting together (for example, I seem to have a natural tendancy to wear darker colors in the winter), I try to be aware of it and break the cycle.


2. Do you plan outfits out in advance for a whole week, month,
weekend?

As I said earlier, on work nights, I lay out my outfit the night before. I have done this since high school. Since I'm not an early riser, I like to sleep in as much as possible and just sleepwalk through my morning. I have, a few times, been inspired and put together outfits for a few days, and I have noticed how much more smoothly those days/nights go when I don't have to stop to pull an outfit together before bed. I might try to start planning a weeks worth of outfits on Sunday night, just to see if that's a habit I can maintain.
I have also seen a few bloggers who put together some "emergency" outfits -- for those days when you've overslept and forgotten to pull something the night before, for those times you just don't feel like wearing what you put together, for those spontaneous moments when you need to look cute or pulled together but don't have the time or energy to put into it. Voila, the work is already done! I think this is an intriguing idea, and I may try to put one or two ensembles together on a day when I'm feeling creatively inspired.


3. Do you have any specific way of tracking outfits and items already worn so you don't repeat?

I don't worry about repeats -- I've never claimed every outfit I put together is unique, and frankly, if I like something I've whipped up, I can pretty much guarantee that I WILL repeat it, either verbatim or at least in a different iteration. I understand the idea that repeating an outfit might lack creativity, but sometimes you just gotta know that something works. And if it works for me, I'm gonna do it again!


4. How do you discover new combinations of items in your closet?
(Trial try-ons? Hanging items together?)

I have my clothes hung in my closet by color (and sorta-kinda by function) so I really don't like to move things around too much. Sometimes when I have a certain piece in my hand, I will hold it up near other pieces to try to get ideas. Sometimes I do try things on -- I have definitely been stuck in the morning with an outfit I put together in my mind and thought would work, only to realize it doesn't, and with no time to grab anything else! (This would be one of those occasions where an "emergency" outfit would come in handy!) There have been times when, even holding pieces beside one another, I didn't think they would work together, but just fot fun I put them on together and end up loving the way they look.
Basically, I just keep looking back within my closet and saying to myself "What else can I pair this with? How else can I wear this?"


5. To streamline the process for 2011 what is one new thing you can do to cut down your dressing time?

Like I said earlier, I think I am going to test out the week-long outfit selecting process and see how that goes. I've noticed that most mornings I seem to be getting ready faster than I used to, so maybe I can try to start wearing makeup on a more regular basis (most days, I wear NONE, which I'm pretty sure would garner a few gasps from the fashion crowd!). I also want to throw together a few "emergency" outfits.
I'm really interested in seeing how other bloggers answer this question, since I'm always looking for ways to cut down on the amount of time it takes me to do anything...