From free to inexpensive finds, these methods, instruments, and picks will make higher type extra easy.
Particular because of Slick Collar for supporting Primer’s mission and sponsoring this text.
Dressing higher is not nearly shopping for totally different garments or studying esoteric trend guidelines—it is about remodeling the way you strategy getting dressed.
The aim is to create a system that makes the act of dressing easy, pleasurable, and sustainable, even on the hardest days.
An excellent type system reduces friction in your day-to-day routine, creating a greater relationship with what you already personal and making it straightforward to place collectively outfits that work. Beneath are various straightforward methods, instruments, and picks which have made my very own system infinitely simpler.
A Nice Method to Consumption and Set up Inspiration
Free – $10
Any good designer, filmmaker, photographer, architect, or inside designer is aware of the significance of cataloging inspiration. No nice artist works from reminiscence or begins from scratch with each venture.
Placing outfits collectively and honing your type is simply as a lot of a visible and creative endeavor as any of these inventive fields. When you’re nonetheless determining your private type, why power your self to face in entrance of a closet, staring blankly and making an attempt to resolve what to put on?
You want a method to save clothes, type, and outfit concepts as you come throughout them. Whether or not it’s on Primer, whereas looking a retailer’s web site, strolling by the mall, or scrolling on social media, having a system to seize and set up inspiration is invaluable.
The way you do that comes down to non-public desire:
- Create a Pinterest board.
- Take screenshots in your telephone and save them into an album.
- Use instruments like Notion or Evernote for a extra elaborate system.
There’s no improper method to do it, but it surely’s important to do one thing. You’ll be stunned how usually you overlook about an outfit thought. Months later, you’ll scroll by your saved inspiration and rediscover a glance you possibly can recreate.
It saves time, reduces stress, and makes getting dressed for occasions or day by day life considerably simpler. I can’t emphasize it sufficient.
A Movable Shoe Rack to Be Close to Your Clothes
$25+
Having my sneakers clearly seen whereas I select my garments is extremely essential. Constructing an outfit is not a linear course of; it is about experimenting, holding objects subsequent to one another, and seeing how they align for the event and look on you.
An outfit is a cohesive look; having all objects seen helps create that cohesion, slightly than simply seeing them as separate items. All of it works collectively to turn into one thing extra. As an illustration, suede loafers change the texture of a shirt and denims otherwise than white sneakers do.
After I can see my sneakers alongside my clothes, I usually choose sneakers I would not have chosen if I had already selected the highest and bottoms first. With the ability to audition totally different pairs whereas placing collectively an outfit makes an enormous distinction.
Slick Collar
Package with 3 collar sizes + shirt stays, $23 save further 15% with SLICKPRIMER
A structured collar could make all of the distinction between wanting sharp and searching sloppy. That is true whether or not you are shopping for shirts on the inexpensive finish of the spectrum or investing in costlier items.
With button-up shirts that lack construction, the collar usually flops over, making your look really feel unkempt. That is particularly a problem for good informal appears the place even informal items must be as refined as doable.
Enter the Slick Collar: a easy invention that instantly proves its value. Inexpensive, efficient, and completely designed for its function, the Slick Collar is basically the collar+placket equal of collar stays. It supplies construction not solely to the collar suggestions but additionally to the entrance button placket, holding them in place and stopping them from collapsing or folding underneath the material’s weight.
This retains the collar upright, guaranteeing it does not slide open because of the cloth’s weight. Created by a small enterprise out of Canada, the Slick Collar is adjustable for various neck and shirt sizes, with every order together with three collar lengths. This versatility means it really works for all the pieces—from knit polos and golf shirts to extra formal costume shirts.
Better of all, you possibly can simply transfer them between shirts, which means no alterations are wanted.
At round $20 for 3 with the code, the Slick Collar is a small funding that delivers massive returns throughout almost your entire collared shirts. It’s a stable, dependable instrument, and after getting it, you are set. Simple purchase.
Primer readers can save 15% with code SLICKPRIMER.
An Apple Watch Strap That Helps Steadiness the Tech-y and Athletic Nature
$10+
In social media trend bubbles, there is a little bit of a pretentious, virtually Luddite view on smartwatches—that they’ll’t be fashionable. Certain, they lack the heritage of a dive watch or the magnificence of a gold costume watch, however that mindset ignores the truth of residing in 2024.
For a lot of, smartwatches are important—whether or not for life-style, work, or obligations. Personally, my Apple Watch helps me keep targeted with out the distraction of my telephone. I nonetheless get texts and calls however keep away from time-killer apps, which makes it essential for me.
I put on it usually at residence with the default strap but it surely’s robust to put on in a extra good informal, night look. Fortunately, Apple Watch bands are straightforward to swap because of their sliding mechanism. A leather-based or steel band, which you’ll find affordably in off manufacturers, and may be swapped in through the occasions the common strap does not work, makes all of the distinction.
Designate an Outfit Workstation
One of the crucial stress-reducing adjustments I’ve made is establishing a devoted “workstation” close to the place I cling my outfits. Having all instruments in a single place makes it a lot simpler to get all the pieces prepared effectively, particularly when working late. It’s a small shelf the place I maintain my steamer (with plug entry), a clothes brush, and another instruments I’d want.
It’s a type of “workbench” in your garments, the place you progress objects from closet storage into the staging space, and have all of the instruments that you must get them wanting their greatest.
A Place to Cling Outfits
This may appear easy, however it would change the way you strategy your clothes and elegance.
Selecting out your outfit the evening earlier than drastically reduces morning stress—particularly for those who’re not a morning individual and really feel half asleep or foggy. It is a whole sport changer to simply get up and know precisely what you are carrying.
For me, I hung a hook in my closet to stage my outfit for the following day. It retains all the pieces neat and separate, performing as a staging space whereas assembling totally different mixtures. As a substitute of making an attempt to image a mixed look in my head, I pull out key items and cling them, making an attempt totally different combos till I discover the proper match.
A Clothes Brush As a substitute of a Lint Curler
$15+
Earlier than the sticky paper-based lint rollers you are conversant in, folks used particular clothes brushes to wipe away mud and hair. Originating within the nineteenth century, clothes brushes had been important clothes care instruments for males who wore fits recurrently. Since fits cannot be washed simply, it was essential to have a brushing routine.
I’ve lived with canine that shed for 15 years and the sticky lint curler has all the time felt annoying and wasteful to make use of simply because of the sheer quantity of peeling and rolling I might need to do every time. Not too long ago, I lastly picked up some clothes brushes. They arrive in numerous coarseness and stiffness ranges, with softer brushes designed for extra delicate clothes product of cashmere, for instance, and stiffer ones to deal with denim extra instantly.
Whereas they don’t seem to be excellent, and generally require a number of passes to lastly get that one piece of hair, it’s much less annoying to make use of. Clothes brushes may be discovered beginning round $15 and you’ll improve to the gentleman normal, English-made model Kent which begin round $40. The double-sided Kent CC20 which is commonly mentioned as a go-to as a result of versatility eeks handed the article finances and is round $60.
A Clothes Steamer
$15+
I do not understand how that is doable, however for me, ironing appears so as to add wrinkles slightly than take away them. Plus, my common schedule for preparing is all the time tighter than I’d like, so I’m usually speeding when it’s time to dress. The very last thing I would like is to plan on carrying one thing, solely to seek out it is too wrinkled and really feel like I don’t have the time to take care of it.
That is the place a steamer saves the day.
I have two steamers: a budget-friendly mannequin round $20 I’ve had for years and a bigger Conair mannequin. Each work nicely—simply run the steam over the material, and most wrinkles disappear simply.
Actually, I’d be in a troublesome spot with out a clothes steamer. It’s a type of instruments that makes preparing a lot less complicated, and I am unable to advocate it sufficient.
The Plain Ball Cap
James Clear, the writer of Atomic Habits, has famously mentioned, “You don’t rise to the extent of your objectives. You fail on the degree of your techniques.” If you’re an individual making an attempt to decorate deliberately in your life—particularly if it is a newer endeavor for you or doesn’t come naturally—you possibly can’t anticipate your pure habits and routines to brute power extra conscientious type 100% of the time.
It’s simply not going to occur. There are going to be days the place you don’t wash your hair. There are going to be days the place you’ve acquired to toss something on and nonetheless wish to look good however don’t have time to do the entire thing.
For these days, a plain black baseball cap has been wonderful. There’s nothing improper with carrying a cool hat with the appropriate sports activities group brand or some kind of classic design. Nevertheless it does require some visible balancing with the opposite objects. The plain black cap takes it from being a totally utilitarian factor (like a free hat from a company giveaway) to an intentional a part of your outfit.
A Hoodie or Quarter-zip Different That You will Wish to Put on
$20+
Hoodies are standard for 2 causes: they’re snug and simple to put on. There’s nothing improper with hoodies; I like them too.
Nevertheless, there is a distinction between carrying hoodies as a part of your type, and counting on them since you panic about what else to put on. For these barely much less informal settings—like a date, household occasion, or after-hours work operate—having one thing that feels as snug as a hoodie however appears extra applicable will make your life simpler.
There are a lot of choices:
These are straightforward swaps on days the place you do not have the brainpower to assume past a hoodie that elevate your type whereas sustaining consolation.
Picket Hangers
$4.99+
In case your closet feels chaotic, switching to wood hangers can present the wanted construction and group. Rainbow-hued plastic hangers add visible litter when your thoughts is making an attempt to determine what to put on, they usually don’t give your garments the assist they want. In a packed closet, shirts and pants get compressed, inflicting wrinkles, creased shoulders, and crushed collars.
Picket hangers remedy these issues. They supply construction to maintain your garments able to put on and provides your closet a cleaner, extra organized look.
The most effective half? Picket hangers don’t need to be costly, and also you don’t want to interchange them all of sudden. I transitioned my closet over a few years, and the distinction is evening and day. IKEA and Amazon have inexpensive choices, and when you make the swap, you’re set for good.
Closet House Savers like Tiered Hangers
$15+
Tiered hangers are nice for grouping related objects collectively, decreasing visible litter. In case you have six an identical white T-shirts, cling one visibly and maintain the remaining on a tiered hanger. The identical goes for exercise garments you put on in no specific order. This setup saves area and minimizes visible litter, making it simpler to concentrate on key objects when placing outfits collectively.
Levi’s 501
$35+
When you’re a Primer common, you’ve got heard me discuss 501s as kinds have shifted towards straighter/looser matches over the previous few years. The 501s, with their traditional straight match, had been the primary place I turned. Initially I believed, “These are approach too vast; I am going to by no means put on them.” However they rapidly grew to become my go-to, no-thought-required pair. I put on them dressed up, dressed down, and in all places in between.
This is the factor about straight match denims: If you have not worn them because the ’90s, it is simple to guage them too rapidly. Once they’re new, they give the impression of being crisp, pressed flat, cuasing the facet seams to flare out awkwardly. However after washing, drying, and breaking them in, the drape adjustments utterly. Now, they observe my physique’s contours with out feeling too vast, free, or blocky.
They’re straightforward to put on with chunky boots or suede loafers for that light preppy look you see at locations like J.Crew, Buck Mason, and Taylor Sew. They’re snug, delicate, have a little bit of stretch, they usually’re inexpensive. You possibly can snag a pair for underneath $50, particularly throughout upcoming gross sales.
A Nice Plain T-Shirt
Having a delicate, handsome t-shirt that you simply love the way in which it matches—I can’t overemphasize how beneficial that’s. You’ll put on it on a regular basis. You’ll layer it beneath leather-based jackets, sweaters, and button-ups. You’ll put on it by itself with denims. You’ll put on it tucked into chinos for a contemporary look.
A t-shirt that drapes nicely with a delicate visible texture can exude sophistication simply in addition to a button-up shirt. Between a man carrying an affordable, unkempt button-up and a man carrying a very stable, delicate, well-fitting t-shirt with some particulars within the collar, hem, texture, or wash—I select the t-shirt each time.
Staples and fundamentals are known as that as a result of they’re common and may look wonderful on anybody when the main points are dialed in. There’s a bent to dismiss them as much less essential or boring, however that couldn’t be farther from the reality.
Cease Sporting (and Get Rid of) Issues You Hate Sporting
This can be a massive one for me. I misinform myself about issues which might be a smidge too small or don’t match fairly proper. I’ll strive them on, then find yourself selecting one thing else, however I don’t say to myself, “I ought to simply do away with this.”
Protecting these objects makes getting dressed more durable as a result of they create visible litter in your closet. It’s additionally wasted time for those who strive them on solely to reject them once more.
One other stunning facet impact that I found is, I’d by no means think about shopping for issues “I already had” however by no means wore just because they did not match proper or weren’t snug, even when the correct model of the merchandise would have gotten worn on a regular basis.
Exterior of maximum utilitarian circumstances—like a blazer or swimsuit you don’t take pleasure in carrying however often want—there’s no level in protecting objects you dislike. Use the trick the place you cling these objects with the hook going through outward and after six or so months, if the hanger hasn’t been rotated (indicating you’ve worn the merchandise), donate or promote it. This methodology clears up area and helps you acknowledge what you really need.
Darkish Grey Denims
$25+
If you need a single reply to what’s one factor you should buy to make outfit-building simpler, it’s a pair of darkish grey slim or straight denims with 1 / 4 or half break.
You’ll be capable to costume them up, put on them tremendous casually, type them rugged, or pair them with preppy or streetwear appears. They’ll work with brown boots, black sneakers, and virtually the rest. The flexibility is limitless.
If a good friend who was simply beginning out requested me for one advice, it will be this. Yow will discover loads of choices underneath $50 from locations like Levi’s or Amazon Necessities, particularly throughout gross sales which might be arising.
