Clothes With Range
The most underrated quality a piece of clothing can have
What’s on your list of considerations when you are buying a new piece? There are some obvious answer that come to mind, but I’d like to submit a new consideration, something that has been on my mind.
Usually whatever I’m thinking about sneaks into my writing (over and over) so you only have to look as far as my newsletter about pull on pants being able to be dressed up or dressed down. Or my clothing MVPs that can exist in multiple contexts.
Did you guess versatility? IMO; versatility might be the most underrated quality an item can have. There are pieces you wear a lot and then there are pieces you wear a lot of different ways. The items in that first category would be called a favorite, but the second kind of piece has range, which is what I want to talk about today.
Maybe you’ve heard that advice that when you buy something you should make sure you can build three outfits with it. It’s really good advice and begins the exercising of seeing range. If you need inspiration check out a recent follow of mine, Lauren Sornberger, because she does a great job showing pieces that she is rewearing (read this!).
It’s a great starting point, to make three outfits, but I want to zoom out further. What if we, specifically, consider if the item can fit different contexts, or be worn in multiple seasons… OR worn in, physically, different ways?
My sister is getting married this summer and I’m helping my stepmom find a dress. My challenge to her has been to think beyond this specific occasion and find a dress she would love to bring on vacation or to a dinner with friends.
Some pieces have range built into them (more on that to come) but, mostly, we have to strengthen the skill of recognizing the range of our pieces. So let’s start working out!
As a baseline, I like when my piece can work for the different occasions that my life brings. Admittedly, there isn’t a lot of variety in my days but I like to consider new purchases against the different scenarios that could come up; weekend casual, a more formal setting and nights out. (Quick caveat; I realize formal can be a variety of things and some pieces may not be suitable for work and home, but I maintain the value of the exercise).
More than just “make three outfits,” the advice from my favorite stylist, Reva, is to physically put all three outfits on. Do you like the way you look in each of the outfits? Can you actually see yourself wearing them?
It’s tempting to buy something new and assume you’ll wear it in different contexts but actually putting it on your body can sometimes make you realize that you need supporting purchases to make it work and that’s not necessarily the sign of a good purchase.
Formal
Weekend Casual
Night Out
For more inspiration on this, Angie Uh does an amazing job showcasing range in her Monthly High Five newsletters.
Let’s say your life, like mine, doesn’t have a lot of variety in the occasions you dress for. Another way to evaluate range in a piece would be to consider its wearability throughout seasons.
If you are familiar with the brand Tibi, they call these pieces the 12 mo’ers (they have a whole page dedicated to them on their site). Tibi defines a 12 mo’er as;
An article of clothing or accessories that can be worn 12 months out of the year. It implies extreme functionality and desirability.
Tibi’s founder, Amy Smilovic, does an exceptional job of designing versatile pieces and showcasing that versatility in her Style Class videos. Obviously, you don’t have to buy Tibi pieces to practice this but you do have to see your items differently.
Amy isn’t afraid to wear a sock and sandal, or layer tights under a skirt to make it accessible in the cold weather.
The secret here is really flexing the muscle of layering and getting creative in the actual STYLING of a piece. You can ask yourself; does this work with both sandals and boots? Would this knit fit under my coat now and over my shoulders later?
I saw this note from Tess Sullivan the other day and I couldn’t help but notice how the different ways she styled her jacket felt like each look could be worn in different seasons simply by having the right supporting cast. Sun hat or dress= summer, dark trousers and closed-toe shoes= winter.
Those pictures are a great segue into the last example of range, and arguably the one that allows for the most creativity, when a single piece can actually be worn differently not just styled differently.
The button-down is the patron saint of this category. Think about everything it can do: worn open as a layer over a tank, loosely buttoned as a relaxed top, done all the way up for something more polished, tied at the waist for a different proportion entirely, thrown over a swimsuit as a cover-up, worn oversized as a sleep shirt. It ends up being a real workhorse because it has this range.
Maybe we will try something that will be a swing-and-a-miss BUT it can also unlock something new. Could you belt your blazer? Wear your purse like a clutch? Your cardigan as a scarf? Put a shirt over your dress to turn it into a skirt? Layer your mini dress over pants? (I just got this dress on sale to try this exactly)
When I was shopping with my friend Jordyn Sharfe recently, she tried on this gorgeous cardigan and then said; “oh and I could wear it backwards!” She saw potential in the piece that other people may have missed.
Range can be built into a garment (like this tank my friend just bought that can be worn as a boatneck or scoopneck) but it’s also created by the person wearing it!
So maybe next time you’re considering a purchase, alongside “do I like this?” and “how much is it?” there’s another useful question: “How many versions of this piece can I imagine? How much use will I get out of it?”
Asking if a piece has range is another way of asking if the piece will continue to excite you once the novelty of the purchase wears off and that will create more longevity for that item in your closet!
I have a very consistent routine with my hair which means that every other day, like clockwork, I pull my hair into a low ponytail or bun. Daily workouts mean that my hair is simply too dirty to be left untethered. Side note: I got this much raved about dry shampoo that is on sale right now and it does the heavy lifting to make my hair less gross. And speaking of that sale, I finally bought the hair perfume that’s part of the sale after I raved about a few weeks ago! You have to Add to Bag to see the discount.
At any rate, I’ve been wanting to have a bit more fun with my hair after becoming fixated on ponytail embellishments lately. Even the short haired girls can get in on the action with the rows of bobby pins (especially if they can get close to matching your hair color).
I do love this concept, and we should all have this in our minds, every time we buy something new. I have a wedding in February, and the first thing I thought, was a dress I could wear again in the summer or tone it down. Great post!
This so good. So enjoyable.