Your Closet

Try Nyjerah’s Foolproof Outfit Formula When You Have That Nothing-to-Wear Feeling

M.M.’s Brand Stylist reveals the three-step formula she uses to overcome outfit fatigue.

By Nyjerah Cunningham

Do you ever have those moments when you feel like you have nothing to wear—even when you’re standing in front of a closet full of clothes? That’s called outfit fatigue, and it happens to everyone. Most of us get into outfit ruts because we repeat our favorites until we exhaust them. Luckily, getting out of your rut is often just a matter of creating new combinations with the pieces you have.

I live by our oldie-but-goodie 40-40-20 equation: 40% everyday, 40% elevated, 20% showstopper (more on what these things mean in a minute). Back in the day, M.M. developed this formula to apply to your wardrobe as a whole. But over the years, I’ve found that it can also be used to create individual outfits that are easy, elegant, and unique.

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Your everyday pieces are your foundation—essentials like T-shirts and jeans. Consider everyday pieces the blank canvas on which you’ll paint the outfit of your dreams. Then, incorporate some elevated elements (think textured shoes like the Rowan flats or even a half-tuck of your top), which add interest and bring your outfit to another level. Finally, your showstopper item is your outfit’s it-factor; it’s the conversation piece that pulls everything together, stops people in their tracks, and has them asking, “Where can I buy that?” Personally, I like adding a killer shoe, a trendy blazer, or an item that plays with color and pattern. To bring it all together, use the 40-40-20 formula to determine how many everyday, elevated, and showstopper pieces to incorporate into each outfit.

While we’re here, you should also know: What feels like an everyday top to one person may feel like a show-stopping statement piece to another. It’s all about staying true to your style and letting go of rules that don’t serve you.

Ready to put our outfit formula to the test? Here are three looks to get you started.

Play with Proportions

If you’ve been to one of my styling workshops, you’ve likely heard me say this before: Your clothes will tell you how they want to be styled. Get familiar with your wardrobe and know your pieces intimately, because great styling is all in the details. That being said, you can also follow this easy rule of thumb: The longer the length, the higher the heel. The James dress works best proportionally with some height (Ella sandals). If you’re up for the challenge, swap out your go-to cropped jacket for a longer layer like the Jensen trench.

Let Color (or Prints) Guide You

Knowing the color wheel can be useful when putting an outfit together, but often, your clothes will pave the way for you. Case in point: The striped Adele tank’s color palette tells you that navy and ivory make the best pairings (try the Anna jacket and Milo jean). Because ivory is a warm color and navy is a cool color, you can opt for either gold or silver accessories.

Go Bold with Accessories

Speaking of accessories, as long as you have the right ones, you’ll never end up with a boring outfit. Even a classic T-shirt and jeans can be part of a show-stopping look if they’re remixed the right way. The key to combining accessories is to make sure they complement (rather than overpower) one another. With something like the Demi jumpsuit, there are two ways to accessorize: Play on its bold silhouette with equally bold accessories, like the Celia earrings and Beebe belt, or balance the silhouette by throwing a jacket over your shoulders and adding the subtle Lyssa earrings.