Mirror selfies as data
Three personal style lessons from my daily outfit photos
Welcome to the Esther Studio newsletter! I’m Carly, PhD, a marketing professor slash artist living in the Midwest. I like talking about personal style, and making jewelry. If this sounds fun to you, keep reading and consider subscribing so we can see more of each other!
At the beginning of 2024, I started taking daily outfit photos. There was, and is, nothing special or precious about these photos. I simply pose in my full-length mirror wearing whatever I’ve picked out for the day.
At first, I wasn’t doing anything concrete with the photos - they just sat in a dedicated folder in my phone. Then, when I started posting bi-weekly outfit roundups to the Esther Studio Instagram, I couldn’t help but notice patterns. As a researcher, these patterns were interesting to me, but as a person invested in personal style, they were very interesting to me.
Naturally, my awareness of the patterns carried over into how I was getting dressed in the morning. At face value, this isn’t productive. I don’t want to get dressed to take a daily photo, or to create “good data,” or to make an eventual Instagram post. The best data are actionable, meaning I take what I notice and learn, grow, and change.
I’ve been wondering if the lessons I glean from my daily outfit photos could be useful to anyone besides me, and I’ve decided to be bold and say yes. With that burst of confidence, here are three things I’ve recently learned from studying my daily outfit photos. I hope these lessons can give you a new or different way of viewing the act of getting dressed!
1. You have to start somewhere
My mirror selfies have shown me that I have a specific and reliable way of planning my outfits. Most days, I pick a “hero piece” and style around it. Here are two ways to think about that and try it for yourself.
Styling a piece I can’t wait to wear
I love the feeling of spotting a garment among its friends and feeling excited to put it on. This is often something new, but equally often something simply beloved. Maybe it’s comfortable at a time I need extra care. Maybe it’s a statement at a time I need to feel powerful. In any case, I feel drawn to it.
Once I commit to wearing this piece, I set about planning the outfit around it. Let’s take the example of a floral skirt. I’ll envision myself wearing it and mentally select the top, then some third piece (a vest, a blazer, or a jacket) then, finally, the shoes. My selections will, in all likelihood, let the skirt shine.
This process makes the act of deciding what to wear a bit more manageable, since I only have to choose one piece at a time.
Styling a piece that hasn’t seen much love lately
In the opposite way, sometimes I see a piece that I’ve been unintentionally neglecting. Maybe it’s proven difficult to style in the past, or I’ve just been more excited about other things instead. Committing to styling it is a fun challenge that helps me make sure I’m getting the most out of my closet.
The process is the same as above: start with the forgotten item and build from there. In this case, though, my forgotten item doesn’t necessarily need to be the visual hero of the outfit. It just needs to be on my body in some way. Often, taking the time to style it intentionally reminds me why I bought it in the first place. Less often, it’s an indicator that perhaps it doesn’t belong in my wardrobe and can be re-homed. In any case, I learn something!
2. Consider why an outfit flops
Just because I put a lot of thought into what I wear doesn’t mean it goes my way all the time. Looking through my folder of mirror selfies, I can pinpoint outfits that didn’t work.
To be clear, most of the time an outfit flops not because of how I look, but because of how the outfit makes me feel. If I showed you my “flops,” I don’t think you’d always agree with me - you might think I look nice!
It’s helpful to reflect on outfits that don’t make me feel absolutely fabulous (a noble goal, if there ever was one). These reflections help me avoid making mistakes with future outfits or purchases. Some of the common reasons, and their respective solutions, include:
Too much “sameness” in terms of texture. For example, smooth cotton poplin paired with smooth cotton poplin means the outfit lacks visual interest. A solution is to add a contrasting texture (i.e., corduroy).
A problem of proportions. For example, an oversized sweater paired with wide-leg pants might feel comfortable but it could otherwise look overwhelming on me. A solution is to pair each item with a more tailored friend in the future.
Wishful thinking in the sense that I’m wearing something that doesn’t suit my style aesthetic. The solution is to be more discerning when I shop and to be realistic when something needs to be passed along to a better home.
There are probably more reasons, but you get the idea. The next time an outfit looks generally good but makes you feel so-so, take a photo and analyze where that feeling might be coming from.
3. Accessories make the difference
There was a time when I was rather minimal and pared back with my accessories. On some level I liked how this looked, but I think I was under the impression that as a professor I should be upholding some unspoken, gendered rules of professionalism that say I shouldn’t draw attention to myself or care about style.
I remember a day when I went bananas and wore three necklaces to work, and a colleague (who is not a fellow professor and therefore more immune to our norms) was excited about my look. At the time I felt so daring, but now I recognize that day as a pivotal shift in my style.
Coco Chanel famously said that we should take one thing off before leaving the house, but I’ve come to believe that maybe we should add something instead. What’s the worst that could happen? I respect minimalism and restraint, but I also respect the artistry involved in piling on a small flurry of accessories.
One of my goals with my style is to bring a playful feel. This objective is so often achieved with accessories like:
A jaunty silk scarf
A belt with personality
A handbag (featuring a handmade bag charm)
There’s no real need to wear all of these at once, but sometimes, when I’m getting dressed, I anticipate taking a mirror selfie and realize there’s no “pop!” A playful accessory or two makes me feel less like I’m getting dressed to go to work and more like I’m getting dressed for the fun of it.
Try making Ms. Chanel mad an adding one more thing before you leave the house.
Brace yourself for more mirror selfies
My mirror selfies are now a part of my morning routine, and I’m glad for it. What started rather innocently and aimlessly is now part of a data collection strategy. I’m learning about myself - what I like and don’t like, and how I want to present myself to the world.
I hope these three lessons give you something to consider the next time you’re standing in front of your closet or mirror. Maybe I’ve also inspired you to take your own daily outfit photos? Keep me posted!
Love,
Carly, PhD