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Trying to decide what to wear can ruin a morning routine. These time-saving wardrobe hacks will help you learn how to save time getting dressed for work, and ensure you never run out of outfit inspiration again.
I tore off shirt number 3. This wasn’t going to work.
Speaking of I was supposed to be out of the house 5 minutes ago.
Pursing my lips, I lectured myself in my head. I HAD to stop doing this. I had to stop wasting time trying to figure out what to wear.
That’s how so many of us feel standing in our closet just minutes before we need to leave for work. We have tons of clothes, but no clue what to wear. We’re desperate to figure out how to save time getting dressed in the morning.
How can this be?
Assuming you do your laundry and have clothes you actually like in your closet, it comes down to 1 thing.
Planning.
I know, I know. It doesn’t sound fun. But when you fail to plan, you plan to waste time trying to figure out what the heck to wear.
Plan Your Outfit the Night Before
This wardrobe tip is everywhere, and it’s become a cliché. But it’s repeated so much because it works.
Remember earlier when I ended up running late for work because I couldn’t find a shirt that fit my needs?
What if I’d spent that time finding a shirt (and the rest of my outfit) the night before?
I wouldn’t be facing an urgent decision (WTF to wear) moments before I needed to leave for work.
Choosing your outfit the night before takes the pressure out of the decision. You’ll have time to browse your closet, try things on, and settle on an outfit without the urgency of needing to make a choice ASAP.
Develop a Personal Uniform/Signature Look
I had to wear school uniforms from preschool all the way through high school.
And you know what? I loved it.
I didn’t have to worry about what to wear, because that decision was already made.
This may sound boring, but it can be freeing (and not nearly as restricting as it sounds) as an adult.
I work with a busy mom of 4 who uses a personal uniform to great advantage.
Her uniform consists of skinny jeans, cute flats, and a Portofino shirt from Express. She has other clothes of course, but pulls out a pair of skinnies and one of her Portofinos most days. She always looks cute, pulled-together, and best of all, never has to scramble for an outfit.
A uniform can be any combination of clothes that you have multiples of and that you look and feel great in. Here are some ideas:
- Jeans and t-shirt
- Slacks, heels, sleeveless blouse
- Dress and sweater
- Maxi dress and blazer
- Skirt and tank top
If you can’t stand the thought of a uniform, think of it as a signature look. Knowing what you look good in and using it to your advantage will save time getting dressed in the morning. (And get you noticed!)
Wear Dresses
So many women think dresses are a hassle. We think jeans or sweats are the ultimate in comfort and convenience.
But dresses are a busy gal’s secret weapon and an awesome wardrobe hack. Here’s why.
- Instant outfit. No searching for a top and bottom that you look and feel great in. Throw on a dress and you’re basically done.
- Lighten the laundry load. You’ll have a bit less laundry to do at the end of the week, since a dress is a single article of clothing.
- They don’t need much help to look polished. Most dresses are probably fine with minimal accessories, so you won’t need to waste time trying to dress them up.
Stock Up on Neutral Accessories
Curate a collection of neutral accessories that go with everything. As a result, decision-making will be easy when you DO need an accessory to punch up an outfit. (Or just a belt to hold your pants up!)
I like to have sets of accessories in these colors, because everything in my closet goes with at least 1 of them:
- Black
- Tan
- Warm metallic (Such as gold, rose gold, or copper. Because of my skintone and the colors of my wardrobe, silver isn’t a great choice for me.)
- Navy (Not necessary for everyone, navy is complimentary to my wardrobe)
Although the days of matchy-matchy accessories are (Thankfully) long gone, I like to have the following in each of the colors above:
- Purse
- Belt
- Heels
- Flats
- Coat, jacket, or sweater
As a result, it’s a breeze to quickly mix and match accessories, because you know you have something in each category that looks good with whatever outfit you have on.
Buy Multiples of Your Favorites
If you find something you love (Jeans, a cut of shirt, etc), buy more than 1 of the item. As a result, you’ll avoid wasting time in the morning trying on items that you don’t feel good in.
My co-worker with the uniform is a perfect example. She loves the cut of Express’s Portofino shirt. Because she’s such a fan, she has dozens of them in different colors and patterns.
Similarly, I have a favorite cut of jean. It’s no longer made, but I was able to snag 3 pairs before they were discontinued. I wear them regularly, because I know without a doubt that I’ll feel great every time I put them on.
Get Rid of Clothes You Don’t Love
Sifting through clothes you don’t love is probably one of the biggest wardrobe time sucks. As a result, decluttering clothes you don’t look and feel great in will save time when you’re getting ready for work in the morning.
Return newly purchased or ordered items that don’t look and feel great when you put them on. You can also go through your closet and weed out clothes you no longer enjoy. By doing so, you’ll be left with a closet full of clothes you love. It’s so much easier to decide what to wear when you like 100% of your options.
Create an Outfit Photo Library
Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could have a library of cute outfits to draw from when you don’t know what to wear? This next wardrobe hack will help you do just that.
You can make your own visual library of outfits using the clothes you have. It’s almost like browsing a magazine or fashion site, but you already own everything in the photos!
How to create an outfit photo library:
- Have a fashion show with your clothes
- Take pictures of your favorite outfits.
- Keep the pics on your phone, or upload them to a photo service like Amazon Prime Photos or a cloud drive
- Organize the photos in folders based on style or occasion – for example, work, weekend, dressy, polished casual
When you have no clue what to wear, scroll through your photos for inspiration. Your days of scrambling for something to wear are gone.
Identify Go-To Outfits to Fit Specific Needs
Remember that morning where I frantically peeled off 3 shirts in a row? It was because I was bloated and couldn’t find anything that made me feel good about how I looked.
Not too long after that, I spent some time in my closet finding tops and dresses that are bloat-friendly. As a result, I now have a few different options for those days when I’m all puffed up.
Having go-to outfits to achieve specific goals is pretty genius. It’s an instant solution when you’re in a specific bind, and a great answer to the question of how to save time getting dressed.
Here are a few occasions that might call for a designated ensemble:
- Feeling bloated (As above)
- Didn’t have time to shave your legs
- Sick but can’t skip work
- Want to be comfortable but look professional
- Tired but need to look put-together
- Running late for work
- Need to impress a boss, client, or other professional connection
- Date night
- Girls’ night
- Weddings
- Funerals
- Graduations
- Church events
- Community or school events
- Charity galas
- Events with an unclear dress code
Take pics of these outfits, and add them to your photo library. Then, rename the file to match the occasion. Or, you can upload them to a secret board on Pinterest, and use the pin description to state the outfit’s purpose. You’ll never be at a loss for what to wear again.
Create a “Steal This Outfit” Pinterest Board
If you’re on Pinterest, you probably have a style, fashion, or other clothing-related board. Me, too!
Aspirational fashion boards are great, but a “steal this outfit” board will help when you’re in a bind and need a cute outfit fast.
What’s a “steal this outfit” board? It’s a collection of outfits inspired by the clothes you already have.
Whenever you see an outfit you like AND it includes clothing similar to items you own, save it to your “steal this outfit” board. Scroll through the board whenever you need some outfit inspiration, and you’ll have tons of cute options at your fingertips.
Time-Saving Wardrobe Hacks: Conclusion
Finding time to decide what to wear to work in the morning is next to impossible. With a little planning, you can have a closet full of clothes and outfits you love at the ready. Here’s a quick recap of my 9 time-saving wardrobe hacks:
- Plan your outfit the night before
- Develop a signature look or personal uniform
- Wear dresses for an instant outfit
- Stock up on neutral accessories
- Buy multiples of your favorite clothes
- Get rid of clothes you don’t love
- Create an outfit photo library
- Identify go-to outfits for specific needs
- Create a “steal this outfit” Pinterest board
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