How do you know when something truly fits?
An unlikely copywriter's trick might help.
I’ll let you in on an old copywriter’s trick: When you’ve been staring at the same word document for hours, shift your view. Paste it into your Slack DMs or email it to yourself and, suddenly, the typo you’ve been missing is the first thing you see. That small context change makes your brain process it differently.
Clothes work in a similar way. You put on something you objectively like, but by mid-afternoon, you can’t pinpoint why you feel off. Or you snap a picture and realize your clothes look completely different than they did that morning.
If an outfit always leaves you unsure—or you’re Vacation Clothes Theory’ing your closet—now’s your cue to get curious in a new way. Adapt the copywriter’s trick: Take a photo or record a quick video, swirling and twirling to catch all the angles. When you play it back, your brain will see the outfit differently, and you’ll notice details you couldn’t in the mirror.
Maybe that oversized sweater swallows you instead of giving you the ease you imagined. Or those straight-leg jeans make you look like a green bean because you have no hips. (Two proportion problems I run into often, both of which we’ll cover in the coming weeks.)
Not everything will be an obvious n-o, though. Some things are worth making work, if you’re willing to take an extra step.
Don’t forget about your local tailor
If you’re in Austin, I only recommend Joseph at Gassane Tailors. I’ve trusted him with everything from special pieces to fast fashion finds (yes, fast fashion can be tailored!).
Case in point: Shorts are hard to get right for me. But I once came across a pair of ecru jean shorts from Zara that fit like a glove, albeit they were too long for my liking. I almost let that stop me from buying them, but I did anyway, and promptly brought them to Gassane for a hem job. I spent nearly as much on the alteration as I did on the shorts, but they’re now been a hero in my closet for two summers running.
Get curious about your clothes
I want you to invite curiosity in this week and put your clothes under a new lens. Take a photo or a quick video, play it back, and study what you see. Ask yourself why this piece makes you feel the way it does, whether it’s good or bad. Is it the length, the shape, the color? Does this confirm you love the fit, or are you settling?
From there, decide whether to tailor it, toss it, or hang it back up with confidence.
The more often you practice this shift in perspective, the easier it gets to spot patterns in what you love, what never seems to work, and what’s worth the extra effort to get right.
Our wardrobes reveal more about us and our preferences than we often think—if we’re willing to take a closer look.