You know when you stumble across an outfit that, quite simply, speaks to you? You know the ones that stop the Instagram or Pinterest scroll or an outfit in a magazine editorial which, quite honestly, makes every cent of the $9 worth it. Whatever the source of this inspiration – there is something about the way a collection of items have been assembled that feels more spiritual than simply fashion. In this blog post I share how you can analyse and re-create your favourite Pinterest outfits with items from your closet or by identifying and find similar items which you may want to add to your wardrobe ‘wish list’.
See, while sometimes the exact items in a Pinterest inspired outfit might be available and within your budget, in many cases it may not be. This is why learning how use an outfit for inspiration, analyse it and then re-create it with similar items is so helpful. Analysing how an outfit is created gives you the flexibility to capture the essence of what you love about while creating an outfit that is unique to you and your wardrobe.
In this blog post, I’ll share with you how I created this outfit by analysing a series of gorgeous lace tops I had seen from Sezane and from several images posted to my Pinterest board of vintage inspired, lace tops paired with denim (see, for example here and here).
1. What is it that you love about the outfit?
When considering how to re-create the Pinterest (or other) image that you’re using for inspiration, the first step is to identify what you really love about the look? There can be so many ways to style the same, or similar, pieces in different ways, so what is it about the components of this particular outfit which vibe with me so much? When looking at the images which inspired this outfit, I absolutely loved the contrast between the feminine, vintage inspired lace blouse and the denim, which I feel balances out the lace giving it a more modern, pretty meets edgy vibe. I also liked the slightly 70s Jane Birkin feel to this look and how timeless it felt.
2. What are the outfit's building blocks?
Next, I break down the building blocks of the outfit. How is it actually created? For this outfit, the key elements were a white lace, vintage inspired blouse and high waist, straight leg jeans in a mid to light blue denim. Because I had seen several iterations of this look, I felt I that I could experiment with the accessories. The main thing was to keep the accessories simple and let the statement lace do the talking. However, I did notice a theme that the Pinterest outfits I used for inspiration often used gold as opposed to silver jewellery.
3. What is the design and silhouette of each item?
I think it’s important to look beyond just the physical items used to create an outfit and to also consider the silhouette and design of each piece. For example, a simple black dress can be designed in so many which will impact the vibe of a particular outfit. This is not to say that other designs or silhouettes wouldn’t also look amazing by might product a different look and feel to the Pinterest image initially used as inspiration. For example, the jeans were straight leg jeans with a high waist. I noticed that many of the white lace blouses had long sleeve with a high neckline and were semi fitted as a shirt might be. While I had seen a variety of different lace, often these style of tops had a subtle ruffle to them, particularly around the collar giving them a Victorian or Edwardian air and feel.
Shop the edit
4. What is the colour palette?
Similar to considering silhouette and design, I think it can be helpful to identify the colour palette used in the original image as this will help you when identifying pieces in your own wardrobe which might meet the colour scheme.
5. Where can you source the items?
You should now have a good idea of how to create an outfit you love in theory but the next step is to consider items you have in your wardrobe and see if you can put an outfit together using those pieces. Whether you have the pieces necessary to create the outfit will depend your style and the outfit you’re looking to create. However, remember that the items don’t have to be an exact match – just something that reflects the overall essence of what you originally loved about the look.
6. What if you don't know a piece that is necessary to create the look?
If you don’t have an item you may need to look else where or consider adding an item to your “wishlist” or wardrobe. You can buy a piece new or, op shops and preloved pieces can be helpful ways to re-create outfits you love in a sustainable and budget friendly manner. For example, I already owned a pair of blue straight leg jeans (You can find my review of the Levi’s Ribcage Jeans here). However, I didn’t have a lace top and ended up finding the perfect piece while op shopping. I‘m a big proponent for versatility so if you’re thinking about buying an item in to create an outfit, consider other ways you can style it. For example, this white lace top could also be styled with:
- a pair of white jeans adding texture and contrast to an otherwise monochrome look.
- a midi skirt and boots for a beautiful slightly bohemian 70s vibe.
- black cigarette pants and boots for a rock and roll meets feminine outfit.
7. Don’t be afraid to make the look your own
After you’ve put together the basic structure of the outfit inspired by Pinterest, don’t be afraid to put your own creative spin on it – particularly if you’re missing a particular item, if you’re drawing inspiration from several similar looks, or if the photo you’re inspired by is a details shot where part of the outfit isn’t pictured. This is the part where you create an outfit that’s uniquely yours. As this outfit was inspired by several similar outfits I’d seen on Pinterest, I accessorised it with a simple pair of neutral heels and gold earrings – something understated and which kept the attention on the lace blouse. However, I think a pair of pointed heel boots, ballet flats or mules would have, equally, completed the look.
I’d love to know, have you ever used Pinterest to inspire your own outfits?
Outfit details: Lace top, thrifted (but similar here, here or here), Levi’s Ribcage Straight Ankle Jeans (I think the shade I’m wearing is no longer available but here’s a similar shade of denim), and neutral slingback heels (similar, here).
Photos: Sara Eshu
