If You, Like Me, Own "Clothes" And Not "Outfits," This Internet-Approved Hack For Styling Yourself On A Budget Is A Total Game-Changer
Hello! I'm Dannica, and every day, I open up my closet, sigh, then sit on my bed wondering why the hell I never seem to have any clothes to wear. Like, I have clothes, but not outfits.
20th Century Studios / Via giphy.com
TBH, if I had the funds, I'd totally get a personal stylist so that I could look and feel good all the time. But alas, I've been eating cheese quesadillas for lunch and peanut buttered Hawaiian rolls for dinner, if that tells you anything.
As someone who's 4'10" and mid-sized, it's also annoyingly difficult finding clothes that fit really well. Not a lot of clothing brands carry petite sizes, so all my jeans are rolled to my ankles. Plus, I can never wear maxi dresses or skirts because they make me look like a melting popsicle. So, when I noticed people were enlisting the help of AI to choose their outfits on TikTok, I just had to try it out for myself — without going out and buying new clothes.
I chose ChatGPT as the vessel for my AI adventure, and this was the first time I ever used it. Not gonna lie, this AI business kind of freaks me out, but I was a soldier on a mission.
I planned a whole day to include three outfit changes: a brunch outfit, an errand-running outfit, and a dinner outfit. Did I force my sisters to come with me and take pictures? Yes. But did we all have a good time? Absolutely. Here's how the day went:
1.A brunch outfit — Personally, the best days always start with a good brunch (bottomless mimosas, specifically). That said, the first stop of the day was a local French cafe that I'd never been to before, so I hit up my friend, ChatGPT, to see what I could potentially wear. Here's the prompt I put in:
I chose to word the prompt like this because it was specific — it mentioned the vibe I was going for, where I was going, and who I was going with, and it mentioned the weather. While I was playing around with the prompt at first, I didn't mention the weather, and it recommended me more than one outfit, which was way too broad.
Here's what AI suggested:
TL;DR, our artificially intelligent friend recommended me to wear:
- a floral-printed sundress (specifically, an A-line or wrap dress)
- a denim jacket
- comfortable yet stylish footwear like sandals or espadrilles in a neutral-colored or nude tone
- "a few key accessories" like a pendant necklace, sunglasses, or a brimmed hat
- a medium crossbody bag or woven tote to hold some belongings
- fresh and natural-looking makeup
I was so surprised by how in-depth it was! It took my height into consideration and even suggested how to do my makeup, which I wasn't expecting at all. However, woe is me, I didn't have a sundress. So, I told ChatGPT, within the same conversation, to suggest something else with what I had:
The rest of the outfit was pretty much the same recommendation as the first, so I did the same thing, just with a printed skirt!
I included the temperature on purpose because I knew it was going to be hot as heck outside, but ChatGPT insisted I wore a denim jacket, so a denim jacket I wore. After rummaging through my closet, the brunch outfit didn't turn out half bad!
But, seriously, no concealer??
When I put the outfit on, I actually felt really good. I thought the outfit looked really put together, especially since the skirt I owned was a great length. But I was not a fan of the jacket.
I don't think the jacket does anything for my proportions. Like, it looks like it's swallowing me. Maybe if I owned a cropped denim jacket, it'd look a lot better, but if I'm being for real, I was really excited to go outside and ditch the jacket.
Of course, I couldn't forget the accessories and the shoes! I did dainty jewelry like ChatGPT suggested, and then I went with some tan shoes with such low heels they were basically flats.
I also fluffed my eyebrows a little just so that the overall makeup look was somewhat cohesive. What AI suggested wasn't far from my usual routine, though!
I removed the jacket after not even two minutes in the sun because it was so dang hot, but overall, I thought this outfit was so cute and very fitting for a delicious brunch.
Feast your eyes on the sheer joy on my face due to the amazing pistachio matcha green tea latte I was drinking (with oat milk, of course). I definitely took a nap after that.
2.An errand-running outfit — For a more casual and comfy look, I decided to ask AI what a good outfit would be for running errands. This may or may not be considered cheating, but I basically banned ChatGPT from suggesting anything not involving pants.
Don't get me wrong, I love wearing the occasional skirt or dress, but I am not a fan of the chafing. Major thumbs down.
Here's what ChatGPT suggested:
TL;DR, Chatty the AI recommended:
- shorts
- a soft and comfortable T-shirt or a breezy tank top
- comfortable shoes
- a lightweight button-up (optional)
- "hoop earrings or simple studs," alongside other accessories like a statement necklace and sunglasses
- a small or medium-sized bag
- to keep hair out of the face and off the neck, paired with light makeup
It was a pretty simple outfit, so I didn't have to search every crevice of my wardrobe, thankfully. I opted for some shorts, a tank top, and some sunnies, and wore my white (dirty white) New Balances!
I eventually switched out my bags and opted for the one I was wearing from the first outfit, just because it matched better.
I also kept the earrings from my first outfit, but swapped out my necklace for a more fun and colorful design.
Since I was recommended to wear my hair out of my face, I also did a cute and simple braid down my back. The Hunger Games left a lasting impact on me, because I still feel like Katniss whenever I wear a single braid.
Here were the errands in question:
Overall, this outfit was fun, comfy, and I'd say stylish! I definitely only wore the shades on top of my head, though.
3.An evening/dinner outfit — For the grand finale, I decided to go out to a fancy schmancy restaurant at a winery. I wanted to see if ChatGPT could come up with nice outfits that required a little more razzle-dazzle, and if that meant going out to eat a rack of lamb with risotto and fingerling potatoes on the side, who was I to complain?
Here's what ChatGPT suggested:
TL;DR, here's what ChatGPT suggested for a bougie night out:
- "a sophisticated neutral-toned dress" that flatters the figure
- a jacket, like a structured coat or blazer for a polished look
- tights
- strappy sandals or pumps "in a complementary color like black or nude"
- delicate jewelry like a statement necklace and dainty earrings
I don't buy tights anymore because all they do is tear and disappoint, so that was something I just had to forego when putting together this outfit. BUT, everything else was pretty easy to find, and I was barely sweatin' while looking through my drawers.
I found this neutral-beige dress (though, it definitely didn't complement my figure) and thought it would look great with this brownish and patterned blazer since the colors were similar. I also switched out my earrings to these croissant shapes, and added in a cute little bracelet! I also ditched the flower necklace and decided to wear the first necklace from the brunch outfit again. I don't own a lot of jewelry, so the back and forth was just inevitable.
I have to admit, I was really feeling myself in this fit!! I didn't feel overly dressed, but I still felt elegant, classy, and my age. However, like jewelry, I also don't own a lot of shoes, so I had to wear my flat bread loaf shoes again to go with the color scheme.
It's kind of giving divorce attorney, but if a divorce attorney slayed.
Of course, I was late for the reservation, so I only had time to retouch my makeup. Besides, ChatGPT didn't even give me any makeup options, which I thought was interesting considering it had so much to say during brunch time. Anywho, I made it to the winery, I slayed it at the winery, and I definitely paid UP at the winery.
Most importantly, I slayed.
I don't know how to pose, please don't come for me, I'm a divorce attorney.
A delicious cheesecake ended the day, and once I got home, I was plucked from my AI simulation and brought back into reality with my boring little pajama outfit.
Nickelodeon / Via giphy.com
Who knew changing outfits throughout the day would be so exhausting?!
As for my final verdict, I was actually pleasantly surprised with what AI came up with! I didn't necessarily hate any outfit, and for the most part, all the outfits I wore throughout the day made me feel pretty, confident, and stylish.
No one:
Me: 👍🏽
Honestly, I think using AI to help come up with outfit ideas is a big help for those, like me, who just need help forming something cohesive and put together. Of course, AI can't replace a real life personal stylist, but it definitely serves as something.
If you're looking to try this out yourself, I recommend playing around with your prompts and not being afraid of being specific. AI can't read your mind (at least, not yet), so be sure to include details like the weather, and whether you're going for a more casual or dressy look! And if you don't feel like wearing something specific, like pants, then you can always input that as well. My final tip — since I'm clearly such a fashionista after this one experiment — is if you want AI to give you the full stylist experience, then definitely specify that you want it to suggest how to do your makeup and hair, too!
