What’s your strategy when creating outfits? Wait – you don’t have one? Don’t worry, most people don’t – unless you call finding a top, picking a pair of jeans and grabbing a jacket and shoes a strategy. And while your method of creating outfits may not be as simple as that, you may never have thought about an actual strategy.
There are tons of strategies out there around creating outfits - based on color theory, shape and silhouette, personality traits, style descriptors, etc. (here’s a color based strategy that I recently shared). But I’m talking about one that’s pretty simple. And it’s a food analogy - which always piques my interest.
I’m talking about ‘sandwich outfits’ (and who doesn’t love a sandwich, right?). You may have heard of ‘sandwich outfits’, since it’s a strategy that often relates to color. Like these examples:
The color strategy of ‘sandwich outfits’ (also called ‘bookending’) basically means that you wear one color in a top or third piece. Then you repeat the same color in your shoes – and you put a different color in between. So, with the outfit on the left, white is the ‘bread’ of the sandwich (the white top and shoes) – and the blue jeans are the ‘meat’. And then in the second outfit, the toffee color is the bread and the ecru is meat (and so on). And this is a great way to play with color and balance in your outfits.
But the type of ‘sandwich outfits’ that I think are more interesting are about pairing different styles and vibes - where one vibe is the bread and another vibe is the meat. Pairing two different style vibes creates an interesting juxtaposition. And it comes across as a bit more compelling than sticking with one vibe, head to toe. For example – think of a pretty floral dress, paired with a sweet cardigan and delicate heels. Then think of a pretty floral dress, paired with a moto jacket and boots. There’s nothing wrong with the first idea – but the second idea feels a little more interesting and modern.
Check out at a bunch of outfits I recently created for virtual clients. And they all demonstrate a type of ‘sandwich outfit’ (that you can totally copy).
NOTE: These are the actual outfits that I send to my virtual clients – including the little notes on the right of each outfit. So, if any of these notes don’t make sense to you, don’t worry (they just need to make sense to my clients).
A blazer with a t-shirt, blue jeans and loafers is the quintessential ‘sandwich outfit’. The blazer and shoes are dressy, while the t-shirt and jeans are casual. So, it’s a nice balance that works for many middle-of-the-road occasions and environments (specifically, many of my clients’ business casual offices).
In this case, the floral top and slingback flats are on the more feminine side - but the faded and distressed jeans are on the edgy side. So, it’s a kind of ‘edgy sandwich’ that balances a sweet vibe with something that feels cooler.
The different parts of a sandwich don’t always have the same ‘flavor’ (am I taking the food analogy too far?). In this case, the feminine dress is a juxtaposition to the classic cut of the denim jacket and traditional loafers. But if this was with sneakers, the denim jacket would be expressing a more casual vibe with the sneakers, for a different ‘flavor’ (but just as interesting a result).
Since all the above outfits are for one client, you can see the consistencies within her style - and the similar ‘sandwich outfit’ ideas I created for her. In this outfit, the blazer and flats feel very ladylike, while the t-shirt and jeans are cool and casual. Which basically describes her style - feminine, casual, polished and completely uncomplicated. If you’re trying to develop your style (and you aren’t sure where to start), here’s an exercise I give all my new clients.
These next few outfits are from a different client - and she actually gave me the idea for this entire article (when we were on Zoom, reviewing her purchases). She was trying to figure out how to wear this feminine, flirty dress to her office, so I suggested the blazer and pumps. And she said, “it’s a sexy sandwich!”
And here’s the same dress (or ‘meat’ of the sandwich), but on a different kind of ‘bread’. The loafer slides and the cut of the denim jacket are more classic and traditional, which contrasts with the floral print and flow of the dress.
And in a final look from this client - the blazer and point toe flats are professional and polished. But the utility pants are a bit more casual and rugged (even though they’re pink). So it’s basically a ‘utility sandwich’, between two slices of ‘professional bread’.
Do you have a handle on the idea of ‘sandwich outfits’? Can you create ‘sandwich outfits’ with what’s already in your closet? If you have any questions, drop a comment and I’ll get back to you.
And if you need more than a blog article to create outfits that make you feel great, I’m here to help. Click here to read about the framework I’ve used with hundreds of clients to build an intentional wardrobe that aligns their style with their lifestyle. And then read this to discover exactly what these clients have to say about the experience.