When you plan an outfit which item do you start with?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

I have a lot of clothes but I find co-ordinating them quite difficult sometimes.

When I look at style inspiration, I love the look of several shades of one colour in an outfit including coat/jacket, ie one colour palette.

Today I am wearing blue jeans, white trainers, a pink jumper with grey trim, black leather biker jacket and a burgundy handbag. I don’t feel particularly well put together at all but was in a rush. Too many different colours going on.

So when you plan an outfit, do you also consider coats/shoes/bags?

This might seem a little strange but 90% of the time if I’m planning an outfit I actually pick my jewellery first. Love jewellery and how it makes me feel so yeah.

That then gives me a general colour palette and I go from there. Shoes and bag is always my last consideration and I often try several pairs of shoes with an outfit.

I tend to match to whatever colour top I'm wearing first. Then shoes, then coat, then bag. Although, the top also depends on which bra is comfiest some days!

I always start with footwear! If I know what sort of day I'll be having then the right boots makes everything fall into place

Yes, footwear first. But I do a weather check before that, and a quick diary check - playground duty requires something different from being class-based. And I might decide dress or trousers based on bloating/comfort. I do have sensory issues though, and can't bear to be wearing clothes I can feel.
I wear more or less the same jewellery every day, so no decisions to be made there.

I pull out the thing I want to wear the most and then match to that. So it might be something I haven't worn in a while, something new, or just the perfect thing for the weather!

And as far as colours go, I'd choose a top or dress and then the jacket or cardigan to go with it, either picking out one of the colours in a pattern, or something of a similar depth of colour - so I don't think I would put on a black leather jacket with a pink and grey jumper, unless it was a very bright pink , and my bag would probably be black too.
If I started with a jacket in the starring role, I'd put a non-competing top under it.

I was going to say jewellery as well!

My favourite jewellery pieces include a long string multi coloured pearl necklace (can only cope with a plain navy ensemble); a garnet and black pearl necklace (good for a black or cream outfit) and some aquamarines.

So I often start with the necklace I wish to wear and go from there.

I usually like two colours in an outfit, base colour and then something as a contrast.

But I start with 'what's it for, how warm/cold will it be, how comfie/active etc.

Then what can I find in colours that suit me - mid reds, blues, pale tan, autumn colours.

Then choose a base outfit that is comfortable, warm enough, in a style I like , decent material that I can afford. That usually narrows it down to 2 or 3 things.

Once I have the base, add accessories.

Always start with the shoes - where am I going? what is the weather?
Then look at the coats/jackets/outerwear - same questions

Interesting about jewellery! I usually wear a necklace of some sort and stud earrings. Often a bangle especially in the summer with bare arms.

Maybe I should start with coat and footwear and take it from there.

Shoes!

Your outfit sounds fine, although I'd never mix a pink top with a burgundy bag.

To be slightly more brutal, white trainers with a black leather jacket sounds like a cheap looking combination but I'd have to see it, could look alright depending on the style of the jeans!

So your approach is probably basically all fine just needs more consideration with regards to bag and shoes.

It varies a lot, but there's usually one garment I particularly wanted to wear and the rest came from that.

Right now I'm wearing a new pair of black wide leg jeans. I wanted to wear those as they were new and I was looking forward to trying them out. Then I added a black long-sleeved top and a light pink batwing jumper (you can see the black at the neck and cuffs) and a long necklace with black and pink beads. The jumper was the second item I chose, as I thought the shape would go well with the jeans and it does.

I rarely wear as many different colours as you described unless there's one item, like a scarf, that brings all those colours together. I don't always think it looks wrong on other people, but like you, I feel a bit uncoordinated when I do it myself.

Whatever excites me the most in terms of what I am looking forward to wearing and then I build around that.