Friend Friday - Getting Dressed

I'm still alive, y'all, and it's Friend Friday! For this week, we're keeping things light - perfect because I'm still settling in here in Costa Rica. Today's topic?

Get Dressed!

1. How do you determine what you will wear that day?
I jokingly say that my subconscious dresses me. What I mean is, that I usually wake up with an idea of what to wear in my head. If it doesn't come right as I wake up, it'll come as I'm brushing my teeth or while I'm in the shower. Maybe I dream my outfits, maybe not; I wouldn't know because I never remember my dreams.
One thing I will say, though: I am NOT a planner. If I get something new, then I'll come up with an outfit around that piece, but in general, I don't plan too far in advance; I save that level of planning for the classroom.

2. Do you plan outfits out in advance for a whole week, month, weekend?
Nope.

3. Do you have any specific way of tracking outfits and items already worn so you don't repeat?
Here comes my confession: in high school, I used my calendar for nothing but outfit tracking. I'd get dressed and then I'd write my outfit in the little box. There was a lot of "Purple striped sweater, Angel flares" and absolutely no birthdays or appointments. I don't do this any more. Now, I just kind of remember; I have a great memory for outfits, random facts, and song lyrics. If I don't remember, I go back to the blog and search. Or I repeat. Why? Because it's my life and sometimes I just want to wear something again, the end.

4. How do you discover new combinations of items in your closet? (Trial try-ons? Hanging items together?)
Sometimes, things just pop into my head. I'll be going through my closet to clean it out or organize it, or get dressed, and I'll suddenly think, "This shirt would look amazing with my leopard print skirt!" Other times, I'll see something on another blog, on tv, or on the street and think that I have similar pieces that I could put together. Sometimes I'll try things on, but to be quite honest, I hate taking my clothes off once they're on. I rarely change more than once.

5. To streamline the process for 2011 what is one new thing you can do to cut down your dressing time?
Honestly, keep my closet organized. In case you're curious, we don't have one right now; we have to actually buy a closet system and install it in our house when we finally move in. Most of my stuff will be folded up on shelves, and some will be hanging up in a little baby closet. Right now, I'm still living out of my suitcases in our temporary house - that is NOT so conducive to finding clothes to put on. I will say, though, once I start putting together great outfits, my outfit pictures are going to be so pretty....

So how about y'all? Do you plan ahead? Do you repeat outfits? How hard is it to find your clothes in a giant suitcase?  Any tips for closet organization when it's mostly shelves?

For more thoughts, visit ModlyChic.