Ever wonder how the fashion girlies do it? Whether you pass them on the street or ogle their looks on Pinterest, their outfits always seem to be magically more elevated — even when it’s just a T-shirt and jeans.
If your wardrobe isn’t serving in quite the same way, it’s time to implement the “rule of 7.” This fashion hack is going viral on TikTok for a reason: it helps you curate the perfect ‘fit with little to no effort. In one video, creator @sreyahalder_ said it’s a style rule she follows to make her outfits instantly look better.
“Every item [in your wardrobe] has a score of either one or two, depending on how much it adds to the outfit,” she said in the clip. Ones include your basics — like a white tee, jeans, or silver hoops — while twos are more elevated pieces, like a patterned bag or asymmetrical skirt.
With this rule, the idea is to layer on items until they all add up to seven — and just like that, you’ll look effortlessly chic. Here’s what to know, plus how to give the “rule of 7” a try.
Perfect Outfits Follow The “Rule Of 7”
If you throw on a long-sleeve tee, black skirt, and white sneakers and wonder why it looks meh, it’s probably because those pieces only add up to three points.
To boost the same outfit to an enviable seven, you could add a fringed vintage coat for two points, gold earrings for one point, and a black shoulder bag for one point. The result? Way more intrigue.
It’s recommended to start with the basics and then add a few extras for interest. On TikTok, creator @digitaltaylor said the best style recipes combine a mixture of ones and twos.
“If you use a lot of ones, your outfit’s going to have a lot of components,” she said in the clip. “And if you use only twos, your outfit is going to be a little simpler,” since you won’t need as many pieces to add up to seven. (FYI, all of your jewelry together is only one point.)
In one of her examples, @digitaltaylor shows a white tee (one point), brown pants (one), unique shoes (two), a fuzzy collared coat (two), and gold earrings (one). For a little extra zhuzh, she takes it to nine by adding a skinny scarf and sunglasses — though anything beyond that might start to look too busy, and anything less could feel unfinished.
Creator @lifewithashleysymone also tried the theory, and it instantly gave her fashion it-girl energy. Instead of just wearing the white button-down and blue skirt, she layered a lace top and studded belt, and then grabbed a zebra-stripe bag. “I learned the rule of seven, and I’m never going back,” she said.
When To Use The “Rule Of 7”
You can apply this strategy to just about anything — from casual brunch looks to date-night ‘fits and workwear.
Creator @leia_ku curated the perfect work outfit using this method: a cream tank top and matching pants (two points), a collection of rings and earrings (one), a green scrunchie (one), black flats, a blazer, and a bag (three more). To finish it off, she tied a sweater around her shoulders for her final point, bringing the total to seven. The layered details made her neutral basics look instantly more polished.
The “rule of seven” is a fun and useful guideline for putting an outfit together — but like any fashion rule, it’s meant to be broken. “Truly, I don’t think there are any rules in fashion,” said @digitaltaylor. “I think anyone can do anything they want.”
