Fashion math 101: The 7-point rule for your wardrobe

This term is making the rounds on social media. Used by fashion influencers Olaf Hernandez, Claudia Berresford, Indigo Star, and Gianna Schiller to get over 500k views on their posts, this handy styling trick can help put your OOTD together without making it too busy, cluttered, or visually overwhelming.

So, what is the seven-point rule?

Simply put, the rule is about giving points to each item of your attire.

• Any plain, solid or simple clothing garment gets you one point.
• Any printed or unique garment with a different texture, silhouette or design gets you two points.

Finding the perfect blend of items from both categories in your wardrobe, you can create an outfit that gets the perfect seven-point score. However, it is not a definitive point system and can be subjective; it can lay a foundation. The rule is simple — your outfit should look visually appealing while reflecting your personal style, all without going overboard. This doesn’t mean your score can’t go over 7, but avoid crossing 10.

Stylists’ guide on creating a look

Malvika Tater suggests that some versatile staple pieces can be effortlessly mixed and matched with statement pieces: “Go for well-fitted blue jeans (1 point) with a printed blouse (2 points), then add a black or beige tailored blazer (1 point), minimal sneakers or loafers (1 point) and a structured tote (1 point) with some subtle gold earrings or a bracelet (1 point).”

According to Raunaq Arora, a layered look can have statement pieces like brooches, ties or a jacket for an element of drama: “For the ideal 7 points, go for a plain white t-shirt (1 point), textured dress pants in a lighter shade (2 points), preferably textured (pin stripes or subtle tone-on-tone check), Chelsea boots (1 point), a deconstructed linen blazer (2 points) and a pair of glasses (1 point).”