The ‘7-Point Rule’ Makes Getting Dressed a Whole Lot Easier

Have you heard of the “7-point rule?” It’s a fashion trick that helps address those times we’ve all experienced, when you look at your outfit and think, hmm, something is missing. You don’t know what it is, but you know that it takes an extra touch to make your outfit feel complete.

In moments like these, you could try swapping out your bag, adding a few accessories, or resorting to one of those viral styling tricks you’ve read about, like the wrong shoe theory. There are endless tips and shortcuts that are meant to help us feel more put-together, and TikTok has recently introduced yet another: the 7-point rule.

So, what is it exactly? The 7-point rule is the theory that to achieve a harmonious look, your outfit should add up to between seven and 10 points. Now, unlike what you may think, it’s not about the number of garments you wear. Instead, each garment or accessory is assigned 1 or 2 points. It goes like this:

• Each staple garment, such as a blouse, pants, or shoes, counts as 1 point.
• If it’s a piece of clothing that has a point of interest in the form of a different texture, print, or an eye-catching design, it’s worth 2 points.

In other words, the thing is to find the balance between simple and special garments in your closet to create a style that doesn’t go unnoticed but isn’t so over-the-top that it’s distracting or overwhelming.

If this all still sounds a little abstract, we’ve got you. Let’s take these two examples from Parisian street style. At first glance, the looks follow the same basic pattern: pants, a T-shirt, and a blazer. So why do they look so different?

Look #1

Although the 7-point rule is followed, most of the garments in this outfit only consist of 1 point, including the jeans, sneakers, blazer, T-shirt, and glasses. All of them are classics that result in a total five points. It’s the cow print bag that rounds the look out—at two points, it brings the whole outfit up to seven.

Look #2

This shows that going a little overboard is not a bad thing. The jacket, shirt, and simple pants are in relatively plain colors, which brings us the first 3 points of the look. However, her studded ankle boots, the bag in a contrasting color, and the stand-out flower brooches are all two points. The result? Nine total points. It’s the balance between three basic pieces and three special pieces that makes the styling here work.