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A fashion guru has revealed her secret to making sure you always look stylish and never dowdy when wearing comfortable clothes.
Afaf ‘Zeopatra’ Seyam, 29, a New York-based fashion designer and digital artist, has more than 100,000 followers on TikTok where she shares fashion and beauty tips.
‘If you feel ugly in everything you wear, listen. There are two categories when it comes to style: function and things you like,’ he explained in a recent viral video.
By Zeopatra’s definition, functional pieces are ‘ugly and comfortable’, while things you like are ‘elegant’ but not always easy to wear.
The fashion influencer shared that she has found a balance between the two, an easy-to-follow strategy she has dubbed the “ugly one-third rule.”
Afaf ‘Zeopatra’ Seyam, 29, went viral on TikTok after sharing her easy-to-follow dressing strategy, which she dubbed the ‘ugly one-third rule’
You may have heard of the rule of thirds. This is my version of that,’ said the New York City-based fashion designer.
Zeopatra explained that there are two categories when it comes to style: functional pieces that are “ugly and comfortable” and “things you like” that are “stylish” but not always easy to wear.
You may have heard of the rule of thirds. This is my version of it,’ he said. Most outfits can be divided into three areas: top, bottom, and shoes. I allow myself to be ugly and comfortable with a third of my outfit.
Zeopatra gave several examples, saying that if she wants to wear a hoodie, she’ll “pair it with pants and some fancy shoes.”
A blazer and pants can go with sneakers, while a ‘super comfy’ pajama-inspired jumpsuit works well with a structured jacket and dressy shoes.
“If you have one ugly thing, offset it with two fancy things so it looks like a style choice instead of a scruffy person who has no idea what’s going on,” she reiterated.
“How not to feel ugly and still be a little practical,” she captioned the clip, which has been viewed more than 1.9 million times since it was posted in December.
Hundreds of people shared their thoughts in the comments section, and fans of the rule praised Zeopatra for the easy-to-follow advice.
‘Yes, this is the right ratio of looking good but not trying too hard,’ wrote one person, while another added: ‘This is hands down the best style advice I’ve heard in years!’
‘I had never thought of it this way. Genius. That’s kind of what celebrities do too, isn’t it? someone else pointed out.
Most outfits can be divided into three areas: top, bottom, and shoes. I allow myself to be ugly and comfortable in a third of my outfit,” she said.
‘If I’m wearing sneakers then I’ll pair them [them] with suit pants and a blazer’, said
Zeopatra reiterated that if you’re wearing ‘one ugly thing’, you should ‘offset it with two fancy things to make it look like a style choice’
Zeopatra has shared numerous videos of herself modeling her one-third ugly outfits, but there were plenty of people who admitted they weren’t willing to sacrifice comfort for style.
The comments inspired her to share her tips for creating outfits that are “two-thirds ugly” but look good together.
“The main thing with an ugly third that makes it work and look good is when you pay attention to fit and structure,” he explained.
Zeopatra pointed out that there’s a difference between a baggy tracksuit and an oversized button-down shirt with baggy pants.
Zeopatra later shared a follow-up video detailing how to create comfortable outfits that are “two-thirds ugly” but still look put together.
He noted that there’s a difference between a baggy tracksuit and an oversized button-down shirt with baggy pants, though they’re probably just as comfortable.
“Focusing on the structure of the top layer will bring any look together,” insisted the digital artist.
Zeopatra told viewers that “jackets can save any outfit,” even baggy hoodies.
“One looks more dressed up than the other, although both probably have the same level of comfort,” he told viewers.
‘Let’s say we’re having two-thirds of an ugly day where we want to wear something baggy [on top]another thing that is loose [on the bottom], and comfortable shoes. Focusing on the top layer being structured will bring any look together.’
Zeopatra suggested throwing on a button-down shirt, blazer or biker jacket, “anything you can throw on top of a ruched outfit that will instantly pull any look together.”
“In the winter, it’s very easy to wear head-to-toe sweats or head-to-toe baggy clothing and then throw on a cool jacket,” he insisted. It makes you look much more elegant.
Jackets can save any outfit.