As a fat woman, the way you use Abisola Omole to illustrate your points and talk about her with such respect and regard, it feels like being in a parallel universe where people don't hate us! I've always loved the way you use a range of bodies in your videos but oh my heart ❤️ Thank you
So I had to come back to this video to tell you that it works! I watched this last week and then have thought of your 3 bean salad method everyday since. I am a teacher and a young male tech aid today told me “Oh, my God, Erin. Everyday. So stylish!” Anyway, that just absolutely made my day and I know it is 100% this video! Thank you!!
I love how Hannah's shirt vibes with her hair color. I also think the sleek black bag in the first example works because it vibes with her long, sleek, dark hair. I usually wear cool tones but I have a long camel coat that I love because it vibes with my long dark blond hair. Matching your hair definitely is a thing. If you have a fashion color in your hair, you could match it to accessories, bags, or shoes.
I agree with hair color and even the texture of braids being incorporated as an accessory. I intentionally chose grey workout sneakers and casual sneakers to bookend with my grey hair. The tones complement each other and it’s all complementary and cohesive.
Fully agree on the first picture how the bag works so beautifully is because of her beautiful hair. Otherwise it would be a little bit out of scope… hair and skintone can be the thing that links things together. Like Hanna’s beautiful ivory skin in contrast to her hair colours - that is already a statement and colours, accessories or combinations would look different on her than on the person in the inspo photo, or on me with very soft, muted colours typical of Scandinavia. 😊
I try to follow Zyla's recommendation of matching to the darkest or lightest tones of hair. I think it really helps with creating more life. If I match to the midtones it seems to create a dullness.
I think the metallic shoe also picks up the metallic on the bag and the earrings in the first example, as well as the black hair and black body of the bag. It is a very cohesive grouping.
I agree that the black hair and black bag work. But also wanted to point out some of the three beans that exist in the photo background, which also makes this combination sing: The black car makes a third black point on a triangle. Also the sidewalk and wall match the shoes, which help them feel just right. Not saying this brilliant outfit can't shine anywhere, just observing that so much of Insta effect is in the professional photography that is clearly evident here, even as it looks like she is just walking down any street and this is just a paparazzi pic it very much isn't. This does not lesson any of the points made here or by Abisola, only to deepen our ability to 'read' what Insta outfits we're responding to.
What I really enjoy about these recent fashion videos is for me they make explicit certain implicit principles which I use regularly in getting dressed 😮 when I am getting ready often I’m just thinking “does this look good” but now I realise that when I think “good” what I mean is “balanced”. So even though the way I dress already aligns with these ideas I still find them helpful and interesting just in revealing the mechanisms of this process
I own a pair of flats in wine red, which is one of my favorite colors because it is super flattering to my skin tone. When my outfit is otherwise neutral, it's easy to kick it up a notch with the wine red shoes. Very similar to the outfit in the video with lime green shoes. I think it's particularly effective because the choice takes my skin color into account, as you said.
I think this really applies in the black and cream only photo, as she has chestnut brown skin which really pulls the whole look together as a third element. As a mousy dirty blonde, it wouldn’t have near the elegance.
100% one of the best ingredients is also being mindful of your natural or inherent color palette (skin color, hair color, eye color). leaning on your natural beauty is so key, especially if you’re not overly high fashion, overly aware of color possibilities, and you’re just trying to style for the everyday.
Three bean salad is such a fascinating concept to me, especially since this year I've felt drawn to do the exact opposite: wear way more things at once, and layer, layer, layer. Last night, I feel like I created the best possible expression of this ultra-layered look, a thirteen bean salad if you will, that included two skirts, a dress, a thermal, a corset, leggings, two visible pairs of wool socks, boots, a scarf, a massive bracelet, a hair ribbon, and an artificial butterfly. However, when I re-considered how three bean salad could actually still exist in the ultra-layered modality, and how I'd actually achieved it: every item that I wore was either dark brown, burgundy, or black watch plaid (three items!). Also, since all of the colors were so dark and intense, they really weren't competing with each other, it was just more this textural exploration of cotton, wool, and leather, which is another three bean salad!
Sometimes I imagine you are not as chronically online as I am and you are like a digital minimalist who then bursts onto the scene twice a week with this amazing relational art you made for us. And then. THEN. You do the holding space finger hold. And I remember I really know nothing. And I am reassured. And I love that.
I think in the first picture there are more matching elements than I initially thought at first glance. Her dark hair “matches” the black bag, and I think her earrings are silver and speak to the shoes. But it’s unexpected and she looks amazing.
Dude. You just perfectly explained the missing piece in order to dress like that “art curator” I have in my head vs the frazzled art student I keep showing up as. 😬 🤣 this is the difference. It comes down to restraint & order & balance so the “chaos” can have room to breathe.
In example 3, I think the hair also adds to be vibe. Normally in an outfit, you would want the spectator's eyes to move up to your face eventually. So, while the red socks draw your eyes first, we would eventually wander up to the face as well, since the hair is such a bright blonde. I don't think brown or black locks would have the same effect, so one would need to wear some bold earrings or a bold/bright lip to draw attention towards the face.
I love three-bean salad so much. This and your monochromatic video have been so useful to me, and this one came out just as I was ready to explore other stuff. I appreciate the note about "you might have a coat/bag on that you take off when you get to the function" because I was thinking I wouldn't be able to pull this off in cold weather, but no, once I'm in the building three bean is super easily achievable! It also made me reflect on some of my favorite outfits and what makes them work. Thank you so much! So many possible combos *without* having to buy anything (I'm on the opposite spectrum to a lot of folks, where almost all save a few items I have I've had since I was still a teenager, and am just now expanding my style). Thank you for making this so approachable, and also for so focusing black women's style and fashion in this video!
hannah i have to say you are so good at explaining things!! i originally wasn't sure if your methods would work for me because our styles are visually different (my current style is basically tomboy miss frizzle), but everything is explained so clearly and accessibly that it transfers! it's soooo fun to watch your videos and see you style something beautifully in your way, and then apply the principles in my own closet to a similar but totally different result! :) you're the best!
I don't think it's about having only three pieces, which is so limiting on a practical basis; to me, what works about most of these colour schemes is the play of repetition and contrast. To wit: one hue that occurs at least twice (in examples #1 and 7: bag and hair*; example #2: jumper and hair; #3: shoes, dark part of bag print and hair; #5: trousers and shoes; #6: skirt and shoes; #8: the logo and skirt), then other colours that are either close enough to read as related, or, different enough in hue and value to read as deliberate contrast, from each other and the first, repeated, colour. *I was one of the many people commenting on the previous video about using hair colour as an element of the outfit, and I was mentally screaming it throughout this one. The hair colour often provides the repeated element that anchors the more disparate ones, making the palette seem intentional rather than random. The other thing that made some of the colour schemes in the previous video work, and I think what contributes to the success of example #4, which doesn't have the repetition of colour within the outfit, is that the photo's background provides the repetition and contrast. I don't think you can entirely discount the effect of the caramel colour of the bricks of the upper wall picking up the caramel of the shoes. It's pleasing to the eye, and helps the brain make sense of an image, to have patterns in the use of colour within a composition.
Absolutely agree on hair colour as a grey haired lady who totally incorporates my hair tones in accessories. I also see how lipstick pulls together these looks. I favour fewer pieces and pared back monochromatic looks and intentional choice of lip colour is key in pulling it all together.
@@chlomo2618 I enjoyed your essay! I really hate to keep harping on this, but seasonal color analysis really can help with putting outfits together. A person‘s color season really does help determine how many colors one can optimally wear and it still look good together. Christine Scaman is a great resource. She puts together outfits and also analyzes celebrities’ outfit and color choices. I have learned so much from her! I enjoy and appreciate what Hannah does too here; just saying that looking into seasonal color analysis and especially Christine’s method is an additional way of learning about this. :-)
Miuccia Prada in example 5 is an absolute fashion icon, I love how throughout the years she sticks to this exact outfit formula just changing colors or textures of items, so great so great
I love the name you've given to what I, rather less entertainingly, call my color trios. I even do this with my lounge outfits. For instance, right now, as I am relaxing at home during this blizzard, I am wearing a pair of black knit lounge/pj pants with a charcoal gray knit long-sleeved top and a long open-front merlot cardigan and merlot cozy socks.
The 3-color approach is something I've seen used in character concept art for color-scheming comics/animation/video games. Usually the ratio is also important. You want 1 main color, a secondary (usually complimentary) color, and one accent color. It's interesting to me to think about fashion the way an artist would think about character creation.
First thank you for representing body diversity. The first outfit works so well because she has dark hair that works to reinforce and balance the black of the small bag. Then the shoes become a neutral. So many stylists don’t talk about how hair color works with an outfit.i appreciate, very much, the way you speak, and the way you express your ideas and yourself.
Your fashion videos are everything. THANK YOU 😊 I’m approaching shopping & getting dressed much different since watching your videos. You’ve given me clarity lol and guidance. You are my fashion mother 😂
Copy and paste! Hannah has led me to a few of my all-time favorite clothing brands, and these videos have completely reframed how I apply my taste and style to putting outfits together. ❤
@ saaaame!! I’ve really been trying to redo my entire wardrobe since having a baby a year and a half ago, but wasn’t really sure what my style currently is since I didn’t want to wear any of my old clothes… but her videos have really helped me figure out just that and be practical about it. It’s exciting lol I’ve been wearing athletic wear for the last two years 😆 and really want to be more put together - easily
I feel like Abisole’s lewk works so well also bc the silver shoe complements orange + there’s a bit of metallic detail on the ridge of her black bag. For me, the black bag sandwiched w her black hair-creating some cohesiveness for the orange + silver to shine without competing w ea other
Hannah, thank you for your incredible fashion philosophy videos! I think I need a series of 3+ hour thematic compilations of these videos in my life, similar to your makeup ones during your parental leave :)
Hi Hannah! Love all your videos and appreciate your take on fashion so much. I did have a comment though about the image of the woman with the long black dress and fun red socks and shoes. She definitely has a forth color of her hair. Her hair stands out soooo much it is definitely a fourth color. I still love the outfit.
This video came on the heels of my own thought experiment about how the more you simplify any creative endeavor, the less there is to hide behind. Hence, the individual elements and the craftsmanship have to be that much more on point. This is true for styling, makeup, acting, writing, cooking, etc. I feel like 3 Bean Salad is a great exercise to train myself into wearing simpler and more refined outfits for when I want to look simple, but impeccable.
A friend once said to me, "The best thing you can do for a project is put limits on it." That really stayed with me and I think is so true in all your points about styling, makeup, acting, etc...The limits force you to make quality choices.
Another tool to add to the fashion toolkit. I really like that you use diverse models to show these outfits. That way, we subscribers can see ourselves, and not idealized perfection we can’t achieve.
"Blazing simplicity!" I love it. I totally clicked on this video because I could tell from the title card images that this is *the* way I dress. Thank you for the analysis and conversation about it. Like you mentioned, it works with "normal people" clothes, not just high fashion. Also, it's a great way to create truly comfortable, warm outfits that are also fashionable.
17:16 the bare ankle conversation is literally been such a struggle for me to get through. I recently got permanent jewelry and it’s an anklet. That has changed the way I view my ankles showing.
I think I like the softer version of this idea. Soft is a keyword in my style. I've been playing with ways to dress in a casual, but somewhat nice way, that is calm, soft, friendly, and down to earth. I don't really want to look high fashion. Do you have any fashion tips for the soft personalities among us, who don't want to overwhelm ourselves with bold colors and designs?
As much as I love layers, climate often requires me to keep it very simple and this “three bean salad” principle feels very doable 😊❤ I also always love how diverse your model examples are your eye for beauty and uniqueness is something I highly admire
I'm not sure that not wearing loafers without socks is because it's considered too "fashion", but because of more practical reasons🤔 With loafers, there is more material rubbing on the skin, and wearing them all day can lead to blisters. In warmer days, it can also lead to odor build-up. With high heels, there is less material rubbing on the skin, therefore (hopefully) lower chances of blisters, and since they're more open, they're also less prone to odor build-up. Also, in the case of loafers, their shape makes them more size versatile, so they can be worn with or without socks, but heels that fit with socks will probably be too large for a bare foot and heels that fit a bare foot would probably be too tight when worn with socks. So I imagine people will get the size that matches the way they intend to wear it more often (probably without socks). That is just to say that I believe the reasons why loafers are generally worn with socks and heels without, are more practical rather than just aesthetical. In my opinion 😁
Randomly i take exception to the Rothko references become of all the layering of color/paint. In the finished painting there may appear to be a division of three but the images vibrate because of all the colors you perceive rather than observe
This concept really challenges me. Within the simplicity is a boldness that I realize I shy away from. My instinct would be to put on a scarf or wrap that would tie it all together and make each piece less obvious. Also, a question I always have when I see your beautiful outfits that you wear around the house...what do you wear on your feet? I don't wear shoes in the house, but I feel silly in office appropriate attire with cozy socks or slippers! Thanks for your fantastic content!
Personally, if it's too cold to go barefoot around the house, I have a pair of sleek wool felt slippers. They feel a little more elevated than fuzzy socks with grippy bottoms (which i also wear sometimes!) but they still keep my feet toasty.
For the outfit with the yellow skirt, the 3 beans I consider are the sweater, the skirt, and the red lip. So the beans are colors, or I also view it as a play of 2 colors with them being the red and the yellow with the neutral as the background which in this case is adding texture.
While this sounds compelling, I can’t walk around without shoes and handbag, so I already have two items on me, and then the 3 items concept for me becomes restricted to summertime only, when it is possible to wear a dress as third item. It is clearly impossible in any other season here, as there’s snow laying down eight months a year. A coat is s must. And now it’s reaching -50 degrees celsius, so the more layers I wear, the better. It is impossible to be limited to three items only. I rather treat three bean salad as three main colors/patterns in my outfits. It could be bold color or bold pattern or bold texture combined with something simple, neutral and clean cut.
Love the red sock image! I might argue though, that the really fair blond hair is offering another element of contrast. I wonder if the outfit would have the same impact on myself, for example, with medium to dark brown hair that would not separate itself from the black turtleneck dress? So interested in this theory!!
I think you are missing a key point of these styling pictures is the background and the bold features of the model/person herself - the beautiful color (any color, light or dark, pale or vibrant ) of their skin and hair also plays a role in their ‘outfit’.
This is perfect for me, because I LOVE statement pieces. I need to wear thick tights in winter though, so it will be super hard when they are already a piece.
The blouse! I am so here for it! Okay, let's get into the meat of the video. I'd like to echo the comments about the hair, I love example number three with the black dress, socks and sandals. My thought was, it would look good on me, but it would not look stunning because my hair is so dark it would negate the contrast in the example image.
I agree - the starkness of her hair against the black dress balances the loud shout of the socks. If I wore this, everyone's eyes would be drawn straight to my feet and my face would get no play.
Such great fodder for closet playtime! Love having tools like this to rely on, especially on days when Im feeling not at my full capacity to conceive of an outfit without the aid of a guiding principle 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This concept is really interesting to me but I always wear more than three items. So I will stay with the concept of "bichromatic dressing for the aesthetically practical" and pile on items in just two colour families. An outfit for me right now in winter is: top, skirt or pinafore dress, tights, woolen socks, boots, scarf or shawl, mittens and earrings. To tie all of these things together only wearing two colours feels and looks great.
I wish in these fashion videos, there would be more examples featuring jeans, as I wear jeans 90% of the time. I think it would be an interesting challenge for you to use an example using jeans and a casual styling for every principle you describe in your videos. I appreciate the advice, but it makes it harder to rework these tips for my jeans centered atire, so would appreciate any help 😅 Also, I think it would make the video more "beefy" as it would address more styles, not just the polished (level 4) ones 😃
I almost never carry a bag unless it's a cross body phone case. I just don't like having my hands full. And I can't imagine what I would need to carry around with me now that my children are grown. Could you do accessorizing without the bag? I can't be the only one alive who just doesn't like lugging a purse around.
Yassss queen! So glad you embraced some leopard today! This video is so tailor made for me is because I love marrying minimalism with maximalist details! Can’t wait to try this 3-bean formula for New Year’s Eve and 2025!
So good Hannah, really love to hear your thoughts, and I absolutely love your nails 🥰 the three bean salad is so wearable, definitely going to give it a go , happy new year 🥳
I tried your method when dressing for a night at the local pub with friends. It is summer here 🥵 and being menopausal I tend to run hot 😂. I executed it with 3 block colours. Blue jeans and a tank being “one” colour! I felt fabulous! Thanks Hannah,
I adore Dries Van Noten. A name with three words and a designer who exploits and explores visual tension. He also makes amazing lipstick and fragrance. The lipstick cases and fragrance bottles are stunning as well. I’m looking forward to you exploring the power of three in the new year. ❤
Hi Hannah! I really liked your last analitic fashion series. Since pandemic my style also evolved towards simplicity too and your approach is kinda a different but similar version of mine. I dress max 3 different colors at the same time, including bag and shoes. It works for me like magic 😊 I hope you get well soon and happy new year to all!
Thank you for your insights! For me the last outfit (#9) falls flat because there are only two colors not because of the amount of items worn. Wearing only 3 garments is impractical for my lifestyle and for layering which I feel brings extra interest to an outfit. I always appreciate your unique perspective.
Totally agree. On top of that, the bag and sweater have the same texture. Too much balance. Swap out the bag for one in a punchy color and we'd be looking at the three bean salad again.
Happy New Year 2025 to you, Hannah Louise. May it be a blessed one for you. Thanks for your video content! 😁❤🎉I just ordered your book & am excited to read it! ❤
I love looking at my clothes from a new prospective. Your fashion videos always help me appreciate the items that I already own. Thank you. I smile thinking about shenanigans that would earn one the sobriquet of “Three Bean Salad”. 😂😂😂
The action of 3 vs the restraint of 4 feels almost numerological. There's something so balanced and calm about even numbers... very interesting! I know I'll have the three-bean salad in mind when I get dressed this week.
It works!! I just played around with a skirt I couldn’t style and voilà three bean salad cracked the code. I put together 3 different looked within 10 mins…So excited now to wear this piece that’s just been sitting in my closet with the tag still attached. 🥹
Okok hear me out: keystone pieces. In design/decorating, like staging a bookcase, They say do it in groups of 3 or 5. Odd numbers. It’s the middle one that seems to be the balancing point and keeps it interesting. I think the common denominator is the keystone item. The red socks. Remove the socks and the outfit is boring. Red boots. Exchange the boots for a Ked (would still be cute) but it doesn’t have the impact and that could be an outfit I’d wear to school in 1992. The 4 bean: remove one piece and it’s ok. I personally still think it’s 3 bean because the boots are barely visible to me. BUT add in a 5th item, maybe a short boot with a giant slit in the skirt so you can see burnt orange tights…the tights become the 5th thing. Or maybe add in a vibrant red bow in her hair and boom, you have interest. In an arch the stones are symmetrical except for the central keystone. Without the rest collapses. The tensegrity of the outfit is in the odd man out.
I think where the last outfit goes wrong is that the bag is the same colour as the top. The skirt and shoes become one, like the pink skirt and sweater earlier, and if the bag had been another colour the eye would be able to meander around the outfit instead of being drawn back and forth sharply between the white top and bag
I recently watched Percia Verlin's video on why older people have better style than you. She said it was likely that living through various decades and pick up the style of that time and keeping what works for you and moving on, until you get to this amalgamation of your own style. As I was watching this video, I was like oh, she's eventually going to come out the other end with a personal blending of minimal and maximal styles, because you probably want to keep a remnant of maximalism in your style even though you are entering this phase of minimalism. You kind of said it at the end, and while I can't really relate to three bean salad, it was fun watching you process what I think will be an eventuality of a juxtaposition of minimal and maximal dressing.
As an avid fan of beans....thanks for combining them with a style reason to love them! Never saw that coming and it makes me happy! Artist brain side note: I keep thinking about why the most compelling images stood out (the first one for example, and the monotone runway yellow skirt, and the red socks one, imo)....and I think there is something about the way each piece is a different value (degree of lightness/darkness)...or sometimes same value but drastically different color. If you popped those images into grayscale I wonder if any themes would emerge....just a hunch, you should try it! I was taught that color is way less important than value --- and while color is more fun, the value is the structure upon which color rests in every image and therefore critical, even if not obvious. Thanks letting me overanalyze and nerd out....now to go eat some black beans and rice!😘
The tension you are talking about at the end : don't you think it comes from odd numbers ? 3 but also 5 maybe ? What if in the last picture, she added a red scarf ? Tension again ? Three is the "royal " number in most rules, but it seems to me that odd numbers in general are more aesthetically pleasing.
I'd be curious for opinions on how matching color of items not near one another would fit into the 3 bean salad principle. For example, to dinner the other night, I wore a black sweater, a long black and white checkered skirt, and black boots. I really loved that each piece met without skin showing between them when I picked the outfit, but I felt like I had this black base for the skirt to be the star of. Thinking back to it with these examples, would the black boots and black sweater still get to be two independent beans?
Use code 50HANNAHP to get 50% OFF plus free shipping on your first Factor box at bit.ly/4fyYwXf! Thank you Factor!!!!
As a fat woman, the way you use Abisola Omole to illustrate your points and talk about her with such respect and regard, it feels like being in a parallel universe where people don't hate us! I've always loved the way you use a range of bodies in your videos but oh my heart ❤️ Thank you
Agreed! She won me over with that! It speaks to character!! ❤
Echoing this! ❤
Agree!
This world exists within the many other worlds that also exist. Love is a powerful focus
I just went to "follow her" on Instagram & discovered that I already do! 😁♥️
So I had to come back to this video to tell you that it works! I watched this last week and then have thought of your 3 bean salad method everyday since. I am a teacher and a young male tech aid today told me “Oh, my God, Erin. Everyday. So stylish!” Anyway, that just absolutely made my day and I know it is 100% this video! Thank you!!
When you don’t need to watch the fashion playlist all the way through because you watched each one when it came out
I love how Hannah's shirt vibes with her hair color. I also think the sleek black bag in the first example works because it vibes with her long, sleek, dark hair. I usually wear cool tones but I have a long camel coat that I love because it vibes with my long dark blond hair. Matching your hair definitely is a thing.
If you have a fashion color in your hair, you could match it to accessories, bags, or shoes.
I agree with hair color and even the texture of braids being incorporated as an accessory. I intentionally chose grey workout sneakers and casual sneakers to bookend with my grey hair. The tones complement each other and it’s all complementary and cohesive.
Fully agree on the first picture how the bag works so beautifully is because of her beautiful hair. Otherwise it would be a little bit out of scope… hair and skintone can be the thing that links things together. Like Hanna’s beautiful ivory skin in contrast to her hair colours - that is already a statement and colours, accessories or combinations would look different on her than on the person in the inspo photo, or on me with very soft, muted colours typical of Scandinavia. 😊
I try to follow Zyla's recommendation of matching to the darkest or lightest tones of hair. I think it really helps with creating more life. If I match to the midtones it seems to create a dullness.
I think the metallic shoe also picks up the metallic on the bag and the earrings in the first example, as well as the black hair and black body of the bag. It is a very cohesive grouping.
I agree that the black hair and black bag work. But also wanted to point out some of the three beans that exist in the photo background, which also makes this combination sing: The black car makes a third black point on a triangle. Also the sidewalk and wall match the shoes, which help them feel just right. Not saying this brilliant outfit can't shine anywhere, just observing that so much of Insta effect is in the professional photography that is clearly evident here, even as it looks like she is just walking down any street and this is just a paparazzi pic it very much isn't. This does not lesson any of the points made here or by Abisola, only to deepen our ability to 'read' what Insta outfits we're responding to.
What I really enjoy about these recent fashion videos is for me they make explicit certain implicit principles which I use regularly in getting dressed 😮 when I am getting ready often I’m just thinking “does this look good” but now I realise that when I think “good” what I mean is “balanced”. So even though the way I dress already aligns with these ideas I still find them helpful and interesting just in revealing the mechanisms of this process
I’m gonna say it again: these outfits all take into account skin color and hair color as part of the overall scheme and why they work.
I was thinking the same.
I own a pair of flats in wine red, which is one of my favorite colors because it is super flattering to my skin tone. When my outfit is otherwise neutral, it's easy to kick it up a notch with the wine red shoes. Very similar to the outfit in the video with lime green shoes. I think it's particularly effective because the choice takes my skin color into account, as you said.
yes! The first photo, she has black hair, orange-toned lip colour, and gold earrings.
I think this really applies in the black and cream only photo, as she has chestnut brown skin which really pulls the whole look together as a third element. As a mousy dirty blonde, it wouldn’t have near the elegance.
100% one of the best ingredients is also being mindful of your natural or inherent color palette (skin color, hair color, eye color). leaning on your natural beauty is so key, especially if you’re not overly high fashion, overly aware of color possibilities, and you’re just trying to style for the everyday.
Three bean salad is such a fascinating concept to me, especially since this year I've felt drawn to do the exact opposite: wear way more things at once, and layer, layer, layer. Last night, I feel like I created the best possible expression of this ultra-layered look, a thirteen bean salad if you will, that included two skirts, a dress, a thermal, a corset, leggings, two visible pairs of wool socks, boots, a scarf, a massive bracelet, a hair ribbon, and an artificial butterfly. However, when I re-considered how three bean salad could actually still exist in the ultra-layered modality, and how I'd actually achieved it: every item that I wore was either dark brown, burgundy, or black watch plaid (three items!). Also, since all of the colors were so dark and intense, they really weren't competing with each other, it was just more this textural exploration of cotton, wool, and leather, which is another three bean salad!
Sometimes I imagine you are not as chronically online as I am and you are like a digital minimalist who then bursts onto the scene twice a week with this amazing relational art you made for us. And then. THEN. You do the holding space finger hold. And I remember I really know nothing. And I am reassured. And I love that.
I love the way your smile lights up at "thinking about fashion." May we all find things in our lives that light us up like that!
I think in the first picture there are more matching elements than I initially thought at first glance. Her dark hair “matches” the black bag, and I think her earrings are silver and speak to the shoes. But it’s unexpected and she looks amazing.
Dude. You just perfectly explained the missing piece in order to dress like that “art curator” I have in my head vs the frazzled art student I keep showing up as. 😬 🤣 this is the difference. It comes down to restraint & order & balance so the “chaos” can have room to breathe.
Hmm maybe bonus points if one of the pieces you wear somehow matches your hair color &/or texture in some way.
I love this comment
This top looks KILLER with your hair color 😍
In example 3, I think the hair also adds to be vibe. Normally in an outfit, you would want the spectator's eyes to move up to your face eventually. So, while the red socks draw your eyes first, we would eventually wander up to the face as well, since the hair is such a bright blonde.
I don't think brown or black locks would have the same effect, so one would need to wear some bold earrings or a bold/bright lip to draw attention towards the face.
I love three-bean salad so much. This and your monochromatic video have been so useful to me, and this one came out just as I was ready to explore other stuff. I appreciate the note about "you might have a coat/bag on that you take off when you get to the function" because I was thinking I wouldn't be able to pull this off in cold weather, but no, once I'm in the building three bean is super easily achievable! It also made me reflect on some of my favorite outfits and what makes them work. Thank you so much! So many possible combos *without* having to buy anything (I'm on the opposite spectrum to a lot of folks, where almost all save a few items I have I've had since I was still a teenager, and am just now expanding my style). Thank you for making this so approachable, and also for so focusing black women's style and fashion in this video!
hannah i have to say you are so good at explaining things!! i originally wasn't sure if your methods would work for me because our styles are visually different (my current style is basically tomboy miss frizzle), but everything is explained so clearly and accessibly that it transfers! it's soooo fun to watch your videos and see you style something beautifully in your way, and then apply the principles in my own closet to a similar but totally different result! :) you're the best!
I love this idea, though with the amount if jewelry I love to wear, I think my version would be more if a Seven Layer Dip.
12 layer trifle over here 😂
I'm fondue
I don't think it's about having only three pieces, which is so limiting on a practical basis; to me, what works about most of these colour schemes is the play of repetition and contrast.
To wit: one hue that occurs at least twice (in examples #1 and 7: bag and hair*; example #2: jumper and hair; #3: shoes, dark part of bag print and hair; #5: trousers and shoes; #6: skirt and shoes; #8: the logo and skirt), then other colours that are either close enough to read as related, or, different enough in hue and value to read as deliberate contrast, from each other and the first, repeated, colour.
*I was one of the many people commenting on the previous video about using hair colour as an element of the outfit, and I was mentally screaming it throughout this one. The hair colour often provides the repeated element that anchors the more disparate ones, making the palette seem intentional rather than random.
The other thing that made some of the colour schemes in the previous video work, and I think what contributes to the success of example #4, which doesn't have the repetition of colour within the outfit, is that the photo's background provides the repetition and contrast. I don't think you can entirely discount the effect of the caramel colour of the bricks of the upper wall picking up the caramel of the shoes. It's pleasing to the eye, and helps the brain make sense of an image, to have patterns in the use of colour within a composition.
Yes. When the colors of the human coordinate with the colors of the outfit. Exactly!😊
Came here to say the same! Colour harmony and contrast is the missing link here
Absolutely agree on hair colour as a grey haired lady who totally incorporates my hair tones in accessories. I also see how lipstick pulls together these looks. I favour fewer pieces and pared back monochromatic looks and intentional choice of lip colour is key in pulling it all together.
@Gnv-q2m Yes, I was going to mention lipstick, too, but I'd already written an essay 😄
@@chlomo2618 I enjoyed your essay!
I really hate to keep harping on this, but seasonal color analysis really can help with putting outfits together. A person‘s color season really does help determine how many colors one can optimally wear and it still look good together. Christine Scaman is a great resource. She puts together outfits and also analyzes celebrities’ outfit and color choices. I have learned so much from her!
I enjoy and appreciate what Hannah does too here; just saying that looking into seasonal color analysis and especially Christine’s method is an additional way of learning about this. :-)
your fashion and philosopical videos are my faves
Miuccia Prada in example 5 is an absolute fashion icon, I love how throughout the years she sticks to this exact outfit formula just changing colors or textures of items, so great so great
I love the name you've given to what I, rather less entertainingly, call my color trios. I even do this with my lounge outfits. For instance, right now, as I am relaxing at home during this blizzard, I am wearing a pair of black knit lounge/pj pants with a charcoal gray knit long-sleeved top and a long open-front merlot cardigan and merlot cozy socks.
That fuzzy pink outfit is going to live in my dreams forever ✨
The 3-color approach is something I've seen used in character concept art for color-scheming comics/animation/video games. Usually the ratio is also important. You want 1 main color, a secondary (usually complimentary) color, and one accent color. It's interesting to me to think about fashion the way an artist would think about character creation.
First thank you for representing body diversity. The first outfit works so well because she has dark hair that works to reinforce and balance the black of the small bag. Then the shoes become a neutral. So many stylists don’t talk about how hair color works with an outfit.i appreciate, very much, the way you speak, and the way you express your ideas and yourself.
Your fashion videos are everything. THANK YOU 😊 I’m approaching shopping & getting dressed much different since watching your videos. You’ve given me clarity lol and guidance. You are my fashion mother 😂
Copy and paste! Hannah has led me to a few of my all-time favorite clothing brands, and these videos have completely reframed how I apply my taste and style to putting outfits together. ❤
@ saaaame!! I’ve really been trying to redo my entire wardrobe since having a baby a year and a half ago, but wasn’t really sure what my style currently is since I didn’t want to wear any of my old clothes… but her videos have really helped me figure out just that and be practical about it. It’s exciting lol I’ve been wearing athletic wear for the last two years 😆 and really want to be more put together - easily
I feel like Abisole’s lewk works so well also bc the silver shoe complements orange + there’s a bit of metallic detail on the ridge of her black bag.
For me, the black bag sandwiched w her black hair-creating some cohesiveness for the orange + silver to shine without competing w ea other
This is so inspirational! Im excited to think about how constrast and disonance play into this outfit formula
Hannah, thank you for your incredible fashion philosophy videos! I think I need a series of 3+ hour thematic compilations of these videos in my life, similar to your makeup ones during your parental leave :)
Hi Hannah! Love all your videos and appreciate your take on fashion so much. I did have a comment though about the image of the woman with the long black dress and fun red socks and shoes. She definitely has a forth color of her hair. Her hair stands out soooo much it is definitely a fourth color. I still love the outfit.
This video came on the heels of my own thought experiment about how the more you simplify any creative endeavor, the less there is to hide behind. Hence, the individual elements and the craftsmanship have to be that much more on point. This is true for styling, makeup, acting, writing, cooking, etc. I feel like 3 Bean Salad is a great exercise to train myself into wearing simpler and more refined outfits for when I want to look simple, but impeccable.
A friend once said to me, "The best thing you can do for a project is put limits on it." That really stayed with me and I think is so true in all your points about styling, makeup, acting, etc...The limits force you to make quality choices.
@ I think your friend is exactly right! I love at least some guidelines or a clear objective, otherwise I get decision paralysis.
Another tool to add to the fashion toolkit.
I really like that you use diverse models to show these outfits.
That way, we subscribers can see ourselves, and not idealized perfection we can’t achieve.
"Blazing simplicity!" I love it. I totally clicked on this video because I could tell from the title card images that this is *the* way I dress. Thank you for the analysis and conversation about it. Like you mentioned, it works with "normal people" clothes, not just high fashion. Also, it's a great way to create truly comfortable, warm outfits that are also fashionable.
17:16 the bare ankle conversation is literally been such a struggle for me to get through. I recently got permanent jewelry and it’s an anklet. That has changed the way I view my ankles showing.
I think I like the softer version of this idea. Soft is a keyword in my style. I've been playing with ways to dress in a casual, but somewhat nice way, that is calm, soft, friendly, and down to earth. I don't really want to look high fashion. Do you have any fashion tips for the soft personalities among us, who don't want to overwhelm ourselves with bold colors and designs?
As much as I love layers, climate often requires me to keep it very simple and this “three bean salad” principle feels very doable 😊❤ I also always love how diverse your model examples are your eye for beauty and uniqueness is something I highly admire
I'm not sure that not wearing loafers without socks is because it's considered too "fashion", but because of more practical reasons🤔
With loafers, there is more material rubbing on the skin, and wearing them all day can lead to blisters. In warmer days, it can also lead to odor build-up. With high heels, there is less material rubbing on the skin, therefore (hopefully) lower chances of blisters, and since they're more open, they're also less prone to odor build-up.
Also, in the case of loafers, their shape makes them more size versatile, so they can be worn with or without socks, but heels that fit with socks will probably be too large for a bare foot and heels that fit a bare foot would probably be too tight when worn with socks. So I imagine people will get the size that matches the way they intend to wear it more often (probably without socks). That is just to say that I believe the reasons why loafers are generally worn with socks and heels without, are more practical rather than just aesthetical. In my opinion 😁
Yes! Going sockless with some shoes means getting blisters and foot odor!
Randomly i take exception to the Rothko references become of all the layering of color/paint. In the finished painting there may appear to be a division of three but the images vibrate because of all the colors you perceive rather than observe
Perfect video for the new year❤ closet inspiration
So good, so much to think about; perfect timing for my closet clearout. Thank you!!
This concept really challenges me. Within the simplicity is a boldness that I realize I shy away from. My instinct would be to put on a scarf or wrap that would tie it all together and make each piece less obvious. Also, a question I always have when I see your beautiful outfits that you wear around the house...what do you wear on your feet? I don't wear shoes in the house, but I feel silly in office appropriate attire with cozy socks or slippers! Thanks for your fantastic content!
Personally, if it's too cold to go barefoot around the house, I have a pair of sleek wool felt slippers. They feel a little more elevated than fuzzy socks with grippy bottoms (which i also wear sometimes!) but they still keep my feet toasty.
For the outfit with the yellow skirt, the 3 beans I consider are the sweater, the skirt, and the red lip. So the beans are colors, or I also view it as a play of 2 colors with them being the red and the yellow with the neutral as the background which in this case is adding texture.
Excellent food for thought. And a fun challenge for the new year. Thanks for sending me on a new “shop your closet” excursion.
I absolutely loved this video! Keep them coming!
While this sounds compelling, I can’t walk around without shoes and handbag, so I already have two items on me, and then the 3 items concept for me becomes restricted to summertime only, when it is possible to wear a dress as third item.
It is clearly impossible in any other season here, as there’s snow laying down eight months a year. A coat is s must. And now it’s reaching -50 degrees celsius, so the more layers I wear, the better. It is impossible to be limited to three items only.
I rather treat three bean salad as three main colors/patterns in my outfits. It could be bold color or bold pattern or bold texture combined with something simple, neutral and clean cut.
Okay your skin looks so glowy! Love the look
Love the red sock image! I might argue though, that the really fair blond hair is offering another element of contrast. I wonder if the outfit would have the same impact on myself, for example, with medium to dark brown hair that would not separate itself from the black turtleneck dress? So interested in this theory!!
The 3 bean salad aesthetic really sings to the minimalist in me. This is a way to keep that clean look without being drab.
Abisola looks amazing!
I think you are missing a key point of these styling pictures is the background and the bold features of the model/person herself - the beautiful color (any color, light or dark, pale or vibrant ) of their skin and hair also plays a role in their ‘outfit’.
This is perfect for me, because I LOVE statement pieces. I need to wear thick tights in winter though, so it will be super hard when they are already a piece.
Love your fashion videos, feeling like we’re on such a journey together
The blouse! I am so here for it! Okay, let's get into the meat of the video.
I'd like to echo the comments about the hair, I love example number three with the black dress, socks and sandals. My thought was, it would look good on me, but it would not look stunning because my hair is so dark it would negate the contrast in the example image.
I agree - the starkness of her hair against the black dress balances the loud shout of the socks. If I wore this, everyone's eyes would be drawn straight to my feet and my face would get no play.
Agree! The hair is everything in that image/outfit
I LOVE THIS❤. I need to figure out how to also carry a bag. I feel so relieved that I don't have to worry about tons of accessories ❤
So grateful for this little corner of the internet 🤗
I was never into leopard print but omg... You look so amazing!
Such great fodder for closet playtime! Love having tools like this to rely on, especially on days when Im feeling not at my full capacity to conceive of an outfit without the aid of a guiding principle 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This concept is really interesting to me but I always wear more than three items.
So I will stay with the concept of "bichromatic dressing for the aesthetically practical" and pile on items in just two colour families.
An outfit for me right now in winter is: top, skirt or pinafore dress, tights, woolen socks, boots, scarf or shawl, mittens and earrings.
To tie all of these things together only wearing two colours feels and looks great.
I wish in these fashion videos, there would be more examples featuring jeans, as I wear jeans 90% of the time. I think it would be an interesting challenge for you to use an example using jeans and a casual styling for every principle you describe in your videos. I appreciate the advice, but it makes it harder to rework these tips for my jeans centered atire, so would appreciate any help 😅 Also, I think it would make the video more "beefy" as it would address more styles, not just the polished (level 4) ones 😃
Or even better, wearing jeans for office, potentially in an elevated way (which is what I try to do 😁)
part of the visual appeal of the orange/black/shoes combo is that the bag and the hair/skin are really one block. Looks great.
I almost never carry a bag unless it's a cross body phone case. I just don't like having my hands full. And I can't imagine what I would need to carry around with me now that my children are grown. Could you do accessorizing without the bag? I can't be the only one alive who just doesn't like lugging a purse around.
Nope, you’re not alone. For me it’s a small cross-body, pockets, or just carry my phone and forget the rest!
I have a small backpack
Really liked this. Feel inspired thank you. And i especially like that your family coined the phrase 3 bean salad ❤️.
I love your fashion content it's pure joy.
I have that same shirt and I’m going to wear it today, thanks for the inspiration
Yassss queen! So glad you embraced some leopard today! This video is so tailor made for me is because I love marrying minimalism with maximalist details! Can’t wait to try this 3-bean formula for New Year’s Eve and 2025!
So good Hannah, really love to hear your thoughts, and I absolutely love your nails 🥰 the three bean salad is so wearable, definitely going to give it a go , happy new year 🥳
I tried your method when dressing for a night at the local pub with friends. It is summer here 🥵 and being menopausal I tend to run hot 😂. I executed it with 3 block colours. Blue jeans and a tank being “one” colour! I felt fabulous! Thanks Hannah,
I love both of the paired down outfits!!! 😍
I absolutely love the red socks. Happy New Year ❌️⭕️
Example 1 must also take into account her hair color. Since her hair matches her bag it works as 3; it wouldn’t work if she were a blonde
Great concept. I like it. A lot!
I adore Dries Van Noten. A name with three words and a designer who exploits and explores visual tension. He also makes amazing lipstick and fragrance. The lipstick cases and fragrance bottles are stunning as well. I’m looking forward to you exploring the power of three in the new year. ❤
Hi Hannah! I really liked your last analitic fashion series. Since pandemic my style also evolved towards simplicity too and your approach is kinda a different but similar version of mine. I dress max 3 different colors at the same time, including bag and shoes. It works for me like magic 😊 I hope you get well soon and happy new year to all!
Thank you for your insights! For me the last outfit (#9) falls flat because there are only two colors not because of the amount of items worn. Wearing only 3 garments is impractical for my lifestyle and for layering which I feel brings extra interest to an outfit. I always appreciate your unique perspective.
Totally agree. On top of that, the bag and sweater have the same texture. Too much balance. Swap out the bag for one in a punchy color and we'd be looking at the three bean salad again.
Watching this as prep for my NYE outfit 🤍🩵🤩
This video is top three from your catalog for me! I can see myself using this art theory when putting outfits together 😊. Love it sooo maaaach 🤗.
Hannah: "You can't over maximalize with only three items."
Someone, somewhere: "Challenge accepted."
The literal words that went through my head
Happy New Year 2025 to you, Hannah Louise. May it be a blessed one for you. Thanks for your video content! 😁❤🎉I just ordered your book & am excited to read it! ❤
I have never commented before but I literally LOLed at the "hold space" while holding your finger moment
thank you so much for letting this be your first comment
Around my bubble here at work, most dress like this. Keeps the shoes and bags budget low and a single pair of pants can play several printed shirts.
Hannnah plss which lipstick are u wearing? Tell usss! Love the cos merino wool top, gonna buy it soon! ❤️
it's coming soon in a video about a few things I got at Sephora!
I love looking at my clothes from a new prospective. Your fashion videos always help me appreciate the items that I already own. Thank you. I smile thinking about shenanigans that would earn one the sobriquet of “Three Bean Salad”. 😂😂😂
5:31 I don’t mind the coloring together, I do think the purse isn’t a scale that works as well as it could.
The action of 3 vs the restraint of 4 feels almost numerological. There's something so balanced and calm about even numbers... very interesting! I know I'll have the three-bean salad in mind when I get dressed this week.
for that red sock trio.. i feel like just her blond hair also is a feature to the outfit..
It's the 'pop' of something against the current fashion neutrals! Either in texture or colour, the 'pop' adds that something eye catching and elegant.
I shall now use the concept of “Blazing Simplicity,” as my fashion lighthouse. Thank you!
Example 5 is Miuccia Prada. Of course she is stunning :)
It works!! I just played around with a skirt I couldn’t style and voilà three bean salad cracked the code. I put together 3 different looked within 10 mins…So excited now to wear this piece that’s just been sitting in my closet with the tag still attached. 🥹
amazing!!
Okok hear me out: keystone pieces.
In design/decorating, like staging a bookcase, They say do it in groups of 3 or 5. Odd numbers. It’s the middle one that seems to be the balancing point and keeps it interesting. I think the common denominator is the keystone item.
The red socks. Remove the socks and the outfit is boring. Red boots. Exchange the boots for a Ked (would still be cute) but it doesn’t have the impact and that could be an outfit I’d wear to school in 1992.
The 4 bean: remove one piece and it’s ok. I personally still think it’s 3 bean because the boots are barely visible to me. BUT add in a 5th item, maybe a short boot with a giant slit in the skirt so you can see burnt orange tights…the tights become the 5th thing. Or maybe add in a vibrant red bow in her hair and boom, you have interest.
In an arch the stones are symmetrical except for the central keystone. Without the rest collapses.
The tensegrity of the outfit is in the odd man out.
I think where the last outfit goes wrong is that the bag is the same colour as the top. The skirt and shoes become one, like the pink skirt and sweater earlier, and if the bag had been another colour the eye would be able to meander around the outfit instead of being drawn back and forth sharply between the white top and bag
I fully feel you’d love Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (CBK)!!! the queen of 90s minimalism!!!
I recently watched Percia Verlin's video on why older people have better style than you. She said it was likely that living through various decades and pick up the style of that time and keeping what works for you and moving on, until you get to this amalgamation of your own style. As I was watching this video, I was like oh, she's eventually going to come out the other end with a personal blending of minimal and maximal styles, because you probably want to keep a remnant of maximalism in your style even though you are entering this phase of minimalism. You kind of said it at the end, and while I can't really relate to three bean salad, it was fun watching you process what I think will be an eventuality of a juxtaposition of minimal and maximal dressing.
Love the concept!
As an avid fan of beans....thanks for combining them with a style reason to love them! Never saw that coming and it makes me happy! Artist brain side note: I keep thinking about why the most compelling images stood out (the first one for example, and the monotone runway yellow skirt, and the red socks one, imo)....and I think there is something about the way each piece is a different value (degree of lightness/darkness)...or sometimes same value but drastically different color. If you popped those images into grayscale I wonder if any themes would emerge....just a hunch, you should try it! I was taught that color is way less important than value --- and while color is more fun, the value is the structure upon which color rests in every image and therefore critical, even if not obvious. Thanks letting me overanalyze and nerd out....now to go eat some black beans and rice!😘
Enjoy your meal, we will have baked beans for breakfast 😂
And thank you for the nerd out. I love learning new stuff.
The tension you are talking about at the end : don't you think it comes from odd numbers ? 3 but also 5 maybe ? What if in the last picture, she added a red scarf ? Tension again ? Three is the "royal " number in most rules, but it seems to me that odd numbers in general are more aesthetically pleasing.
What lip product are you wearing? I love the purse you linked. I appreciate your insight on style. Thank you & Happy New Year!
I'd be curious for opinions on how matching color of items not near one another would fit into the 3 bean salad principle. For example, to dinner the other night, I wore a black sweater, a long black and white checkered skirt, and black boots. I really loved that each piece met without skin showing between them when I picked the outfit, but I felt like I had this black base for the skirt to be the star of. Thinking back to it with these examples, would the black boots and black sweater still get to be two independent beans?
60%, 30%, 10%. The rule of 3 for color. Dont forget to play with your canvas: your skin and hair.
with love, an artist~
This idea lives in a world without winter or glasses/disability aids.
Awwww my shih tzu is full of beans too! Tbh I used to think it meant gassy 😂