A fashion guru shared her secret to making sure she always looks stylish, never dated, in comfortable pieces.
Afaf ‘Zeopatra’ Seyam, 29, a fashion designer and digital artist from New York, has more than 100,000 followers on TikTok, where she shares fashion and beauty tips.
“If everything you wear makes you feel ugly, listen. There are two categories when it comes to style: function and things you like,” she explained in a recent viral video.
According to Zeopatra’s definition, functional pieces are “ugly and comfortable” while things you like are “stylish” but not always easy to wear.
The fashion influencer shared that she’s struck a balance between the two, an easy-to-follow strategy she calls the “one-third ugly rule.”
Afaf ‘Zeopatra’ Seyam, 29, went viral on TikTok after sharing her easy-to-follow dressing strategy, which she described as “a third of the ugly rule”.
“You may have heard of the rule of thirds. It’s my version of it,” said the New York City-based fashion designer
Zeopatra explained that style falls into two categories: functional pieces that are “ugly and comfy” and “things you like” that are “stylish” but not always easy to wear
“You may have heard of the rule of thirds. It’s my version of it,” she said. “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.’
Zeopatra gave several examples, saying that if she wants to wear a hoodie, she will “pair it with pants and dressy shoes.”
A blazer and pants pair with trainers, while a “super comfy” pajama-inspired jumpsuit pairs well with a structured jacket and stylish shoes.
“If you have an ugly thing, make up for it with two stylish things to make it look like a style choice rather than a frumpy person who has no idea what’s going on,” she reiterated.
“How not to feel ugly and still be kinda practical,” she captioned the clip, which has garnered more than 1.9 million views since it was released in December.
Hundreds of people shared their thoughts in the comments, and fans of the rule praised Zeopatra for the easy-to-understand tip.
“Yeah — that’s just the right ratio to look together but don’t try too hard,” one person wrote, while another added, “This is hands down the best style advice I’ve heard in years!”
‘I’ve never thought about it that way before. Genius. That’s kind of what celebs do, isn’t it? someone else pointed it out.
“Most outfits can be divided into three areas: top, bottom and shoes. I allow myself to be ugly and comfy in a third of my outfit,” she said
![“If I wear sneakers, then I combine them [them] in suit pants and a blazer,' she said](https://www.spamchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1675902968_23_Fashion-guru-reveals-her-one-third-ugly-rule-to-ensure.jpg "Fashion guru reveals her 'one third ugly rule' to ensure her outfits ALWAYS look stylish 8")
“If I wear sneakers, then I combine them [them] in suit pants and a blazer,’ she said
Zeopatra reiterated that if you wear “one ugly thing” then “compensate with two stylish 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 feedback inspired her to share her advice for creating outfits that are two-thirds ugly but still go together.
“The main thing that a third is ugly for it to work and look good is if you pay attention to fit and structure,” she explained.
Zeopatra noted that there’s a difference between a baggy tracksuit and an oversized button-down shirt and loose-fitting pants.
Zeopatra later shared a follow-up video detailing how to create comfortable outfits that are two-thirds ugly but still look put together
She noted that there’s a difference between a baggy tracksuit and an oversized button-down shirt and loose-fitting pants, although both are probably equally comfortable
“If you focus on making sure the top layer is textured, every look will come together,” the digital artist pointed out
Zeopatra told viewers that “jackets can save any outfit” — even baggy sweats
“One looks more composed than the other, although both probably have the same level of comfort,” she told viewers.
“Let’s say we have a two-thirds ugly day that we want to wear something baggy [on top]another thing that is baggy [on the bottom], and some comfortable shoes. Focusing on the textured top layer will complete any look.”
Zeopatra suggested donning a button-down shirt, blazer, or motorcycle jacket — “anything you can layer over a vintage outfit that will instantly pull any look together.”
“In the winter, it’s super easy to wear head-to-toe sweatshirts or head-to-toe baggy clothes and then throw on a cool jacket,” she pointed out. “It makes you look so much more stylish.
“Jackets can save any outfit.”