I Let Spotify Choose My Outfit For a Week, and It Boosted My Style

2 days ago 1

Published on April 25, 2025 at 10:12 AM

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The way I choose my outfits straddles the line between routine and ridiculous. Judge me all you want, but I use an app called Tiny Decisions to spin a color wheel, which then directs me to the corresponding section of my closet. (Yes, my closet looks like a rainbow and is divided into sections by shade.) But because this is all so contrived, I figured it was time to switch things up and find another equally bizarre method of constructing a look.

I landed upon my Spotify Daylist, which, if you didn't know, is basically your day in a playlist built out instantly by the app itself. All you have to do is search 'Daylist' and, depending on the time of day and the type of music you usually listen to at that hour, the appropriate songs will populate. Your Daylist ebbs and flows, pinpointing the niche tracks and microgenres you tend to select at certain moments — and even on specific days of the week. It updates frequently from morning to night, and the titles of the playlists are highly specific (think: "Soul Crushing Relatable Afternoon" or "Obsessed Power Ballad Saturday Afternoon"). You'll find a lot of your favorite artists included, and if you're like me, might even discover an older song you didn't know they sang.

My aesthetic has never been romantic or academia, but Taylor Swift and Tate McRae gave me no choice but to commit.

So now you're probably wondering how pressing 'play' informed my outfit. For a week straight, every time I was ready to get dressed, I searched 'Daylist' and hit shuffle. The first song that came on became my automatic inspiration, from the lyrics and sound to genre, artist, and overall vibe. And no, I didn't cheat if I didn't like the outcome . . . what do you take me for?! For the sake of this editor experiment, I've shed light on the exact reasoning behind nearly every article of clothing I decided to put on — according to the subliminal message my Daylist was sending me. And honestly, I'm really happy with the results. I ended up putting together combinations I never would have before and even veering into new style territory. For example, my aesthetic has never been romantic or academia, but Taylor Swift and Tate McRae gave me no choice but to commit.

If you also feel like you need to reinvigorate your wardrobe for spring and are void of options — from dopamine dressing to channeling your favorite "White Lotus" character — I highly recommend giving your Spotify Daylist a chance. Ahead, see how the experience worked for me and shop some of my exact pieces if you're inclined. After all, who's to say investing in a new item or two won't spark even more outfit ideas?

"She's All I Wanna Be" by Tate McRae

Outfit: ASOS dress, similar: 4th & Reckless Satin Lace Trim Cap Sleeve Maxi Dress ($101). Vintage belt, similar: Uxcell Unisex Double Stitched Belt ($10). Princess Polly Lanter Socks ($12). Cole Haan Women's Lana Lux Remastered Penny Loafers ($160)

When I landed on "She's All I Wanna Be," the 2022 pop song from Canadian singer-songwriter of the moment Tate McRae, I interpreted it in a few different ways. Firstly, I was headed to the office followed by a fundraiser event and the lyric "She'll wear a tight mini black dress" took me straight to the black section of my wardrobe. While I could pull off something formfitting, a minidress didn't feel appropriate for the occasion, so I settled on midi length.

Next, I focused on the theme of the song (jealousy), and as I listened to the words, "She's got everything that I don't have / And she's all I wanna be / All I wanna be so bad," a lightbulb went off in my head to check my "Outfits to try" Instagram collection where I've saved looks I love for days I'm lacking inspiration. My polka-dot dress immediately reminded me of the outfit on the second slide of this Reformation carousel. Sure, the aesthetic is a little more academia-leaning than McRae might've been picturing, but I was happy with the end result — especially since these Cole Haan penny loafers are some of my favorite comfortable work shoes.

"Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift

Outfit: & Other Stories top, similar: Victoria's Secret Blooming Rose Corset Top ($90, originally $150). Express blazer, similar: Fshaoes Casual Oversized Blazer ($60, originally $70). SpanxSculpt ReDefine Flare Jeans ($158). Stuart Weitzman boots, similar: Steve Madden Lizabelle Mauve Square Toe Boots ($100, originally $150).

Why am I not at all surprised that Taylor Swift showed up on my Daylist titled "Romcom Hopeless Romantic Sunday Morning"? (I'm laughing as I type this.) Of course, "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" speaks to the OG fans, and I wholeheartedly consider myself one of those. Swift was way more romantic about her style when she wrote and promoted this album (2010!) so I could think of no piece in my closet more voluminous and whimsical than this 3D rose top, which I played up with a bright pink oversize blazer and dusty rose satin boots.

I also happened to be testing Spanx's butt-sculpting jeans that day, which are flared and more aligned with the type of denim that was in my wardrobe back when Swift released this song. This outfit is as "fairytale"-esque as I get with my clothing, so I hope Swift would approve — and hey, if not, I've also paid tribute to the Grammy record-setter by trying out her Wiskii denim dress and go-to corsets.

"Bittersweet Symphony" by Emily Roberts and Gamper & Dadoni

Outfit: Vintage Moschino X H&M Disney Knit Sweater ($130, originally $250). J.Crew Classic Straight Pant in Faux Leather ($45, originally $198). Havva boots, similar: Betsey Johnson Pamella Knee High Boot ($139).

This electronic dance track made me crave a pair of fittingly electrifying pants, which came in the form of patent leather. The fiery pointed-toe booties brought about an '80s vibe and an element of surprise, as does the beat drop in this track. And finally, since I'm a writer and always pay attention to lyrics, I love that this song makes me think big picture about life and being "here in my mould." Hilariously, I'm a Disney fan through and through (always have been!), so this vintage 2018 Moschino x H&M sweater feels personally nostalgic to me and representative of who I am at my core.

Sarah Wasilak (she/her) is the associate director of PS Shopping. With plenty of experience in the fashion industry and over 10 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing across the lifestyle, health, and fitness categories. She is the host of the "Dinner For Shoes" podcast and has bylines at InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit.

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