Fashion & Cosmetology Expansion Pack Idea

THE SIMS 4: FASHION & COSMETOLOGY EXPANSION PACK PROPOSAL

This Expansion Pack transforms fashion, appearance, and townie spawning into active gameplay. Players can influence Sims’ looks, world trends, and neighborhood cohesion while adding layers to clothing, events, and storytelling.

It addresses a common issue: randomly spawned townies often clash visually with their neighborhoods due to excessive accessories or mismatched attire. Curated wardrobes, seasonal rotations, outerwear, cosmetic procedures, and trend influence create cohesive, immersive neighborhoods.

CAREERS & SKILLS

COSMETOLOGIST

• Operates salons or barbershops performing makeovers (glow-ups/glow-downs)
• Unlocks cosmetic procedures: fillers, minor tweaks, tattoo/scar removal, and booths for small plastic surgeries
• Temporary procedures: fade over time and require repeat visits
• Permanent procedures: remain until corrected; botched outcomes possible. Cosmetic changes do not affect genetics (hair color, nose, or other facial features remain cosmetic for offspring)
• Salons can be gender-specific or inclusive and may expand into spa or medical cosmetology options

FASHION DESIGNER

• Creates clothing collections sold in stores and participates in runway events
• Career milestones unlock the Trendsetter trait, influencing NPC and world fashion
• Designers can gain celebrity status, increasing influence

MODELING (CAREER + SKILL)

• Full-time modeling: runway shows, photoshoots, competitions
• Skill affects performance, contracts, and Trendsetter progression
• Models can gain celebrity status; players can follow them to work or runway shows

PERSONAL STYLIST (GIG)

• Sims offer makeovers or style services for small fees
• Optional neighborhood/story influence: weddings, curated outfit sales, or fashion storytelling moments (e.g., helping a single parent refresh their wardrobe or offending a celebrity client)

NEW GAMEPLAY MECHANICS

SEWING & CLOTHING CUSTOMIZATION

• Create new clothing items from basic patterns, repair damaged items, or dye/recolor outfits
• Dyeing may fail or produce tie-dye/mixed patterns
• New materials introduced: cotton and flax plants for linen/cotton bolts, and a silk worm pet for silk bolts
• Existing sheep, alpaca, and goat furs expanded for custom knitwear: long johns, holiday sweaters, scarves, and layered clothing

WARDROBE & CLOTHING SYSTEMS

ALL-SEASON BASE WARDROBE

• Neutral everyday outfits form the foundation of a Sim’s rotation; hot/cold clothing removed
• Clothing assigned in CAS becomes the only wardrobe a Sim can access; additional options must be created, inherited, or purchased in stores or online

SEASONAL ROTATIONS

• Summer/Heat Wardrobe: 5 outfits available only during summer and transitional spring/autumn
• Winter Wardrobe: 5 outfits during winter and transitional autumn/spring; sweaters and cozy winterwear, not outerwear
• Seasonal outfits add to rotation rather than replace base clothing
• Worlds without summer or winter adapt appropriate clothing year-round

OUTERWEAR SLOTS

• Cold Outerwear: coats, jackets, scarves, gloves, boots, hats (2 slots)
• Wet Outerwear: rain slickers, ponchos, umbrellas, hats (2 slots)
• Layers over any outfit and interact with events, including coat checks and lost/mixed coat gameplay

EVENT-DRIVEN WEAR & TEAR

• Clothing is durable unless affected by incidents: bully ripping a shirt, clumsy Sim scuffing pants, vampire/werewolf interactions, near-death experience or fire damage, fights or accidents
• Damaged clothing can be repaired, recycled, trashed, or ignored depending on Sim traits
• Optional toggle allows players to manage or ignore wardrobe consequences

CLOSETS & OUTFIT MANAGEMENT

• Save, edit, delete styled outfits in CAS, including EA-styled looks
• Gallery Integration: styled looks can be uploaded to the Gallery, shared, or downloaded directly. Outfits can also be pulled from the Gallery into stores or personal closets
• Household/individual closets allow sharing or exclusive access
• Dorms: assigned dresser locks clothing options; community dresser allows borrowing/stealing for storytelling
• Families: dressers can lock to each family member or be household-wide. Items leave household pool while being worn; items not worn are available for siblings or roommates
• Clothing can be donated to a specific Sim or thrift shop, transferring ownership

WORK & DRESS CODES

• Players can refine work outfits and choose to follow dress codes, dress up, or dress down
• Options affect promotion chances and align with Sim traits or story context

TREND & SOCIAL INFLUENCE

TRENDSETTER TRAIT

• Earned via Fashion Designer career, celebrity status, or optional challenges
• Influences NPC and world fashion

NEIGHBORHOOD & WORLD IMPACT

• NPCs follow world-specific style guidelines for cohesive neighborhoods
• Peak fashion careers and five-star celebrities can spread trends globally
• Nobles & Rulers (Nobles & Legacies): high-status Sims influence world-specific trends. Loved rulers inspire fashion; disliked rulers’ choices appear out-of-touch
• Reputation and confidence are influenced by fashion choices; inappropriate fashion negatively affects perception

EXPANSION INTEGRATION

• Crystals inset into clothing for custom outfits with mood perks
• University Life: fashion degree accelerates Fashion Designer career
• Get Famous: modeling increases Trendsetter influence
• Get to Work: active modeling career
• Life & Death: wardrobe inheritance
• Seasons / Eco Lifestyle / Laundry Day: seasonal rotations, eco-friendly clothing, sewing/repair systems
• Supernatural interactions: Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Mermaids, Fairies – clothing reacts uniquely
• Pets with destructive traits can damage clothing
• Rental lots/dorms may include leftover clothing in dressers
• Clothing can be inherited, thrifted, destroyed, or kept via wills
• Donations reflect eco-conscious gameplay or storytelling opportunities
• Clothing can be cursed or blessed by magical Sims, providing effects like mood changes, need drain, fertility or money effects, or sickness

GAMEPLAY & STORYTELLING BENEFITS

• Cohesive, world-aligned, natural townie outfits
• Expanded style types and outfit options: rock, glam, preppy, athletic, messy, country, boho/hippie, geek, utilitarian, fashion-forward, retro
• Realistic seasonal clothing with layered outerwear for all outfit types: formal, party, swimwear, cold weather, everyday
• Cosmetic procedures provide optional depth and storytelling within gameplay
• Trendsetter system allows Sims to shape fashion culture locally, within their world, or globally
• Skills like sewing, dyeing, and modeling provide long-term progression
• Dynamic, event-driven clothing wear encourages wardrobe variety and meaningful player choices

This pack layers over existing expansions while providing new storytelling and gameplay opportunities, addressing underdeveloped aspects of fashion, CAS, and townie spawning in The Sims 4.