When they work yes. Especially in my medieval game, I have a ton of defaults for that.

I usually use a combination of defaults and ignoring Maxis/EA clothing that I don't like, but for my Alaskan/Antarctic 'hood (I haven't decided which one yet!) I am experimenting with hiders to hide almost all of the Maxis/EA clothing. I am downloading loads of climate-appropriate clothing and re-categorising it as required - jumpers won't be appropriate outerwear in this 'hood, as it's far too cold, but a jumper & scarf outfit could be worn indoors as everyday clothing. Even formal-wear needs to be fairly warm, as it's almost permanently below freezing outside.....

I am learning various new skills whilst setting up the CC for this 'hood - I've learned to edit hider mods, change the category of Maxis/EA and CC clothing and I'm also editing a bunch of skin-tones and making new default replacement skin-tones. I also want to change a bunch of accessory scarves/hats/slippers into BV jewellery.

I do the same thing in reverse in Coral Bay, I take an everyday sweater/jumper outfit and change it to be outerwear. Since maxis outerwear is mostly far too warm.

This is kinda the problem with hiding everything. You realize how many gaps you have in your CC when every single teen boy has the same pair of swimtrunks because you only ever downloaded one pair... But if you batch townify all your CC, then you might end up with things like untucked or pantsless bottoms with a short top, or just things with a really unique style that you wanted to restrict to just a few sims showing up on everybody. But on the other hand, it's a lot of work to go through your whole folder and pick out what you want to townify.

So I personally have given up and accepted that I'm a bit of a control freak and I'll just have to make over everybody anyway. I've hidden all the Maxis stuff that I really can't stand, kept the rest, default replaced most of the NPC outfits, kept the few everyday defaults that I had from before I discovered hiders, and voila. A system that doesn't actually save me any time or trouble at all.

If it's any comfort, going through your DL folder en masse does eventually stop being a massive job. I now simply alter stuff as I download it to be what and where I want in the catalogue. Everything else is done.

Default. There are so many great ones out there!

Yeah, I will have to get started townifying eventually... after I finish getting my hair folder properly organized, so... next year, lol? Thanks for the words of encouragement, I will aim for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Yeah, I guess it depends on what kind of stuff you already have and how much of it, and what type of 'hood you play.
The reason I've hidden everything is that I was going for specific environment - normal clothes didn't work there. I downloaded specific clothes and made some myself to fill those gaps.
If I decided to go with defaults, I'd need a lot more outfits (more than a thousand, I guess), because I have all EPs and SPs. I wouldn't be able to find so many. And even if I could, it's easier for me to townify then to make matches "1 outfit = 1 default replacement".

In another setting, where I play maxis-match game, I don't hide anything, instead I use recategorizers and make ones myself (for example, to ban some clothes and hair styles from random spawning). And on top of that I download maxis-match-y clothes and throw in a few defaults I can't live without (maid's dress, for one).

I tell you the sort of default I do use - this sort of thing:
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=587141
There are so many EAxis (and tbh CC clothes) with unnecessary decoration - it's a relief to find someone has made something useable.

That is actually not a bad idea, which file do you use @maxon there are so many of them!

LOL yes, there are a lot of versions of that - but we have OPTIONS people! OPTIONS!

I'm using the second one - Phaenoh's texture replacements made defaults.

Options are good-when you understand what you are choosing. I just want the print on the jacket gone since I do have sims that use that outfit. I'll give it a try. Thanks.

I have a two part question:

Does anyone know if using the maxis hair hiders like the one here: http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=146185, also hide the gardeners hat or the graduation cap or the hats that are part of the career outfits as well?

Is it worth it using hiders for the hair or should I simply ignore the maxis stuff and just add CC hair?

I cannot answer your first part question.
I can only give you my opinion about hiders. :0) You wanna?
I don't have hiders. I unlocked some outfits myself..but never hide anything. I'd rather make default replacement for whatever I know I would never choose. just so it does not go to waste, but instead add to my choices...if that make sense?
But since I have SO many different projects, I never took the time to start and be done with this. I defaulted a few..but it would take me forever to find & make, everything else to my liking's.
If you do not want to default yourself..there is always downloads. And if you do not mind items going to waste..there are always hiders.

I have no big issue with the maxi clothes - some of them have great recolors anyway, so I don't think about defaulting them often. Having said that, I do use a number of defaults by CatofEvilGenius, but that is about that. I have tried some defaults at various times - some worked, some did not - but it is really not a priority for me. My playable Sims, in my opinion, just stand out against the townies, especially at community lots; I can spot those I did not send at once.

The AL townies - their clothing indicate their social group, greeting and what you should talk to them about -and while I know many players prefer to get rid of them, I actually am very fond of them and like to keep them the way they are (until one of my Sims should decide to marry one of them, of course). So it is hard for me imagining a gearhead walking around in a stunning dress

Default or hide? Neither

There are some style I just never liked, paired with some shoes I would never wear, etc. These tops or bottoms etc, are all items that sits in my game...doing nothing. To me, this is worth changing. But like I said, I have no time for this. It's not like my life depended on it.