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We’ve compiled 10 of our favourite tips to help you style outfits that will make you look like you spent hours putting them together.
1. Opt for Layers:
Layering is a simple yet effective method to add interest, color, and flair to even the simplest of outfits. While it might be tough to master, it's well worth learning. Take cues from your favorite street style stars and try recreating their looks with your own clothing. Don't be afraid to try new things! Fabric specialist Peter Finn recommends combining different fabrics and textures to add interest to your outfits. Try starting by adding a white crew-neck T-shirt under a satin slip dress or experimenting with some cute stockings when wearing dresses and skirts.
2. Balance Your Body:
For most of us, a good look requires striking the proper balance. It's critical to plan clothes that work well together from top to bottom. If you're wearing a baggy shirt, go with tighter pants, and
if you're wearing wide-leg pants or a full skirt, choose a fitted or cropped top for the most flattering look.
3. Choose Styles Catered to Your Shape:
Having an endless supply of outfits that look great on you is only possible if you shop for your shape. Investing in cuts and styles that suit your body type is critical. If you're not sure what clothes are best for you, take a look at the ones that appear to be the most flattering in your wardrobe. If those high-rise skinny jeans and that empire waist dress are working for you, try buying other things with the same silhouette. Once you have the base down you can have fun experimenting with various textiles and colors to create a unique look that looks great on you.
4. Add Flare With Accessories:
Think of accessories as the icing on the cake. They can bring an outfit together and turn something basic into what looks like a well-thought out, curated ensemble. Belts are a great tool to cinch your waist and make an outfit look sophisticated and stylish. Some may argue accessories are more important than the clothing, think about how different jeans and a white tee looks with sneakers vs heels. Invest in shoes, handbags, eyewear, jewelry and hair accessories that you can have on hand to spice up any outfit.
5. Play with Patterns:
Shaking up your wardrobe by pairing pieces you normally wouldn’t is a great way to refresh your look without spending any money. Pairing patterns properly can create fashionable looks, but remember to select prints that complement each other and avoid those that clash. Interior
design expert Gary Hamer loves mixing patterns in his work and recommends using similar colour schemes, mixing prints of different scales or opting for a “focal” print and an “accent” print to start out slow. You can also download apps like My Design App which allows you to create fashion looks and see how different pieces would look in different prints which can help you with styling and shopping.
6. Get the Perfect Fit:
Even the cheapest clothing can look designer when it’s tailored to fit you like a glove. Instead of buying new clothes you can take some of your favourite pieces to the tailor. Start out with base pieces that can be worn with a variety of other pieces. Often one custom-fit piece in an outfit can make everything you’re wearing look expensive. Jackets and coats are a great item to get tailored because when they are ill-fitted they can make the entire outfit look oversized and shapeless.
Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva from Pexels
7. Curate Your Closet:
Having a closet that is neat, organised and catered to you is an essential part of being able to pick out stylish outfits every morning easily and stress-free. Making sure the only items in your closet are things you would wear and look good in is step number one. Now I’m not saying you should throw away your wedding dress, but definitely store any items you don’t wear on a regular basis (once a year) under the bed or in storage. Having a decluttered space will make it easier to see what you are working with and make the chore of getting dressed more manageable. You can donate or sell anything that just doesn’t look right and make room for new pieces that look fantastic on you.
Once you have curated your closet, start to categorise. You can sort your clothes using colour, type, season or style, whichever works best for you. Invest in shoe and accessory storage that make it easy to add finishing touches to your outfit. Waking up every morning to an organised closet will make you feel energized and put an end to those “nothing to wear” moments.
8. Research Colours for Your Complexion
Ever notice celebrities tend to stick to certain colours? It isn’t a coincidence, oftentimes colour consultants have been used to determine which colours look best on them. Certain colours can completely wash us out and others make us glow. Finding the colour that looks best on you is easy, begin by taking a few, different coloured clothes from your wardrobe and holding them up to your face, look in the mirror and determine which looks best on you. There are plenty of resources online that you can look at to determine which tones will suit you best but in a pinch you can choose a celebrity who has a similar complexion and hair colour to you and then model your looks off theirs.
9. Outerwear Essentials:
We all know of wardrobe essentials like the little black dress and plain white T-shirt, but what about outerwear essentials? Every woman should have a tailored jacket or blazer, a denim jacket, a leather jacket and a winter coat in their collection. Outerwear often ties outfits together and can elevate looks or make them more casual.
A white tee and jeans paired with a leather jacket looks far more cool and sexy then when paired with a casual denim jacket or professional blazer. As I said earlier, outerwear will likely be the item you want to tailor as it can make or break an outfit.
10. Preplan Looks for Busy Mornings:
We’ve all been there, having to choose between a coffee or a cute outfit. How great would it be if next time you were running late you had a stylish outfit ready to go? Pre-selecting a range of outfits is the perfect way to ensure you’re never late, eliminate morning stress and make sure you always look your best.
Next time you have a spare hour, take out all your clothes and match up 10 outfits for a few different scenarios. Try them on to make sure they still suit you and then snap a picture. Create a folder on your phone with all of the options so you can refer to it next time you're in a rush.