5 Ways to Look Stylish Everyday

by | Feb 5, 2018 | Refine Your Style | 0 comments

Are you stuck in a style rut or overwhelmed by new trends? Never fear. You don’t have to scour magazines or watch runway shows to look stylish everyday. In fact, doing those things just might overwhelm you even more. Celebrities have stylists and the runway is about vision not about every day. If you want to know what the latest trends are, just walk into a few different stores and you will start to see what is popular. Once you know what is trending, you can try a few items on and see if they are right for you. Any hesitation, and you just might want to wait for the next trend to come along.

Look stylish

If you want to feel more stylish without needing to follow celebrities or trends, just follow these 5 tips! 

How to Look Stylish Everyday

1. Always Accessorize

I’m going to call anything that is a finishing piece an accessory. These include, but aren’t limited to  jewelry, scarves, and handbags. These are pieces that you could leave the house without, but shouldn’t. I liken them to cooking. You can serve a meal without seasoning, but why would you? Accessories are the added seasoning to your outfit. They can make even the most basic outfit look amazing. Adding a statement necklace is always a fun way to season an outfit regardless of the time of year.

Statement necklace    Statement necklace    Statement necklace

2. Remember that shoes matter

Unlike accessories, you can’t leave the house without shoes. We all tend to pick shoes to match the feel of an outfit. Unless you’re getting a pedicure, you aren’t going to wear flip-flops with a full on winter outfit. We also know that worn out shoes are an outfit killer. The problem is that we often don’t consider shoes beyond that minimal criteria. Instead of always grabbing black shoes, why not try a colored or printed pair to ramp up your look.

When I was originally thinking about the outfit below for a casual Christmas party, I was planning on wearing booties, but then I remembered my plaid pumps. Although not always practical, high heels always elevate a look and wearing them in plaid is just fun! Another thing to consider is using color as a bookend. Match your shoes with your necklace or collar.  I love wearing the statement necklace pictured below with these cranberry booties and am able to use the pair with lots of different outfit combinations. In the summer, I live in my gingham mules as they add a bit of pop to a simple jean skirt and tee. 

Plaid pumps   cranberry booties   gingham mules

3. Add a bit of pop

My mom loves the word “pop.” She is often heard exclaiming, “That color makes you pop!” Not only can you “pop” with the right color (helpful hint: get a personal color analysis), but you can also pop by adding one surprising element to your look. This might be in the form of a cool accessory or fun shoes. It also might be adding the unexpected like pairing classic with a bit of edge. This might be something like pearls with distressed jeans or a classically cut dress with a rocker bracelet. The key for those of us over 30 is to keep the two pieces within a range. For instance the distressed jeans below aren’t paired with classic pearls, they’re paired with a pearl statement necklace.

4. Emphasize the positive

We all have things we don’t like about our body, but whether you believe it or not, all shapes have positive attributes that can be shown off. So, when you’re stumped over what to wear, think of your best attribute and show it off.  For instance, the A-shape (pear) often has sculpted arms while the O-shape (apple) might have fabulous legs. On a day when they need a boost in the style department, the A shape might consider a sleeveless top while the O shape might throw on shorts. As an X-shape (hourglass), I always go for fitted clothing when I’m feeling drab. For example, a simple fitted dress and cute flats. Since fitted is not currently in, I kind of feel like I am being ultra stylish and retro when I do this!

5. Know your formulas

When I do a Closet Curate with clients, we look at the occasions they need to dress for and develop specific “go to” outfit formulas that work for them. These formulas take into consideration their style statement, best colors, body shape, and personal color harmony. Having outfit formulas readily available gives you a uniform to work with, so that it’s easier to dress and shop. You can then spice them up with different pieces in your closet. My favorite outfit formula for professional attire is a Tailored blazer + colorful blouse + Wide-leg slacks. This is a great formula for me for several reasons:

  1. I’m a spring who is color contrast dominant, so the colorful blouse helps to offset dark professional attire. Without the colorful blouse, those darker colors tend to overwhelm me.
  2. A tailored blazer conforms to my body, which is an absolute must for an “hourglass” shape.
  3. Tucking your blouse is almost a requirement to look professional. Unfortunately, tucking is not friendly for my short-waisted body. My wide-leg trousers have a wide waistband and a rise that is about an inch below my belly button. These attributes, along with wearing the tailored blazer, allow me to tuck my blouse and thereby look professional.

 

I can work with this formula and change it up with different pieces or for different seasons. For this particular outfit, I chose pointy-toed boots since it was winter, but I could wear it on a warmer day with black pumps or sling backs. I wore the same blazer and pants in December with a green blouse and added a bit of pop with my plaid pumps. Additionally, I’ve used the formula to pair both blouses with different professional pieces, like my houndstooth slacks and black blazer. In a nutshell, outfit formulas are the recipe while the pieces you use are the spice.

If you’re looking for outfit formula inspiration, look know further than Get Your Pretty On. Each season there is a fun new capsule wardrobe or you can purchase the Big Book of Outfit Formulas to get you through the whole year. This e-book provides formulas and shopping lists for each season and even includes an extra section for workwear. Regardless of your personal style, you can use the formulas in the book or seasonal capsule as a basic recipe and then style them using your own flare and pieces from your closet.

 

fall capsule wardrobe           Outfit formulas

 

Do you have any tips to add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!