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Ways to wear what you have
Personal style is a muscle.
And sometimes, we mistake neglecting to exercise it with a need for newness. If you’ve only worn a shirt with one pair of bottoms for the past three years, no wonder you’re sick of it. But creating new outfits takes time, energy, and creative inspiration. That’s where these thirteen outfit starters come in.
This is a list of a bunch of ways to style what you already have. They’re all free. Some of them are pretty obvious. But all of them have helped me get out of a style rut and away from a loaded checkout cart.
*Insert sporty detail*
Trade your blazer for a windbreaker. Reach for a pair of Adidas socks. Try a silky top with sweats and see what happens.
Layer under or over
Not in love with a look? Try a turtleneck under it or a sweater over it. If you’re adventurous, try a tank or silk scarf with a tshirt.
Button it up all the way or leave it undone
If you live for button downs the way I do, you’ll find they’re really an excellent outfit starter. I like buttoning all the buttons except the bottom 2 or 3. Or, sometimes I’ll wear one undone over a tissue tee.
Stripes on stripes
Layer your patterns! Beginner level is piling one stripe on top of another. A scarf and a sweater is an excellent use case.
Try tights
It sounds simple, but tights can alter a look completely. Tights with pants and black brogues—very chic.
Grayscale plus one color
Here’s a helpful place to start if you’re stuck. Put together an outfit in grayscale with one singular pop of color. It makes me feel pulled together, but still a fashion girl.
Challenge accepted
Pull a piece you’ve never worn and commit to making it work. I bought this dress at a thrift store, loved it, but never really knew when would be the right time to wear it. On a Saturday in August, it turned out!
Texture play
Sometimes it’s the most unique pieces in our wardrobe we’re the most intimidated by. You could go in two extremes: pair with a white tee and jeans OR double down. Wear your faux fur with silk. Pair your suede with denim.
Take a walk
Pull on some leggings and take a lap around the block. Train yourself to notice the outfits you pass by and start to consider what you have to learn. It’s a lot more fun than running through a mental to do list!
Monochrome as the golden rule
This is Jenna Lyons 101. A monochrome outfit is always the most elevated option. All white is cool. But what about shades of army green? Or bright blue? Here’s my sister pictured in a darling denim outfit.
Lead with an accessory
Open your jewelry box. Grab a piece you adore but haven’t worn lately. Style an entire outfit around it. I love doing this with earrings, which I don’t naturally pair with outfits.
Try it backwards
Get loose! Flip it around and see what happens. I especially love to try this with vintage dresses that button in the front.
Break up a matching set
Matching sets are magical. But why not try splitting them up? I like a vest with trousers or a skirt with a big cashmere sweater.
Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can shop my favs here, follow along on Instagram + Tiktok, and shop my Notion template. Get matched at EV Salon. And if you want to partner on a future Long Live, email evan@communite.co x
I love this Erika, it’s like conversation starters but for your closet (and now I want a deck of cards of them to inspire me every time I get dressed 💭)
Great ideas! Allison Bornstein suggested changing one thing in your outfit at the end of the day to give yourself styling ideas, and I’ve been trying to do that and resist the siren song of my sweatpants.