Dressing hacks for women
Ever had that feeling that you don’t have a thing to wear? Sometimes we’re so inundated with choice, but it feels as though all our options are the same! Fear no more – in this post we shine a light on the darkest corners of your wardrobe to provide some simple dressing hacks for women so you can dress well and fast!
Combine basic elements with the latest trends
Everyone has a ‘bottom drawer’ of basics; those simple cuts that never go out of fashion. Think: the little black dress, the easy jeans, the vests and long-sleeved tops, the white sneakers, the classy cardigan and the lifelong leggings. These are the items that can be combined with almost anything, both vibrant and muted, and provide the blank canvas onto which we layer the latest trends. Add to them just a few fashion patterns, colours and cuts each season to keep your look up to date and your clothing budget intact.
Belt up
Layering is an easy way to look stylish while staying warm in cooler climes. There’s a balance to maintain if you’re adding extra layers on top of a base though. Too much and you can begin to look a little bulky. Simply pull it all back together by adding a belt to resculpt your figure in a shapely fashion. The same effect is true if you have a shift dress sitting idly on a hanger. That one you’ve never been quite sure of because of its boxy cut. A shift dress is intended to quite literally hang off your shoulders but it doesn’t always suit. Pull it in at the middle with a suitable belt or consider adding a tailored jacket or cardigan.
Switch up your styles
Look for contrast and match extremes for a bold look that maximises the entirety of your wardrobe. Combine formal outfits with sporty details. Pair a flowing skirt with sneakers, a t-shirt under a smart blazer or a sports top under a leather jacket. Hark back to the grunge scene of the 90s with a lacy slip dress matched with biker boots or a velvet jacket atop a crop top. Slip into a tight polyester roll neck above flowing culottes to throw a nod to the mid-60s. Mix your prints from top to bottom with a striped sweater, plain black jeans and leopard print flats. You get the twist. You get the gist.
Have a subtle statement jacket for any outing
A nice jacket will combine with anything you throw on underneath. A jacket instantly creates a strong shoulder line to create a smart and sophisticated style. A jacket that flows down below your middle section completes a look of smart casual when matched with a t-shirt and pair of jeans. Roll up the sleeves and wear some bracelets or add a brooch to the jacket for a subtle chic statement.
Go monochrome
Monochrome ensembles have a tendency to look classy and expensive. An all-white outfit harks back to the power dressing days of the 1980s. Being entirely clad in black creates a minimalist look that can be accentuated by a dash of colour with careful accessorising. Monochrome can also elongate the petite woman by creating a vertical line-like effect. Going monochrome doesn’t mean every piece has to be exactly the same shade. Light tints and darker hues of a single colour can be as subtly show-stopping as bright colours and patterns.
Enter the closet and pull out everything that’s a similar colour to begin your consistent coherence. Mix shades of white, cream and beige. Go light blue denim lifting up to a darker blue top and overhang it with a navy jacket. Pop on a pair of dark grey woollen pants with a dove grey shirt and accentuate the monochromatic effect with silver jewellery. Monochrome isn’t just for whites, blacks and greys either, the theme can also wow with browns, greens and pinks.
Fashion hacks – go for the quick fix
Fashion hacking doesn’t necessarily mean planning. Try these quick fixes to mix up your look:
- If skinny jeans are no longer your thing, tuck them into a long pair of socks and pop on a pair of boots that reach up your calfs. Now you have denim leggings that cut off at the knee delving into black boots.
- Experiment with tucks for each and every outfit. Try a front tuck, half-tuck, navel tuck or a full tuck. Each creates an entirely different effect whether with skirts, high-waisted jeans or girlfriend jeans.
- Pop one bright colour at a time. If you’ve a bold bright red sweater, match it with a black leather jacket, skinny black trousers and stylish black boots to flame that fire engine red.
- Reimagine those denim jeans at the back of the wardrobe – the ones you think have gone out of style – by rolling them up to show off a bit of ankle paired with a cute pair of dress shoes.
- And when all else fails…
- Remember that a white tee goes with anything. A floral skirt, a fitted blazer, leather shorts, boyfriend jeans, a tailored suit, leggings, a preppy cardigan, or a trench – there is nothing you can’t pull off alongside a crisp white t-shirt
Image by Image by congerdesign via Pixabay
