Today’s “how to” post is by Sarah of Frills for Thrills. Sarah is someone who I only know vicariously through other people (we both lived in Corvallis) although I do hope we can hang out in real-life one day, seeing as she lives in Portland too. She is quite the fashionista and has offered up some tips on how you can make little tweaks with your wardrobe basics in order to completely change your entire look. Perfect for those of us who often have those “I have nothing to wear!” mornings :).
Too many women think they run out of things to wear or don’t know how to put together an outfit. While I have definitely felt this way before, I have learned that by changing up some of the basic elements of an outfit you can wear the same clothing items in completely different looks. I will prove to you that you can buy the same items your friend has even if you are in a different walk of life! These basic arrangements will make your shopping trips more successful and distract people from realizing you’ve been wearing the same outfit for the past few days. (And your friend won’t be able to tell that you copied her).
There are five elements to an outfit that when mixed and matched properly can maximize your minimal wardrobe:
1. Hair
2. Make-up
3. Accessories
4. Shoes
5. Outerwear
I am going to show you five completely different looks wearing the same two basic items. This tank (Xhilaration Woven Pocket Tank in Blue-Orchid from Target):
And these leggings (plain black and can be found at almost any store for a very low price):
#1. Sporty. This is probably the easiest look to pull-off because it’s pretty sloppy but that’s ok since you will most likely be breaking a sweat while wearing it. With a first-try messy bun, minimal accessories, and leftover make-up from the night before, this look is perfect for walking the dog or just having a comfy day.
#2. Casual-Cute. Let your hair down in it’s natural wave and pin your bangs back so it looks like you did do something with it. A little bit of mascara and lip gloss match well with some neutral colored accessories are a great way to remain casual but still give a put-together look. Some comfy heels (wedges) are sassy and easy to walk in all day long. Outerwear optional depending on the weather!
#3. Trendy. Pretty much any time you wear something on your head or neck you look like a trendsetter. Here I’m wearing some bulky beaded earrings and a white crocheted beret hat. I have all my basic make-up on plus some bronzer/blush and eyeliner. My tweed “newsies” jacket is really downtown-city-ish and pulls the gray in my shoes and my earrings, which coordinates the outfit from head-to-toe.
#4. Fancy. Here’s where you can pretty much go crazy with your inner glamour girl. Fun heels, feathered hairpiece, diamond earrings, smoky eye shadow, and a fur coat—as long as you choose neutral colors you can get away with mixing a lot of dramatic pieces and still look classy doing so.
#5. Professional. I’m not sure if you’re allowed to wear leggings to work or not, but say you are… Boots almost hide the fact that you are wearing the most comfortable pants in the world and with a high heel and structured jacket/sweater in a modest color you may be able to slide by your boss without her noticing you’re breaking the dress code. If you cannot wear this to the office, it certainly makes a comfortable yet professional outfit to travel in or have a casual professional meeting in.
Thanks Sarah!
Hope you enjoyed these tips
and tricks….I know I did!
xo
{Lauren}
P.S. Make sure to enter the giveaway I’m hosting for some lovely earrings from Allium jewelry here (if you haven’t already!).
P.S. Make sure to enter the giveaway I’m hosting for some lovely earrings from Allium jewelry here (if you haven’t already!).
I absolutely needed this! I’ve been thinking a lot over the last couple of months about stepping up my fashionista game… And I always think to myself that I need more clothes, but this just shows that with a little forethought I can work it with what I already have! And you got the pics to prove it, love 🙂 THANK YOU!
this was a really neat feature!
i love making an outfit change and go as far as it can, so this was perfect for me. 🙂
I love “basics” for exactly this reason! It’s so versatile. Great post with great ideas!
SO neat! I’ve been wanting to see different ways to use the same pieces, but for different looks. SO cool. And don’t forget my very first giveaway ever over at my blog!
http://caraalynn.blogspot.com
xoxox
wow…awesome post! so true. slapping on a little lipstick and curling your hair can really go a long way. having quality, classic wardrobe staples are so important!
love this post!!! i needed this. im one of those girls that feels a wardrobe change is buying more things, thanks sarah for showing me the light, haha. but seriously, this post is awesome and inspiring. 🙂
-kellie
Thanks so much for this! Exactly what I needed!
I need someone to come into my wardrobe and help me do this. Because it looks SO easy but then I try and it’s NOT.
I need to go on What Not To Wear,lol.
SO cute!!!! I love this. It’s so easy, us women just make it harder than it can be.
this was a great read! and a great excuse to go shopping for some basics!
Such perfect ideas!!! A good reminder not to go spend money…go shopping in my own closet! 🙂
oh my goodness these were GREAT! i love this post! i seriously needed this! what an adorable girl that Sarah is! Thanks for sharing this! 🙂
aw Sarah is so cute! This is a great post! and very helpful 🙂
i think this may be my favorite how to post! i’m always trying to think of new ways to wear old clothes with minimal success. i have a $50 target gift card, so i’m going to look for that tank tomorrow! i love it!
I needed this post!
I’m seriously considering a project on my blog where I only purchase the items mentioned so I can amp up my wardrobe!
the “professional” look is my fav! it’s crazy how you can wear the same thing so many different ways!
thanks for posting this, lauren! i’m so glad to hear all this positive feedback. i love when others share their tricks that might be basic or common sense for them because not everyone has the same talents and know-how!
That is such a cool post. I love this little segment of yours.