Mixing and matching clothes can be overwhelming, especially in the morning when you're getting ready for work or school. Don't worry, once you get used to it, it won't take you much time to get a cool outfit!
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Part 1 of 2: Choosing Your Clothing
Step 1. Tidy up your wardrobe
Often times when we don't know what to wear or how to mix and match clothes, it means it's time to tidy up our wardrobe. By tidying your closet, it will be easier for you to find the clothes you want to wear and remind you what clothes you have.
- Get rid of anything you barely wear. There's no point in wearing something you've only worn once or twice. Give space to the clothes you will wear.
- When tidying your closet, make sure you have easy access to your wardrobe. An easy way to organize them is to organize them by categories such as all T-shirts in one place, all sweaters in one place, all dresses in one place, and so on. This will make it easier for you to find the clothes you are looking for.
Step 2. Make sure you have an important boss
You need a few pieces of certain tops that can be the foundation of your clothing collection. These tops should look flexible and not follow any particular trend. We recommend this top in neutral colors such as black, navy blue, white, ivory so that you can mix and match them easily.
- Casual tops: tops like short-sleeved or sleeveless t-shirts, camis and tank tops (which are great to wear under sweaters).
- Some neat blouses. This blouse can be worn under a blazer, cardigan with buttons. Blouses like this can make you look classy. Wear a blouse like this with jeans, a skirt with boots, with jewelry.
- Maybe you can combine a sweater, button-up cardigan, pullover or a button-down or zippered sweater with a casual top and blouse. This type of clothing is great if you want to wear multiple layers of clothing, especially if you live in a country where the climate varies from hot to cold in one day.
- It's a good idea to have a plain leather jacket, a neutral pea coat or tweed coat, a light neutral trench coat or raincoat, and a blazer. In less chilly weather like spring, a blazer can be worn on its own or can be worn with a pea coat.
Step 3. Make sure you have must-have subordinates
These bottoms are jeans, trousers and a skirt. Again, you should choose neutral colors and styles that don't follow certain trends.
- Trousers: choose a pair of jeans (one pair of basic pieces that can be worn for a simple or fancy look, and one casual pair that can be worn to work at home or to relax), some more formal trousers. If you live in a fairly chilly area, opt for a pair of thick tweed pants for a neat slacks option.
- Skirts: you should have a neat skirt and a casual skirt. For a neat collection of skirts, you can choose a beautiful pencil cut skirt or a skirt that is more fitted to the body. Meanwhile, for a casual skirt, try choosing a knee-length skirt whose material is light and floaty, which is suitable to be worn in spring.
- Dress: you should have a basic dress in a neutral color. The reason why a little black dress is a must-have is because it makes a great base for any look. You can wear it for a simple look or a spectacular look and black of course can be matched with anything. If you don't like black, look for a simple dress in navy, white, or ivory.
Step 4. Collect accessories
Accessories can add some style to your look without overwhelming you. You can choose belts, jewelry, bags, scarves and hosiery in neutral or flashy colors. Try pairing a brightly colored scarf with a black t-shirt and skinny jeans for an easy but fun look.
- Bags: if you have a preference for a particular color palette (e.g. if you tend to wear greens, blues and grays), choose a bag in a color that matches that color palette (such as mustard yellow or gold) so that your appearance is more biting. Make sure your bag is also not just a sweetener, in other words, it works. It's a good idea to have one main bag that you wear every day (choose a neutral color so it can fit into any outfit) and several bags that you use for more specific occasions like attending a concert or enjoying a meal at a fancy restaurant.
- Jewelry: the choice of jewelry depends on personal taste. You have to find out what you like and build your jewelry collection from those tastes. Maybe you like large geometric jewelry or pearls. Jewelry can be used to add sparkle to your appearance or it may be the centerpiece of your look, depending on your personal style.
- Belts: the best basic belts are wide and skinny belts. If you buy a belt in a neutral color or in a color that matches the color of your wardrobe, this belt can be a great addition to your collection. A wide belt looks cute on everyone as long as you buy it in the right size. If your look looks a little boring, try wearing a skinny belt to add a touch of splendor.
- Scarves: they are functional (can warm you up) and make you look even cooler. You can choose a scarf in a neutral color, but consider buying a patterned scarf or a light colored scarf according to your taste.
- Hosiery: this includes stockings, leggings, and socks. Choose stockings with translucent or neutral black to wear under skirts and dresses. Choose leggings in a neutral color and socks that match your shoes (wearing white socks with black heels, for example, can look a little weird). In addition, you can wear a more lively hosiery like sparkling silver stockings or leggings with a galactic pattern. You can wear it with a short black dress, a cute cardigan and vibrant earrings.
Step 5. Buy shoes that can be matched with anything
Shoes are very decisive in creating a comfortable and exciting appearance. You will need several pairs of basic shoes in your collection. Shoes with certain models match a certain style of dress. The thing to remember is that shoes with light colors (especially white) are very easy to get dirty, so make sure you consider this issue before choosing the color of shoes to buy!
- Flat shoes go well with jeans, skirts, and dresses. This type of shoe can look neat or casual, depending on the occasion. It's a good idea to have at least one pair of neutral flats (again, neutral colors are great!) and a few pairs of flats that are more attractive in color, such as red leather flats, or shiny silver.
- Boots, especially in cold places, are very important. You can choose black or gray boots for a casual look, or more stylish boots with heels that you can pair with jeans or a dress. Ankle boots go well with skinny jeans or skirts.
- Casual sneakers to match your casual jeans. You can wear these shoes when you're out with a skirt or wear them when you're out for a long walk. These shoes are comfortable and you can even do housework or gardening while you're wearing them (to keep your other nice shoes from getting dirty).
Step 6. Find the thing you really like
These items reflect your personality. They can be jewelry, hosiery, shoes, scarves, or anything else. These items can make a neutral look lively and fun and accentuate your personality.
- For example a dress with a bright floral pattern that can be combined with black leggings, black knee-high boots, a green cardigan (to match the color of the flower stems on the dress) and a gray scarf. Or you can try to be bold and wear the dress with red pump heels.
- Another example is a purple blouse paired with jeans, for a simple look, or with a black pencil skirt and a pair of gray boots.
Part 2 of 2: Blending Outfits
Step 1. Create an appearance from a piece of clothing or an accessory
A surefire way to easily create an appearance is to pick an outfit or accessory and create an appearance out of it. Usually the outfit or accessory is a flashy outfit, but that's not a must.
- For example: If you want to accentuate a large, pretty necklace, wear a plain, neutral t-shirt with a neck cut so that the necklace is visible. Then pair it with jeans and a pair of flat shoes. Thus, the necklace becomes the most attractive part of your appearance.
- You can also create an appearance using a specific color. For example, one week you could wear something red and create an appearance based on that color and the next week you could wear green. For example, combine a red skirt with a black blouse, navy blue stockings, black boots and blue jewelry.
Step 2. Find your "uniform"
That means, find two or three basic outfits that you wear often and create different looks using references from those looks, but try experimenting a bit. The appearance that is used as a reference is the appearance that feels very comfortable for you.
- For example, you might like a mix of skinny pants (black or denim), a few different T-shirts (long or short sleeved) with different styles of shoes (for example, you can make your look even cooler with a pair of ankle boots or flats). If you wear jeans a lot, you can add some flair by rolling up the hem of the pants (a cool variation for spring or summer).
- You can combine jeans with a sweater or a skirt with a sweater. Thus, you will have a different appearance. The colors and types of sweaters can vary as well, and you can make them different with different jewelry, scarves and shoes. But the basic look is still jeans with sweaters or skirts with sweaters.
Step 3. Do mix and match
Mix and match clothes is the basis for having a different appearance every day. That way, you don't have to rely on the same t-shirt and jeans you usually do (though that's really okay, if that's your favorite look).
- Using a black blazer as an example: You can combine a blazer with jeans, a white t-shirt, a brightly colored blouse and flat shoes. You can combine a blazer with a pale spring skirt, ankle boots and oversized jewelry. Or you can wear the blazer over a colorful summer dress and wear sandals.
- With just 8 different outfits, you can create all sorts of looks. Let's say you have T-shirts in solid or printed colors, jeans, skirts, dresses, cardigans, blouses, and vests. You can wear a t-shirt with jeans, a vest, and sandals. You can wear a dress with a cardigan, a skinny belt, or alternatively, you can wear the dress combined with a vest and a pair of boots. Try creating a few different looks by pairing the skirt you have with all your tops and then wearing a vest or cardigan over it. Then you can combine it with jewelry, scarves, and shoes.
Step 4. Consider the current season
You can change your style as the seasons change (if you live in an area where the seasons change). Wear a warm scarf, sweater or jacket in the fall and winter.
- Boots are great for cooler seasons while flats and sandals can keep you company in the warmer seasons.
- Colors can also change depending on the season. When the weather is warmer, you can wear paler colors to make it cooler and you can also wear floral prints. In winter, it can be nice to wear a lighter color, especially if you live in a dark place or it rains a lot. So throw out your bright gold scarf or red dress to add some splendor to a gloomy day.
Step 5. Create a database of appearances
When you're trying on clothes to look for different looks and looking for one that really fits your personality, try taking photos or writing down descriptions of each look. That way you can remember what works for you and what doesn't for future reference.
It can also help you decide what to wear if you're not sure. Take a look at photos of old looks and choose your look that you like the most. You will feel confident because you know that the look looks good and you also know what kind of outfit you should wear
Step 6. Look for ideas for different looks
Look everywhere for look ideas. You can look at mannequins in storefronts, catalogs, fashion magazines, or see what people look like when you're out and about. I'm sure you'll get an idea that you can try.
You don't have to buy all kinds of things based on the looks you see in magazines or on the street. Try checking your wardrobe and see what clothes you already have to recreate the look you want. That way, you don't copy the overall look, but also add a touch of style to it
Step 7. Try to experiment
This is the most important thing in combining clothes. You'll have to try on different styles and outfits before you find the one you really like.
If you want to re-wear a certain outfit, make sure you like it and feel comfortable and confident wearing it. Comfort and confidence are the keys to looking good
Tips
- Don't always be tempted to follow the latest trends because trends change quickly. Wear clothes that feel comfortable to you!
- Try checking stores that sell used clothes. Things are cheaper there and you can find nice and interesting clothes to add to your wardrobe.
- Complimenting other people's clothes, accessories, or makeup makes you feel good too! Besides that, you also look like you are comfortable with your own appearance!
- If you can't decide what to wear, think about colors and seasons. For example, summer colors are usually blue, yellow, and pink.
Warning
- You can spend a lot of money buying new clothes, so make sure you check the contents of your wardrobe first!
- If you want to retouch your clothes to match the latest trends, be careful with sewing needles!
