Hi, if you don’t know me, I’m Renee and I’m on a mission to make effortless, everyday style available to all women. I spent years spinning my wheels and spending way too much money on clothes to try to look put together. I loved buying clothes so I never stopped to think about how I would style an item before buying it. This lead to an endless cycle of buying clothes, wearing them a few times, then decluttering them only to start the cycle anew.
Then I discovered one of the secrets to effortless style: BASICS! Ha! I know, it sounds so…well, basic. Everyone loves pretty things, especially a new floral blouse or colorful cardigan, but without a foundation of basic clothing pieces, those pretty things can be difficult to style. Now that I’ve gotten the basics down I can create TONS of new outfits without a huge amount of clothes. I can also strategically add things to my wardrobe rather than picking up the first pretty blouse I see.
I promised you 7 secrets so now I’m excited to share all of the secrets I discovered on my OWN journey to effortless style. Let’s get started.
Secret #1: Don’t Chase Trends
Try saying that 5 times fast! It’s not the worst thing to try out some new trends but don’t fill your whole wardrobe with trendy pieces. Trends come and go but there are timeless pieces you should build your wardrobe around that will make it easier to incorporate that new tie-dye sweatshirt.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t necessarily want to dress like a 16-year-old, and that is often who is starting new trends. There are classy ways to add a trendy piece without looking like you’re trying too hard. The best thing to do is to start small, like the leopard print shoes I’m wearing on the right.
Google “trends for 2021”. Do any of them strike your fancy? If yes, think about adding something small to represent the trend. If no, then forget about it!
Secret #2: Get Your Basics
As I mentioned in the intro, basics are one of the most important pieces to achieving an effortless, everyday style. I don’t know why it took so long for this to sink in for me but when it did it was a GAME CHANGER.
I like to think of closet basics as the trunk of a tree and the pretty pieces as the branches. The branches don’t work without the trunk and the trunk is pretty blah without the branches. Basics are things like solid color tops, blue jeans, black pants, neutral colored shoes, etc. These are the pieces that won’t go out of style as quickly as trendy clothes and should be the core of your wardrobe. The graphic on the right shows a few examples of basic pieces.
Read my post on closet basics where I go more in-depth and provide more examples.
Secret #3: Don’t Worry About Your “Personal Style”
I used to get so bogged down in trying to find out what category my personal fit into. Reading blog posts, taking quizzes, etc. Am I ‘romantic’ or ‘edgy’? What I realize now is that it doesn’t matter.
People like what they like and I think it’s detrimental to put yourself in a box. If you say you have a classic style but you want to try a pair of combat boots, go ahead! That’s why it’s called personal style.
Take a picture of your outfit everyday for 2 weeks. Then take notes on which items you loved and which ones you didn’t. This will tell you more about your personal style than any online quiz!
Secret #4: Try A Minimalist Wardrobe
Ok, just hear me out. A minimalist wardrobe is not for everyone, but it’s a good experiment to see just how many clothes you really need. Try paring down your wardrobe to just 30 items (not including underwear!). I’m not saying get rid of all the other clothes, but put them out of sight.
If you absolutely hate it, then bring out the other clothes, but at least you tried. If you’re having trouble making outfits though, check to see if you have enough basics (see secret #2).
Try a capsule wardrobe or Project 333.
Secret #5: Play With Accessories and Shoes
Sometimes we get stuck in a rut with our accessories. If you always pair the same jewelry with the same outfit, try switching it up. Break up a matching set of necklace and earrings. Tie a scarf in a different way. Layer a couple of necklaces.
Shoes can be a similar roadblock. I don’t know about you, but I have my go-to shoes for certain outfits or occasions. Change out your shoe choice to see what a difference it can make.
If you always keep the same shoes by the door for easy access, switch them out for another pair.
Secret #6: Get Inspired
Inspiration can strike anywhere. I tend to scour Pinterest for new outfit ideas but you can find ideas literally anywhere. On TV, with your friends, at the grocery store, trying on clothes at the mall. You can even look for color combinations in nature.
Try to copy an outfit you saw and liked. You don’t need the exact same pieces, just try for the overall vibe.
Secret #7: Don’t Wait Until You’re Certain Number
This goes for the number on a scale, a clothing size, or an age. If you say “I’ll wear that when I’m [fill in the blank]”, chances are you’re never going to wear it. You will either forget about it or your style will have changed. Dress confidently for the number you are now.
Exceptions to this rule would be if your number is possibly temporary. Such as, you’re pregnant, post-partum, post-surgery or treatment, etc.
Go through your closet and get rid of the “someday” items.
I truly hope these secrets helped you on your way to effortless style. The funny thing is, it’s not effortless at the beginning but once you have the foundation, you’ll be getting compliments all over the place!