Do you want to look good in your clothes and feel confident when getting dressed? Does it feel overwhelming when you open your closet and all of your clothes are mismatched and you feel like you have nothing to wear? If you answered yes to these questions, then keep reading to find out how you can curate an everyday style.
What makes me an expert on everyday style? Over the last few years, I have been building a versatile, everyday wardrobe for myself and I now have a grasp on what ‘everyday style’ means and how to look effortlessly put together. I have developed several minimalist, capsule wardrobes for myself, and for this blog. I also understand how to mix and match pieces to make numerous outfits even with a small number of items. Keep reading to learn how to curate an everyday style for yourself.
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What is Everyday Style?
- Everyday style is what it sounds like. It’s a style that ANYone can achieve, no matter their level of interest or knowledge of fashion and trends.
- It’s a way to style simple outfits but make them look effortless and intentional. Everyday style makes getting dressed easier because your clothes fit your personality and lifestyle.
- It’s for people who want to style simple outfits and look put together but don’t want to spend a lot of time or money on clothes.
- If you’re a busy mom who doesn’t have a lot of time to think about outfits, this is for you.
- It can be for office professionals who need to dress up everyday but have no idea where to start.
- Everyday style is for recent college graduates on a tight budget who need to build a simple work wardrobe.
- This is for anyone who opens their closet and hates everything inside.
“Fashion comes and goes, but style is eternal” – Yves Saint Laurent
What Everyday Style Is Not
- Everyday style is not runway or “high” fashion. You don’t need to be aware of the most recent trends coming out of Paris, Milan or New York. Those styles are fleeting and difficult to maintain.
- You do not need a lot of money for everyday style. There are many options to buy clothes on a budget. Thrift stores and consignment shops are great ways to save money on clothes. You can also find many budget-friendly retailers like Amazon Essentials and Old Navy. Eventually, you may want to invest more money in higher quality clothes, but everyone has to start somewhere.
- There is no minimum level of knowledge about fashion or style required. You don’t even need to know your personal style or body type right away. This is a process, not an overnight transformation, but it’s one that anyone can do.
What you need to get started
- First and foremost you will need to invest time up front. It doesn’t need to be all at once though, you can spread it out over days, weeks, or months. Everyday style requires you to spend some time curating your wardrobe but once you’ve done that, it will save you time when deciding what to wear and what to buy.
- You will also need a willingness to be honest about your body, personality, your lifestyle, and what you want your wardrobe to look like. Your clothes need to be practical for your lifestyle.
- The best place to start building an everyday style wardrobe is to have a core foundation of closet basics. Read more about closet basics in my post here. They will form the foundation of your style and you can build on from there.
Tips for Successful Everyday Style
- You shouldn’t be chasing all of the current trends. Incorporating trends into your style is possible and acceptable but, if you are changing everything in your wardrobe every year, you will not be successful in curating an everyday style.
- Realize that your personal style and lifestyle are subject to change. Don’t expect to fill your wardrobe once and never change it for the rest of your life. Tastes change, circumstances change, and that’s ok.
- Dress for the life and body that you have now. If you are constantly buying clothes that you hope to wear one day, you won’t have any clothes that you can wear today. So, buy clothes that fit your lifestyle and size now. If and when your life and body change, then you can buy clothes for that person.
- The same can be said for buying clothes for who you used to be. For example, I used to go to an office 5 days a week but now it’s only a couple of days a week (actually, right now it’s 0 days due to the Coronavirus), so I buy very few business casual style clothes.
- You can sign up to get my 7 Secrets to Effortless Style to help you with your everyday style.
Common Questions/FAQ
How can I put outfits together?
- Outfit formulas are the key to easily put together an outfit everyday. Have a few formulas at hand that work for you. Outfit formulas help you to put together outfits faster and make shopping easier, too.
- Examples could be: blouse + skinny jeans + jacket + boots. Sweater + slacks + pumps. Dress + blazer + heels.
- Or you could get specific. Patterned blouse + pants that coordinate with blouse + neutral boots. Graphic t-shirt + jeans + neutral jacket + black boots. Neutral jacket + basic top + basic bottoms + printed shoes.
- Don’t be afraid to repeat outfits. Once you have found a few outfit formulas that work for you, experiment with switching out the pieces to create the same basic outfit but with subtle differences. It’s easy to feel confident in your clothes when you know what works for you rather than trying to copy someone else.
How can I look stylish everyday and style simple outfits?
- Always add accessories. Accessories can take a really boring outfit to one that looks effortlessly chic. A cute necklace is my go-to but you could add statement earrings, a scarf, a fun hand bag, hat, or really anything that suits your fancy!
- One area that women often neglect in their casual wardrobe when trying to look stylish is their shoes. Have a few go-to comfortable shoes that you can wear with lots of outfits. I’m not talking about the shoes you wear in the garden or the rubber flip-flops you wear to the pool, I mean stylish shoes that are still comfortable and easy to wear. You can find lots of options for shoes in my ‘Outfits‘ category of blog posts.
- If you are ever in doubt about which shoes to wear with which outfit, try to match the color of your shoes with the color of something else in your outfit. Long-gone are the days of matching your shoes with your purse, but you can create a cohesive look by matching your shoes with your outfit.
- Check yourself out. Get in front of a full-length mirror and check the front and back of your outfit. Make sure you can’t see any underwear lines and there are no tags, threads, etc. sticking out. The trick to looking effortlessly chic is actually putting in a little effort. 😉
- You can read my post with 6 easy style tips to elevate any outfit.
How can I look fashionable on a budget?
- Make a list of what you need and look for sales and clearances. Don’t use sales to justify an impulse purchase, but if you are looking for a specific item, then look for coupons and sales to get the best price.
- Shop secondhand. I have a whole blog post you can read with tips to find good pieces at secondhand stores.
- Be on the lookout for investment pieces. You can save up for a higher priced item that will last longer than a fast fashion piece and be cheaper in the long run.
The Last Thing You Need to Know about Everyday Style
I used to get so frustrated with my wardrobe, which led me to buy more and more clothes without understanding how to style them. I was stuck in an endless cycle of buying clothes only to wear them a couple of times and then purging them to make room for new ones. Now that I understand the importance of basics and how to use them as a foundation to create a wardrobe that suits me, I can open my closet everyday and easily pick out an outfit that makes me feel great.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends who might also be struggling with their style. You can help each other find pieces that work and give feedback on styling. You can also reach out to me in the comments or on the contact me page if you have any questions and I would be so happy to help you out!
While you’re here, check out some of my other posts
- Striped Shirt Styled 4 Ways
- Fall Wardrobe Essentials for An Everyday Style
- Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2021
- Dress For Your Lifestyle – Wardrobe Revamp Part 2
- Summer Wedding Guest Outfit for Outdoor Wedding
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I really enjoyed reading your article on everyday style. It was very informative and helpful. You gave some great tips on how to dress well and express your personality. I especially liked how you explained the importance of colours and accessories. Thank you for sharing your insights and expertise.