13 Tips For Making Outfits Better

Elevate Your Style

I’m sharing 13 simple tips for making outfits better. These tips are easy tweaks that anyone can do to their outfits to elevate a look in just a few minutes.

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Steam your clothes. It makes a huge difference in how they lay on your body and overall appearance. Grabbing something wrinkled from your closet and wearing it without steaming can look sloppy and unpolished, leaving you feeling less put-together. I always advise my styling clients to keep items that need steaming in a separate area of their closet and set aside time once a week to steam them.

When steaming, focus on the seams. Especially the shoulders, arms, and sides since creases can be thick, particularly in new items. Be sure to steam the main fabric and pay attention to collars on button-up shirts. These simple steps can instantly improve the look of your outfit.

Tip #2: Make Sure It Fits

Make sure your clothes fit well, so having a good tailor is essential for a closet you’ll love and clothes you’ll wear confidently. Whether your jeans need hemming because they’re too long or a blouse fits in the bust but is too loose at the waist, get it tailored. Simple alterations can make you love and wear an item more often while feeling great in it.

Tip #3: Roll Up Your Sleeves

The next way to make your outfits better is easy: rolling up your sleeves. Whether it’s a sleeve on a button-up shirt, blazer, or denim jacket, rolling them up can create a completely different look. It can take a conservative or less styled outfit and make it feel chic, casual, relaxed, and put together.

When rolling your sleeves, you don’t want the cuff to be super wide. If it’s too wide, it won’t look as polished. Roll the sleeve about an inch and a half to two inches, and roll it up two to four times depending on the length of the sleeve. Then, push the roll so it sits just below the elbow, making the outfit look more casual and fun.

Tip #4: Tuck In Your Top

One of the first things I teach most of my clients is to do a French tuck or half tuck with most of their tops. Whether it’s a sweater, t-shirt, or silk cami, any top that doesn’t have a finished bottom (meaning it doesn’t naturally rest on your waistline or hip) benefits from a half tuck. This simple styling tweak can elevate an entire outfit, making it look chic, put-together, and intentional, without appearing like you’re trying too hard. Plus, it helps define your waist.

I especially love this tip if you’re wearing something more oversized on top or if you want to add more definition to your waistline. Sometimes, depending on your style and occasion, you might prefer a full tuck. A full tuck works well when you want a more dressed-up or business-appropriate look, or when wearing something high-waisted. Whether you opt for a French tuck or a full tuck, it can easily make your outfit look better.

Tip #5: Know Your Body Shape

This next tip to make your outfits better is knowing your body shape. You want to know what your body shape is so you can dress in a way that makes you feel confident and feel your best. Whether you’re a rectangle shape, apple shape, or pear shape like me, there are different ways to style your pieces to make them work for your body. Knowing your body shape can help you make the clothes in your closet work for you.

Related: “What Body Shape Am I?”

Tip #6: Know Your Style

The next simple tip is to know your style. There are nine most common personal style types, and most of us don’t fall into just one style type. We might fall into a few different style types. Knowing what your style is can help you create outfits that you feel great in. Feeling confident in an outfit is automatically going to make your outfit look better.

Knowing your style, the elements you’re drawn to, and the qualities you feel best in is so vital to making your outfits look better. It’s going to help you choose pieces that resonate more with what’s authentic to you.

Tip #7: Style For The Shape Of Your Torso

Styling for the shape of your torso is key. Some of us have a longer torso, while some of us have a shorter torso. A simple way to create an outfit using your body’s proportions is to adjust the length of your torso. If you have a longer torso, you want to make your legs look longer and your torso look shorter. An easy way to do this with your clothes is by choosing high-waisted bottoms. Also, stay away from cropped bottoms because they’ll shorten your legs. We want to create length in your legs, so look for slim, straight-leg bottoms for a sleek look.

This is also a great place to do a French tuck or a full tuck because bringing your waistline up when you have a long torso will make your torso look shorter and elongate your legs.

On the other hand, if you have a short torso and want to lengthen it, look for mid-rise or low-rise bottoms. You want to stay away from high-waisted bottoms because they’ll make your torso look even shorter. Paying attention to the length of your torso and choosing the right bottoms to create a natural waistline will help you feel your best and make your outfits look better.

Tip #8: Add A Layer

Adding a layer, especially something fitted and tailored, can elevate your outfit. I love doing this when I’m wearing something that doesn’t have much shape underneath, like a flowy blouse. A structured, tailored piece, such as a blazer, leather jacket, or denim jacket, can instantly improve the look. The fitted layer helps define your shape and brings a polished, put-together feel to your outfit.

Tip #9: Change Your Shoes

Changing your shoes is another great and easy way to make your outfit better. When you’re putting an outfit together, play with different shoes in your closet. For example, I tend to stay away from shoes that are more clunky or heavy. It doesn’t work with my style. I feel better in a shoe that feels more sleek and streamlined. Play with your shoes and see how different shoes can make an outfit look different.

Tip #10: The Right Undergarments

Unfortunately, a lot of women don’t pay attention to this tip. This is one of the things I focus on when working with a new client: making sure they have the right undergarments. Do you have nude undergarments that can work with pretty much anything in your closet? What you’re wearing underneath will make your clothes lay better on your body. If you have the right bra and underwear, it makes a big difference. You want to make sure your undergarments fit you well and are in nude colors that match your skin tone, so they work with whatever you wear.

Tip #11: Follow The One Statement Rule

Do you follow the one-statement rule? When you’re putting an outfit together, it looks more chic and polished if you pick one item to be your statement piece. For example, if you’re wearing a bright pink dress, and then you add a large statement necklace, multiple bangles, and shoes with fringe, you are wearing statements on top of statements.

Instead, pick one thing to be the statement of your outfit. Whether it’s the pink dress or a dress with a pattern or something more overstated, keep everything else pretty neutral. Have your accessories be more minimal and simple. When you’re putting an outfit together, pick one statement piece, not several. That’s what’s going to make your outfit look better, more polished, and stylish.

Tip #12: Add Jewelry

Adding jewelry to finish off an outfit can make it look more polished and put together. This doesn’t mean you have to pile on the jewelry, but even something simple can make a huge difference. It can be a bracelet, necklace, or a pair of earrings you love. It doesn’t have to be a statement piece. Even a simple addition can completely change how your outfit looks.

Tip #13: Have Fun!

Have fun in your closet! One way to make your outfits better is by practicing how to put them together. Just like with anything you want to improve, the more attention and time you give it, the better you’ll get. Set aside time once a week to play around with your clothes. Maybe it’s an hour or even 30 minutes, but take the time to look at items you haven’t thought about before and explore how different pieces could go together. Put on some music, light a candle, or have a glass of wine. Practicing this regularly is what’s going to help make your outfits better.