31 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Wardrobe
1.Clean out your closet so you can actually see what you have and don't feel like this every time you go in there.
Chances are, you have several great things you've forgotten about hiding in the depths of your closet. Getting rid of the stuff that doesn't fit your style anymore not only frees up space for new stuff, but allows you see more clearly everything you already own. Who knows what wonders are hiding behind that Abercrombie hoodie you haven't worn since 2008? I also find that spending some quality time in my closet makes me notice different pieces I own that could actually look super cute together and gets me inspired to create some fresh 'fits.
Need some more help? Check out these simple tips for organizing your closet, clever closet storage ideas, and tips for dealing with a super full wardrobe.
2.To remind yourself to break out of your style rut and give those often-forgotten pieces some daylight, flip the hangers of each piece you wear the opposite direction when you put them back in your closet. That way you can easily see what hasn't been worn recently.
I've heard that most of us wear about 20% of our clothes 80% of the time, and vice versa. While that may not be 100% accurate, it's definitely true that there's a section of my wardrobe that I tend to neglect. I bet you also have pants and jackets and dresses that are desperate for some attention, and this is a clever way to help them get some.
Read more about this tip from Lifehacker.
3.Tuck a romper or a lightweight dress into a skirt, and voila, you've got a new top!
Katy Herman / BuzzFeed
^That's me, lol, so clearly this is a tried-and-true trick of mine! It'll work better with thinner fabrics. The skirt in both of these pics can be a little hard to style, so I was looking for every possible cute print I owned that could go with it — I wasn't gonna let said prints being in romper or dress form stop me. And I'm really pleased with how both outfits turned out!
4.Or pop a sweatshirt, sweater, or even a knotted shirt over a dress to turn it into a skirt.
John Gara/BuzzFeed, Advice From A Twenty-Something / Via advicefromatwentysomething.com
This is an adorable way to dress down a fancier frock that you wouldn't otherwise get to wear as often!
Get more tips on tying shirts from Advice From A Twenty-Something.
5.TL;DR, just think outside the box for new ways to wear things, and don't think of each piece as a unitasker. A shirtdress can be a jacket, a maxi skirt can be belted into a strapless dress, and vest, long blazer, or trench can be buttoned up and worn as a dress (hey, if it's good enough for Meghan Markle, it's good enough for me).
Julia Engel / Via galmeetsglam.com, Pool / Getty Images
Get the deets on the look on the left from Gal Meets Glam.
6.Fulfill your fantasy of wearing your fave kicks even on rainy days with an easy DIY waterproofing trick. Coat your shoes with beeswax (or even a small candle), then use a hairdryer to set the wax coating.
7.Use pops of color to your advantage, and to make old outfits feel new. Sometimes a bright pair of shoes or piece of jewelry is all you need — either use them to make a neutral outfit way more fun or match it to a color in a pattern you're wearing.
Jon Premosch / BuzzFeed
(Psst...both the stylish ladies above are rocking the same crop top. Check out more crop top styling ideas).
8.Make your fave ripped jeans look even more badass — which you may not have thought was possible — by popping a pair of fishnets underneath.
I even do this to extend the life of my ripped jeans further into the fall — the fishnets probably don't add much extra warmth but it at least makes me ~feel~ less like my skin is exposed to the elements, lol.
Get the tights above from Amazon for $2.97.
9.Create tons of new outfits with pieces you already have by mastering the basics of pattern mixing, and don't be afraid to play around. Your leopard print flats and floral skirt are made to pair with wayyyy more than just basics (in fact, they'd probably be cute together).
Getty Images/Tori Art/Mai Vu/Hulinska_Yevheniia/ Berezka_Klo/billnoll, Katy Herman/BuzzFeed
The patterns you're combining should have at least one color in common (for example, because of the black, almost every print in the diagram above would work with the others, except maybe the stripe and gingham, which are too similar). It's also a good idea to pay attention to scale — two tiny prints usually won't look as good together as a large print and a smaller print or two medium-sized prints (like the stripes and the leopard or my plaid-and-leopard OOTD on the right). And of course, rules are meant to be broken. The best way to create cool pattern combos is to just play around. If it looks good to you, do it!
Check out this older BuzzFeed post for more print mixing inspo.
10.Make your tights sturdier and less prone to runs by spritzing them with hairspray.
Check out more genius hacks for making clothes last longer .
11.If your tights do get a hole or run, prevent it from getting worse by applying clear nail polish. You can do the same on the threads of a loose button to keep it where it belongs!
Artursfoto / Getty Images, Julie Gerstein / BuzzFeed
12.Try Stylebook, which is basically the app version of Cher Horowitz's smart closet, only with more features. It lets you virtually mix and match your wardrobe, plan outfits, track what you actually wear, make packing lists, and even keep all your style inspo in one place.
There's even a search feature, which is particularly great when you're out shopping and want to remember if you actually have something similar hiding in the back of your closet at home.
Here's what one reviewer has to say about the app: "I rediscovered my wardrobe. This app is a simple and elegant way to organize your outfits. It takes quite a while to photograph all your clothes, but anything new is much easier to record since you can usually download the picture from the manufacturer's website. I love the outfit shuffle feature (which suggests combinations of clothes you may not have thought of before), the style stats (which tell you the cost-per-wear as well as a range of other stats about what you wear), and the packing feature (where you select outfits and the app gives you a packing list). The main benefit is that it really saves time and emotional energy selecting your outfit in the morning. And it helps you determine what additional pieces you actually need to allow you to get more out of what you already have." —Tigalli
Get it for Apple devices for $5.99 or a similar app for Android devices for free.
13.Don't pigeonhole pieces as just dressy or just casual. Rock a pair of heels with jeans or make an elegant dress more casual with sneakers. It's your wardrobe, so you don't have to wait for special occasions to wear your special pieces! You can do whatever the heck you want!
@kaylaschaos / Via instagram.com, Stephanie Pernas / Via asparklefactor.com
Get the deets on the look on the right from Stephanie Pernas.
14.Learn several different ways to tie your fave scarf so it can basically be countless accessories all rolled into one.
15.And use your scarf as the chicest solution ever to a bad hair day.
Watch five ways to tie a scarf here for more inspiration.
16.Give an old go-to dress, romper, or jumpsuit an updated look (or make a revealing one more wearable) by popping it over a basic crewneck tee or collared shirt.
Katy Herman/BuzzFeed, Jon Premosch / BuzzFeed
Oh look, it's me again on the left. I often pop a tee under slip dresses to make them work-appropriate. In the pic above I could have worn the romper alone and it wouldn't have been inappropriate (I was at a Shawn Mendes concert, lol), but it was a piece I've worn a lot (psst! It's what I have tucked into my skirt in #3) and I wanted to mix it up a bit.
17.Work the same layering magic with a cute bra top, bustier, or bandeau. The sexiness of a skimpy top creates an especially fabulous contrast over a button-down, and it's a great way to make your going-out pieces work for every day.
18.Make a chill look feel fresh — and show off your shoes — by cuffing your jeans. Bonus: it'll disguise frayed hems and make an old pair look new.
Advice From A Twenty-Something / Via advicefromatwentysomething.com
Get more tips on how to roll your jeans from Advice From A Twenty-Something.
19.Extend the life of dark wash jeans and pieces with graphics that could fade by washing them inside out.
Because no one likes when those perfect jeans are a totally different shade after one wash cycle.
20.Pop a statement necklace over a go-to top to give it some new life or try layering several of your fave necklaces at once to create a totally unique statement look.
Baublebar, baublebar.com
When layering necklaces, try to keep them all different lengths so they're all visible. For the best stack, my suggestions are similar to those about mixing prints — layer necklaces of different sizes but with a common element like metal, color, or vibe. If you layer necklaces often, you may even want to try a product like this to help prevent them from becoming a tangled mess.
Get all the necklaces above from Baublebar.
21.Rock your favorite shorts year-round by tossing them on with tights.
Hello, me again. This is another trick I personally employ all the dang time! I was super excited when I bought the embellished jean shorts above a couple months ago, and there was no way I was gonna wait till spring to rock them. I also especially like to do this with black dress shorts as a more rock 'n' roll alternative to a black skirt and tights.
22.Put on a petticoat under your fave frock to give it more flare — and flair.
Get one from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in sizes S–4X and in 17 colors).
23.Get your beat-up sneaks looking like new with a Magic Eraser. No, it's actually not time to replace your old Converse just yet.
24.Think that button-down is too oversized to rock with high-waisted pants and dresses? Think it looks kinda sloppy? Think again. Undo the last couple buttons and knot it at the waist for a custom fit.
25.Understand that a tuck can turn a stuffy top and bottom combo into a whole new outfit. Going from a more professional-looking full tuck to only tucking in the front can turn a work or dressy look into a casual, weekend-ready one.
Advice From A Twenty-Something / Via advicefromatwentysomething.com
Listen, I was doing the half tuck/French tuck/whatever you want to call it long before Tan France made it famous. It looks effortlessly stylish and adds interest to an outfit. Basically, it's a 10-second way to make yourself look chic as heck.
Get more tips on shirt tucking from Advice From A Twenty-Something.
26.Your fave bra doesn't have to be for your and bae's eyes only — it can also be used to make a blazer or top work for a dressier occasion! Let a strappy or lacy bralette peek out to lend an extra flirty touch to your outfit.
27.Make a well-loved sweater presentable again by removing pills and fuzz with a razor.
28.And remember that all is not necessarily lost if you accidentally shrink that sucker in the wash.
Get the details from Country Living.
29.Give even your geekiest graphic tees new life and make them look all ~fashion~ by tucking them into a high-waisted skirt or pair of shorts.
Yi Yang/BuzzFeed, Colin Gorenstein / BuzzFeed
Because I know you have a huge pile of tees tucked away in your closet (I certainly do, especially fandom ones like I'm wearing on the right), and it's time to put them to good — and Insta-worthy — use.
30.Double your wardrobe without spending a cent by borrowing pieces from your partner. Looser pieces like tees, flannels, and sweaters can work even if they're for the opposite sex!
Taylor Miller/BuzzFeed
For example, check out how eight different BuzzFeeders rocked this tee.
31.And — in case of emergency — refer to this handy stain guide to salvage that fave dress you spilled wine on, shorts you sat on the grass in, and white jeans you received a surprise from Mother Nature in so that they can live to slay another day.
