We’ve spent the entire week working on our closets for Spring Cleaning Week — now it’s time to learn how to put together an outfit!
Let’s learn how to put together an outfit
You made it to the last day of Closet Spring Cleaning week! Now that you’ve figured out your style, cleaned out your closet, and learned to shop for the right pieces, are you ready to learn how to put together an outfit?
Four things to think about when choosing your outfit
1. Check the weather
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s an easy way to narrow your closet options. If it’s going to be a really cold day, you know to pick from your stack of sweaters. If it’s super hot, start looking through your summer dresses. If it’s raining, make sure you stay away from white clothing.
2. What’s on the agenda?
This might be another no-brainer, but again, it’s helpful in narrowing your options. Are you running errands all day? Then pick a comfortable pair of shoes. If you have an important meeting? Put on your best pair of heels. I have a whole WHAT TO WEAR guide that you can filter by occasion and season!
3. Start with one piece
Now that you’ve looked at the weather, and your schedule for the day, you can pick a starting piece…like the sweater, or the comfy pair of shoes. Pull that piece out (it can be anything — shoes, dress, jeans, skirt, t-shirt…anything), and build your outfit from there. Don’t try to put the whole outfit together right at the beginning! If you want to build an outfit around 1 piece – look at my HOW TO STYLE IT guide!
4. Try it on
An outfit that looks cute on the hanger is not always an outfit that looks cute on your body. So as you’re choosing pieces to go with that starter piece, try them on and start asking questions.
- “Would these comfy shoes look better with joggers? Or jeans?”
- “Are these jeans too long for these ankle boots? Let’s try cuffing them. Or switch them for a cropped pair.”
- “Does this sweater look better with dark wash or light wash jeans?”
I rarely put together a good outfit on the first try. I go through a few different options of jeans, shoes, jackets, etc before I land on the perfect outfit. Give yourself a few extra minutes in the morning to do this, or try on your outfit at night.
5. Add a Completer Piece
All good outfits have a completer piece. During the colder months, here are some good examples of completer pieces.
- Jacket
- Coat
- Cardigan
- Blazer
- Scarf
COMPLETER PIECES THAT AREN’T LAYERS
- Statement earrings. They’re a great way to draw attention up to your face and add some fun to a simple outfit.
- Belt. During the summer, when you don’t want layers, a belt is a great way to add interest to your outfit and define your waist.
- Headbands or hair accessories. Clips, bows, headbands, and hair scarves are all really popular right now and can take your outfit to the next level.
- Statement shoes. I have a pair of leopard print sneakers that instantly completes a simple outfit. But statement shoes can also be fun studded sandals, or a pair of heels in a bold color.
- Hat. Felt hats, straw hats, and baseball caps are all fun hats that add personality to your outfit and complete it.
I’ve shared a ton of posts about accessories on Merrick’s Art. Here are a few to help you get started.
- A Step by Step guide to Adding Accessories to your Outfit
- 2 no-fail formulas for adding accessories to your outfit
Color, pattern, texture, and shine – the four things that take an outfit from good to great – and yours always seem to have all foUr! Love the “get Dressed with merrick” posts – Keep them coming!
You know your WHAT NOT TO WEAR! 😉 One of my favorite tips of all time.
Over time, hairstyles and ways to care for a person’s hair have changed, but the interest in decorating one’s head with beautiful hairstyles and hair care has remained throughout the centuries. Let’s take a look at how people took care of their hairstyles in ancient times. VISIT