Are you struggling to understand how to put together an outfit that feels FINISHED? Today I’m going to show you four outfits and how to take them beyond the basic pieces and turn them into great outfits!

Here’s how to put together an outfit

I hear from lots of you that you struggle to know how to put together an outfit.

You can put a pair of pants on and add a top, or toss on a dress…but how do you make the outfit feel complete?

Today I’m going to show you four outfits and show you a step by step progression to put these outfits together.

I’m going to show you with a dress, a skirt, a pair of pants, and some jeans.

HAT | STRIPED T-SHIRT | TURTLENECK | JEANS | SIMILAR SNEAKERS | EARRINGS

Step by step outfit #1 – layering a striped tee.

Since we’re heading into fall, here’s a super casual fall outfit you can try copying or using as inspiration.

You might stop at a pair of jeans and a long sleeve tee, but play around with layers over those long sleeve tops. Try it with a pullover sweater, a cardigan buttoned up, a sweatshirt, or another top you love.

How I styled it: You’ll see that I’ve added some fun sneakers and a baseball cap, and that helps to keep the outfit casual.

Other outfit ideas: You could pause at step three and add ankle boots and some nice earrings. Or wear darker wash jeans and add heels and a peacoat. Or try a pair of flats and a fedora hat.

The options and ideas are limitless — fashion is supposed to be fun, so have fun with your outfits!

DENIM JACKET | T-SHIRT | PANTS | SHOES | SUNGLASSES | BAG

Step by step outfit #2 – statement pants

This is an outfit I put together this summer (and skipped the jacket when I wore it in real life cause I live in Texas…)

Statement pants can be scary cause they’re so bold, so you might throw on a basic tee and call it a day. But don’t stop there!

You don’t want to compete with the pants and make a wild outfit, but some simple accessories make a big difference in helping the outfit feel polished and put together, despite the loud pants. Make them feel PURPOSEFUL!

How I styled it: All of my accessories are subtle but a little bit bold and fun too. Colorful statement bracelets, a pair of studded sandals, and some cool sunglasses. I chose a denim jacket since that’s neutral but structured against the less structured pants.

Other outfit ideas: You could absolutely do low cut, neutral sneakers here. Or you could do some neutral wedges if you want to dress up this outfit a bit! You could also try a colored top, like navy blue, olive green, dark rust, gray, or black!

DRESS | SIMILAR SNEAKERS | HAT | BAG | EARRINGS

Step by step outfit #3: T-shirt dress

A t-shirt dress is super basic, and you might be tempted to keep the rest of your outfit as minimal as possible.

But something so basic needs a little something extra to make it feel polished and finished!

How I styled it: I wore this dress with low cut embellished white sneakers for a sporty kind of look. And to go along with the sporty feel, I added a baseball cap. To keep it feeling a bit sophisticated, I added gold earrings and a leather bag. Casual and easy, but still feels finished!

Other styling ideas: In the fall, this dress would look very cute with black or brown ankle boots, or even combat boots! You could also absolutely layer over this dress with a denim jacket, leather jacket, or another casual type of coat. You could even do a cardigan sweater that hits just slightly above the length of this dress.

Since the dress is so casual, I’d avoid wearing dressy shoes or layers with it. Keep it casual! I have a few other outfit ideas with it HERE.

DENIM JACKET | BODYSUIT | SIMILAR SKIRT | HEADBAND | LOAFERS | EARRINGS

Step by step outfit #4 – Bodysuit and skirt

Have I convinced you to buy a bodysuit yet? They’re just the best for wearing with skirts to avoid bulk or bunching!

This outfit is simple and easy to wear for work or teaching or for dressing up mom life a bit. You might quit with the skirt and tee, but there are a few other steps that make it feel finished and polished, and they take two extra seconds to put on!

How I styled it: I dressed it up a bit with some loafer flats and an embellished headband, and then finished the outfit with a denim jacket layer.

Other styling ideas: If you want to keep it casual, try a pair of low cut sneakers or some leather sandals with this skirt and bodysuit outfit. You could also try other cropped jackets, or even a blazer if you wanted to dress it up a bit more. A pair of wedges or block heeled sandals would be other great summer shoes if you wanted something a bit more dressy.

Learning how to put together an outfit is easier than you think!

I hope this helps you put together outfits that are just a step or two beyond your regular basics.

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS:

• Step by step putting together two fall outfits

• Accessorizing three outfits without any layers

• Step by step putting together outfits with skirts

• Step by step putting together winter outfits