No Money and Nothing to Wear:
Tips for revitalizing the outfits in your closet
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We set up artificial boundaries for our clothes--work clothes, play clothes, dress clothes. Allow them to stray back and forth, & you'll find you have twice as many outfits.
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Wear a summer skirt year round Garnet Hill outfit
Your summer skirts can actually be worn almost year round. Just pair them with sweaters, much like the Garnet Hill outfit pictured here (add tights if needed). Loverly mix of heavy & light, puts more of your wardrobe into action throughout more of the year.
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Wear a yoga top as a top
Athleta yoga top, $19.99
Try wearing your athletic wear or yoga top as a daily top. Throw on a cardigan.
Look for the silver lining
Look at the lining of your jacket, skirt, or pants to find a new print or color combination to match with an old top.
Athleta Vintage Ridge mini skirt, $29
Banana Republic top matching liner of dark blue Victoria's Secret pants. Piperlime snakeskin belt.
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Old J. Crew shirt
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"I love bringing clothing items out of retirement and back into circulation. I have an old old dress I took out and belted today--received complement from my hubby and a young bookstore clerk--think the update was all in the belt." |
Also try replacing the tie on your wrap sweater with a belt tied in this casual loop. Looks a little more put together, gets rid of the bathrobe feel of a long wrap.
Image and outfit from Boden--textured wrap cardigan and classic belt
Try belting a dress while you're at it--instant update. A couple dresses updated with a belt here: http://www.openmindfashion.com/1/post/2013/01/my-new-best-friend.html |
Give up
J. Crew tissue ruffle v-neck tee, $9.99--sold out
If you've been struggling for more than a couple months to wear a specific item, try changing its role.
--Pair a casual shirt with dress pants for work or a dressy shirt with jeans for play.
--Try wearing a failed shirt as a base layer instead of the main act.
--Demote a top that doesn't feel right at work to loungewear.
It'll give the item new life and may even help you figure out how to pair it for its original purpose.
Here are a couple of my examples:
1. I have a fairly fancy sheer wrap that I just demoted to everyday use. I had to dig it out of a suit bag where it waited next to a special occasion dress. Feels great to wear it at last!
2. I have a cross-front top that always felt a little too low cut, didn't feel right even with a cami. I switched it to a base layer, threw on a cardigan, and now I wear it all the time.
--Pair a casual shirt with dress pants for work or a dressy shirt with jeans for play.
--Try wearing a failed shirt as a base layer instead of the main act.
--Demote a top that doesn't feel right at work to loungewear.
It'll give the item new life and may even help you figure out how to pair it for its original purpose.
Here are a couple of my examples:
1. I have a fairly fancy sheer wrap that I just demoted to everyday use. I had to dig it out of a suit bag where it waited next to a special occasion dress. Feels great to wear it at last!
2. I have a cross-front top that always felt a little too low cut, didn't feel right even with a cami. I switched it to a base layer, threw on a cardigan, and now I wear it all the time.
Turn it around
The same top or dress that won't work might work out just fine if you turn it back-to-front (and cut off the tag).
My latest favorite: turn your cardigans around and button them down the back like this...
My latest favorite: turn your cardigans around and button them down the back like this...
This is a cardigan made to button down the back: Boden Button Back Jumper, $44-$78.40
Repurpose your necklaces into bracelets and your bracelets into necklaces Anthropologie necklace
Here's a look that will bring new life to your old jewelry. Wear one of your long necklaces as a bracelet.
Layer more than one necklace for even more bling. |
 Garnet Hill embellished tie bracelet, $54, worn as a necklace
Some wrap bracelets also make excellent necklaces!
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Tie the knot
Tie a knot in your old necklaces, ribbons, and leather cords to create a new look.
More examples here.
More examples here.
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Every dress you own is also a skirt if you can just figure out how to style it.
A few more ways to top a dress here:
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Layer color
Try layering different shades of the same color.
1. Start with colored tights or hose.
2. Add a skirt of about the same color.
3. Add a top of a lighter shade of the same color.
4. Add a scarf or jacket in a similar shade.
1. Start with colored tights or hose.
2. Add a skirt of about the same color.
3. Add a top of a lighter shade of the same color.
4. Add a scarf or jacket in a similar shade.
J. Crew Waverly chino
J. Crew Factory outfit
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Chadwicks opaque tight, $6.99
Image from Talbots
J. Crew outfit
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Layer layer layerI love this interview with Vera Wang in USA Weekend on how to layer your clothes http://www.usaweekend.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012302030006 .
Layer necklaces too--each one takes a supporting role and becomes less of the lead character. 
Satya Thrive Necklace
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“Layering adds a certain nonchalance. Each element looks better, richer and more interesting when it’s put with something else, so clothes don’t look so serious.” --Vera Wang Throw a t-shirt on under a tunic, and suddenly the tunic looks natural and less dramatic. 
Boden relaxed knit tunic, $39.20-$49, over a stripey tee
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