6 Affordable Ways to Elevate Your Favorite Outfits

Some people think looking “classy” entails buying expensive clothes and carrying out a complete overhaul of their wardrobes. Fortunately, these ideas couldn’t be farther from the truth. Although it will certainly require some effort to take your favorite outfits to the next level, you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money in order to pull it off.

With just a bit of creativity and some knowledge of fashion basics, you can make even the plainest T-shirts look more premium than they really are. Here are some tips to make yourself look like a million bucks without breaking the bank:

Buy High-Quality Fashion Staples

To create expensive-looking ensembles with ease, you’ll need to have some fashion staples in your closet first. If you don’t already have them yet, you should start investing in them as soon as possible. Staples, in this context, refers to “classic” fashion pieces that will never go out of style. Having these kinds of clothes on hand, then, will provide you with a foundation around which you can create multiple looks. Some of these fashion staples include:

• A white T-shirt
• A neutral-colored button-up shirt
• A structured blazer or jacket
• A cardigan
• A wool coat
• A pair of dark pants
• A pair of blue jeans
• A pair of dress shoes
• An all-occasion bag or purse

For women, another closet staple is the LBD or the little black dress that you can dress up or down for any occasion. You should also buy tights that you can pair with skirts, oversized sweaters, and a variety of footwear.

Do note that high-quality pieces cost more money upfront. However, these will last you for years and thus result in more long-term savings. In addition, you don’t need to buy all these fashion essentials at the same time. You can start with one or two items and then slowly build your capsule wardrobe over time. For example, you can shop leggings in one color first, then get another pair of leggings in a different color after a few weeks. This will give your wallet some room to breathe.

Go Neutral and Monochrome

Bold, bright colors are fun, but neutrals are often the key to classy outfits. In addition, neutral colors like black, white, gray, brown, navy blue, and taupe are more versatile. This simply means you can get more mileage out of your fashion staples, which means more outfit options and more bang for your buck. 

You can also try going for a monochromatic color scheme to look more polished. To prevent your outfit from looking too flat, incorporate pieces that come in different fabric textures. Another way to add some depth to a monochromatic outfit is to wear clothing that features subtle patterns like pinstripes, pin dots, and herringbone. You can then add an accessory in an accent color to finish off your desired look. Think of pairing a red purse with a black-on-black outfit, for example.

Hire a Tailor

One of the primary reasons celebrities look good in practically any outfit is that everything is tailor-made for them. So, if you want to look like a million bucks, you need to ensure that your clothes fit you well. For this, you can work with a tailor to make alterations. Even a small nip to the waist of a T-shirt can make it look so much more flattering on your body.

Similar to buying high-quality clothing, though, tailoring your clothes to fit the way exactly how you want them to will cost you a significant amount of money. That said, doing so will be more than worth it, as having clothes that fit you just right can help you feel happier and more confident whenever you wear them. In that sense, consider having your clothes tailored as a long-term investment not only for your capsule wardrobe, but also for your mental and emotional health.

If you have a limited budget to work with, you don’t have to get everything in your wardrobe tailored at the same time. Instead, you can always start with having a bigger piece tailored first, like a coat or a pair of jeans. Then, you can save up and work on having your other clothes altered over a longer period.

Know What Flatters Your Figure

Speaking of a good fit, it’s important to know the cuts and styles of clothes that look the best on you based on your body type. For example, if you have an hourglass figure (a defined waist with a roughly even bust and hips), you’re going to look better with form-fitting tops and high-waisted bottoms. Meanwhile, if you have a pear-shaped body, tops with statement sleeves can bring more definition to your shoulders. As for what bottoms to wear, boot-cut or classic fit bottoms are great for balancing your figure.

Choose Simple Jewelry

When adding jewelry to your outfit to make it look classier, less is definitely more. If you want to wear earrings, for example, go with studs or small hoops instead of flashy, super dangly ones. For a necklace, a choker or a princess-length one can make you look dainty and polished. If you want to layer necklaces, look for thinner chains. Finally, for wrist accessories, you can never go wrong with a watch.

As for the color of your accessories, gold and silver are fool-proof choices. Any other color is likely to look too costumey or cheap unless you know what you’re doing.

Buy Used Luxury Items

Last but certainly not least, for luxury or designer pieces, you can look for used items for sale from online or specialty stores. If you get lucky, you can enjoy discounts of up to 50 percent or more per item. The key is to look for the above-mentioned classics, like an LBD, a coat, or a bag. This way, if you decide that you don’t want certain items anymore, you can still resell them and recoup some of your costs.

In terms of what one considers classy or beautiful, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. However, it’s also true that the way you look can influence a lot of aspects of your life, such as your confidence. With these tips, you can level up your capsule wardrobe without spending too much on doing so.