When we think of luxurious outfits, we picture designer shoes, clothes and accessories. We imagine that for our day-to-day wear to be considered luxury, they have to be über expensive and sporting alarming price tags. It’s a normal thought process to have, but it is key to note that having a high budget and money to splurge freely does not necessarily amount to being fashionable, which is the end game for doing so.
It can be rather tempting to opt for splurging on designer wears, especially as it is a quick fix to looking luxurious, but shopping at a high price tag isn’t the only way to look expensive.
There are a lot of tricks to upgrade your outfits, and some of the tricks involve you purchasing and then curating your own wardrobe.
It is also important to remember that exuding luxury (via your outfit) lies in the styling and tiny details. Don’t believe me? Towards the end of 2023, a TikTok trend where creators demonstrated how wearing your outfits versus styling them makes all the difference emerged. The hashtag itself: #wearingvsstyling has currently amassed about 15.7k posts.
With no further delays, here are some tips to making my affordable wardrobe look more expensive:
Declutter Your Closet:
The first thing to do while decluttering your closet is to look out for the clothing items that you haven’t worn in a while and give them out or dump them if not wearable. Closets are notoriously known for being full of things you don’t wear so go through your wardrobe and discard items that are worn, don’t fit, and don’t work for your lifestyle or personal style anymore. Only then can the MVPs of your wardrobe can start to shine through.
Pick Your Fabrics Wisely:
I’ll suggest you go for silks, cashmere, linen, wool, fur and leather. These type of fabrics tend to exude sophistication and class if you wear them right. You can build up your fabric collection by keeping an eye out when you go shopping.
Neutral Colours are Your Best Bet:
See, neutrals are a failsafe if you want a sophisticated outfit. These neutrals include: white, ivory, beige, camel, navy, shades of gray, brown, black. I don’t know what it is about neutral colors but it always ends up feeling clean, fresh and rich as well as classy.
Accessories Should Make a Statement:
It could be a big pair of earrings, layered necklaces, stacked rings etc. Accessories are the last touch for an impressive outfit not to talk more of a luxurious one. If you have no idea where to start from, play it safe and go for a monotone silver or gold accessory.
Care For Your Clothes:
Fun fact: ironing, steaming and pressing your clothes will help your ensemble look so much more polished. It doesn’t matter if the shirt you’re putting on is expensive and has a designer logo if it creased and all wrinkly. It would even serve to bring down the worth of the outfit.
Try Thrifting:
Thrifting is very underrated and maybe this is because of the bad rep it has. However, this is a tried-and-trusted way of looking fashionable without breaking the bank. If you’ve never thrifted before, you’ll be amazed at the quality and types of clothing items you’ll see in the ‘bend-down-select’ boutique near you. Once you know how to style your pieces excellently, you’re good to go.