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In this blog post, I’m going to share the top 12 easy steps to elevate your style, which will guide you in the right direction to step up your fashion game. Fashion, unlike people, is very flexible. Often, even luxury brands sell anti-trends. Do not trust stores because they focus on sales and customer requests. Watch fashion shows, read blogs and follow celebrities. These tips will help you to get an idea of what is currently trending. And, you can always find styles that are trendy, relevant and complementary to your body shape. However, you don’t need to continue wearing over and over again trends and styles from decades ago that you think still suit you. Try to get rid of some of your “old favorites”, old trends and clothes that you no longer fit into, especially if they are in bad condition.
Fast fashion is consisted of these main trends and it has a tendency to repeat every decade or so. Some wardrobe pieces never go out of style and turn into timeless classics, but some things, on the contrary, change at the speed of the light and jump from trends that are fashionable to unfashionable.
Surely, in every closet there is at least one piece that belongs to the category of unfashionable. I will tell you what things are better to leave until better times – and I will provide you visual alternatives as the solution. Remember that forgotten trends often come back.
Therefore, today we will talk about 12 easy steps to elevate your style following these easy tips. You will be able to see what you, urgently, need to throw out of your wardrobe and what you might be doing wrong! Scroll down to learn these styling tips!
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12 Easy Steps To Elevate Your Style
1. Ripped jeans with decor
Jeans with rips and massive holes are beginning to be considered part of the anti- trends (trends that are not in style anymore) and do not say chic. Bare knees look especially ridiculous in the middle of the winter. These are some designs that also belong to anti-trends: patched decor, embroidery, appliqués.
Alternative: Simple, straight-cut jeans are now in trend such as- mom jeans, boyfriends, bananas. They allow you to create many comfortable casual looks, which will easily elevate your style.They look great with pullovers, sweatshirts and jumpers tucked in or not tucked in. Pair with any shoes of a neutral color.
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2. Spaghetti strap tank tops
Tank tops are essential when it comes to the wardrobe. Its a very versatile piece because of how basic it is and the outfits variations are limitless. But, they are also a bit outdated, there are so many other options that will make a huge difference.
Alternative: If you want to elevate your look, try to swap out your basic stretchy tank top to a more luxury but basic like the satin/ silky cami. They are made of luxe material and add more “chic” to your look.
3. Rockstud pumps
Personally, I think that these heels are very pretty and I don’t want to offend anyone with this list. I’m talking about the rock-stud sling-back pumps in the style of the legendary “Valentino” design pumps. Although, everything has its own time and this design was very prominent at one point and they were at the highest peak in like 2015, I believe, but now it’s time to swap them for something more minimalistic and simple in design. However, if you already have them, from those times, please keep them because fashion cycle is repetitive.
Alternative: Most simple way to elevate your look is to put on a pair of pointed toe heels with stilettos, or mules/ sandals in the style of “Bottega Veneta”.
4. Velour sets
One of the 12 easy steps to elevate you style is to get rid of the velour sets! Velour sets from the “Juicy Couture” brand are definitely blacklisted. If you have them its best to leave them for home. Overall, I think nowadays there is just a huge variety of modern, chic and comfortable home loungewear that will instantly elevate your look.
Alternative: Knitted tracksuits can be an alternative, or just regular sweatshirts/ hoodies with joggers.
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5. Elastic lace
Many people still consider elastic lace to be a good decorative element, but in reality it looks a little tacky and outdated. Elastic lace makes your look appear cheaper than it actually is. For example, a sweater with lace, of this type, is an unfortunate combination.
Alternative: Lace should be cotton or silk, If you like the deets in the form of lace then it is better to wear a dress or a tank top made of lace entirely, and not the lace that is sewn to the sweater like an appliqué . A very trendy combination would be a slip dress with a sweater casually thrown on top.
6. Fitted blazers
Today, fashion streams towards minimalism, comfort and maximum freedom of movement. So, everything that is slim fitted is slowly and gradually fading into the past like the slim fitted blazers. This is a big “No, No” if you want to look more modern, elegant and feminine.
Alternative: Instead, try to go for straight, free cut, rough, masculine silhouettes and more oversized blazers. Or the complete opposite – cropped jackets. Such blazers will only emphasize your elegance and fragility. And this wardrobe piece will definitely become your favorite. On the other hand, If you want look casual yet chic just put on your favorite pair of jeans, a basic t-shirt and a loose fitted blazer of any color, literally, and your outfit will instantly look put together without looking like your were trying too hard to look dressy.
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7. Sweater dresses
Sweater dresses have been popular for quite a long time. And, they still have a chance to “live” in your wardrobe, except for those chunky knit short sweater dresses, especially if they have an ugly hoodie and stretched out pockets! Or, sweater dresses that came in a combo with a cheap looking belt.
Alternative: A good replacement would be a rib-knit dress with an interesting neck design or side slits. These are very trendy that look much more stylish. Go for relaxed, long, oversized and straight knitted models (or slightly flared). In addition, play it up with mules or sandals or chunky boots for colder weather, gold jewelry, and the baguette bag or a woven Jodie bag that is trending right now!
8. Boots with round toe and slim fitted
Boots are essential for the cold season, no argues here. For styling winter dresses, jeans and skirts, this is the most obvious choice amongst shoes. But, if you bought boots with the expectation of wearing them “forever”, and therefore decided on a model with a round toe, then you did a bad choice decision. Also, your boots shouldn’t be tight on your calf, because this will only emphasize your calf zone flaws. And, such boots will immediately indicate that you have no clue in style and this model will pull down your entire look!
Alternative: Replace your old boots with pointy toe boots, loose fitted, minimalistic, and neutral! Also, if you want to create an even more stylish look then go for boots with a wide calf area. These boots need to be loose on your leg, but not too big, because this is just a particular design model. Although, this design model might scare you at first, because they’re so wide and not your typical type of boots, but in reality it really creates a feminine look, you just need to have some balance here! Don’t wear wide boots with like palazzo pants if you have a pear body shape, because you don’t want to show your body flaws. These type of boots look really well with midi skirts and dresses, especially for Fall!!!
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9. “Princess” skirts
Another “old” trend is a so called “Princess” skirt or those tutu skirts, which all females fell in love with couple of seasons ago. They were all over fashion magazines from Vogue to other high-end designers and magazines. Tutu skirts are very interesting and look chic and flirty in a romantic style. But this type of skirt is not an element that can translate well to an every day look, and there are other ways to look chic and elevated.
Alternative: Wear simple midi skirts below knee length for a date look. Sport chic? Pair your favorite sneakers with a tennis skirt, they are way more attractive and will instantly elevate your look. And, if you want to hide your belly give preferences to dense materials with a matte texture. To accentuate the waist choose high- rise waist skirts and preferably below the knee length.
10. Shapeless cardigans
Another tip out of the 12 easy steps to elevate your style is to get rid of the slim fitted cardigans that are completely shapeless. Definitely not your option for fall and winter. It is difficult to find other pieces to style it with or even a body shape which will look effective in such a cardigan. And when it will become a trend again is unknown. Perhaps this is for the best. Because these outdated cardigans definitely don’t look stylish at all.
Alternative: Choose a cropped cardigan with small or large buttons for cold seasons and pair with dresses or in a combination with a silky skirt! Cardigans such as v-neck, puffy sleeves and loose, oversized fit are the main trends of the season. To sum up, these are the styles you should hunt for this season.
11. Platform sneakers
Nothing distorts your legs like sneakers with a massive platform. They not only visually shorten your legs, but also make them look thicker. Not to mention the fact that it is almost impossible to choose an outfit to go with this type of shoe model. You can easily replace platform sneakers with something more minimalistic, clean and simple. Unusual, rough and minimalistic shoes are trending, but platform sneakers are blacklisted.
Alternative: Loafers, mules or chelsea’s are a great and modern alternative. However, If you want to look taller go for sandals with a platform, they are very comfy and still look very elegant.
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12. Slim- fitted coats
Coats are an element of the outerwear, which means that they must sit freely to have enough space between the first layer and maybe the second layer and your coat layer. You must have space for sweaters, shackets and other things. Extremely slim-fitted coats are not relevant anymore, because you can not use them for layering. Today, the modern women fashion industry is moving towards more masculine, minimalistic and simple clothing designs.
Alternative: A modern coat has a straight cut with a more oversized fit, it looks simple, light and casual. Often, girls with wide hips choose a coat that fits well on the shoulders and in the chest, but on the hips it stretches and looks ugly especially from behind, folds are being formed. The optimal decision for a curvy feminine body shape is a robe coat, such a coat flows smoothly around the body shape and does not emphasize any body flaws.