How to Establish an Elegant and Classy Style

Hey everyone! I am very excited to share today’s blog post because it relates to something that I am currently trying to do. If you read my 2022 Goals and Resolutions post, you would know that I am currently trying to elevate my style and build a classy, elegant, and feminine wardrobe. I know my style, and I want to express it with confidence, so I am changing things up a bit. If you have found yourself in the same boat, or you really feel like you need a change in relation to fashion, this post is for you! Today I will be sharing some tips on how to build a classy and elegant wardrobe.

Give away or sell what you no longer wear

I have always loved shopping, but I’ve discovered something about myself recently: I get rid of clothes SO often. I do this so much that I end up filling large garbage bags of clothes to giveaway. I am not proud of it, but I am working on it now! This will be your first step to building a classic wardrobe. Take some time to sit down and go through your entire wardrobe (including shoes and accessories). I like to stay organized with these things, so I fold the clothing into piles. Long sleeved tops, short sleeved tops, tank tops, jeans, shorts etc. all go in their own piles. Giveaway items will obviously be put in a separate pile. Once you’ve decided what you’d like to keep and what you’d like to get rid of, you can start to put things back in your closet. I like to hang items in categories, so once again, long sleeved tops will all go together, and so on.

Find your favorite places to shop

My favorite clothing stores have definitely changed over the years. I’ve recently discovered my go-to shops. A few of my favorites are: ASOS, H&M, Old Navy, Target, and Kohls. I find myself shopping at these places most often. Of course, this will depend on your budget as well as what you have access to. Not everyone has a ton of money to spend on clothing, so if this is you, maybe stick to less expensive stores, or even try thrifting! If you do have a bit more money to spend, you will have a larger scale of options, so choose your favorite places! A great tip that I’ve learned is to spend a bit more money on quality pieces that you’ll wear frequently, and less money on trendy pieces. Remember that you do not have to have a lot of money to be stylish. Most importantly, you need to be confident in yourself and in your fashion choices. When you are confident in your style, no one will question it.

Back to basics

Some may call it boring, but when creating a new wardrobe from scratch, you’ll want to focus on purchasing basic pieces first. This means buying some nice turtlenecks, button down tops, t-shirts, jeans, classic trousers, etc. Basically, you want to focus on items that will never go out of style. This is not the time to go and buy all of the trendy and new pieces (I’ll get to that in a moment). This is best because you will easily be able to style many of these pieces in multiple ways. I used to say that I did not like outfit repeating (and social media made this even more of a struggle for me). I almost felt like once I got a photo in a certain outfit, I didn’t care to wear it again. With classic pieces, you will have a variety of ways to wear them, so it won’t really feel like outfit repeating. Plus, if you find a great outfit that makes you feel super confident, why not wear it again and again?!

Steer clear of trends (unless you are VERY into them)

Trends will always come and go all to quickly. While they can be fun to take part in, they shouldn’t be what you base your wardrobe on. For example, let’s say you fall in love with statement cut outs. Maybe you’ll buy a dress or two with cut outs, a couple tops with the same theme, and the trend continues. When the trend starts to die and no one is really wear statement cut outs anymore, you will find that you have nothing else to wear. So you’ll move on to the next trend. I understand the excitement of buying trendy pieces (I still do it from time to time as well), but I would recommend taking part in trends once in a while. If you are the kind of person who truly has a passion for fashion trends and you really enjoy keeping up with them, please continue to do you! This advice is best for those wanting to build a timeless and classic wardrobe. To do this, my best tip is to stick to neutrals. Once again, you will be able to create many different looks this way. Plus, neutral outfits will always look very chic and put together. Focusing on blacks, nudes, whites, tans, taupes, grays etc. will make getting dressed in the morning super easy and effortless! When all else fails, go for a monochromatic look!

Stick to a color palette

I know I mentioned that neutrals are the way to go, but that doesn’t mean you can’t wear colors once in a while! I would say that my favorite color combination is black, white, and pink. I would recommend wearing mostly neutrals, but if you love the color green and you want to incorporate it into your looks, there is a stylish way to do it! For example, if green is your go-to, try an emerald green top with some black pants and a black blazer. You can even match your accessories to your top. This way, your outfit is mostly neutral, but you still get to enjoy wearing your favorite color. Let’s say your favorite color is pink, like mine. You can easily throw on a white top with some nude bottoms and a light pink coat. This look will be very soft and feminine, and choosing a light pink over a hot pink will complete the look perfectly. It is not really easy to stick to a specific color palette, so if you enjoy wearing colorful outfits, this tip may not work out for you, and that is ok!

Keep jewelry minimal

I love the way that jewelry can elevate an outfit. You could be wearing a basic t-shirt and jeans and adding a nice necklace and some beautiful earrings can automatically change up the look! I would recommend sticking to one kind of metal, such as gold, rather than mixing and matching. You can never go wrong with a simple and dainty gold chain necklace and some tiny ear huggies. of course, a string of pearls will always add some class to your look as well. Always remember that less is more (in most areas of life). A gorgeous watch is a staple for me now, and my fiancé just got me the most amazing watch for Christmas! The can really add to any outfit and bring it all together. Big and chunky jewelry may be fun and trendy to wear once in a while, but it is best to stick to minimal jewelry for an all around elegant and classy look.

There truly are no rules to fashion, and you should wear whatever makes you feel happy and confident. If you are anything like me, a classic wardrobe is what you are hoping to achieve, so I hope you found today’s blog post helpful and inspiring. I will be writing more on this topic so be on the lookout for part 2! Thank you for reading!

Valentine’s Day Outfit Ideas

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and if you’re anything like me, you have probably had your outfit picked out weeks ago. If you have no idea what to wear, fear not! Today, I am going to be sharing four different outfit ideas for Valentine’s Day! Whether you are going on a date or heading off to class, one of these outfits should spark some V-Day inspiration!

Outfit #1:

Let’s start off with something fun. If you’re heading out for a date or a girls night, this outfit is for you! You can never go wrong with a little black dress. If you are a bit more bold and you prefer to wear more color, a red or pink dress would be beautiful as well! I chose black because I typically prefer more neutral colors, plus I get to have a bit of fun with my makeup and accessories this way! With this black dress, I thought that a simple pair of black block heels looked gorgeous. Lastly, I paired this outfit with a sequined clutch. (If I were going to wear this outfit, I would most likely do a natural eye look and a bold pink lip!)

Outfit #2:

This outfit is for those of you who may be working or going to a business casual event on V-Day. I absolutely love this outfit! I would wear this any day! For this look, I paired some black ankle pants with a long sleeved pink turtle neck. I have such a love for blazers, and I feel that blazers can instantly transform a look and give the outfit more of a professional vibe. I love the pattern of this blazer, and I think that it makes the outfit a bit more unique and stylish. For the shoes, I went with these black pointed toe ankle boots. These have been one of my latest obsessions, and I always find myself reaching for them.

Outfit #3:

This next outfit is for those of you who aren’t very girly or those of you who prefer a more casual look. For this outfit, I wanted to go for something simple. I paired a pink v-neck tee with a pair of dark high waisted jeans. I love white shoes, and I think that my white Stan Smith’s looked best with this outfit. I really like this look because it is very simple, yet by wearing pink you will still feel like you’re in the Valentine’s Day spirit! If pink is not your color, you could wear red or even purple! You could also throw on a neutral colored cardigan (such as black or gray) for a cozier feel.

Outfit #4:

This last outfit is most likely what I will be wearing (or at least something very similar). I love dressing up, but since I have no Valentine’s Day plans, I will most likely be going to class, going to work, and then spending the rest of my day at home. My style tends to change day to day, but for the most part, I love feminine or vintage-inspired pieces. For this look, I took this cropped white top with pink roses on it and put it over a black tank for layering. I am so obsessed with the bell sleeves on this top! I paired this piece with ripped high waisted jeans and simple black flats.

I hope that this post was helpful to you and that it gave you some Valentine’s Day inspiration! I had a lot of fun creating these 4 very different looks for you all. It’s funny, I feel like all of these outfits are very much my style. I would wear every single one (depending on the occasion of course)!

Thank you so much for reading!