Moderation vs. Extravagance: How to Put Together a Flawless Outfit?
Putting together an incredible outfit requires lots of choices: creating a strong foundation with the garments you choose, pulling it together with a strong shoe, adding a fashionable bag, and layering the right outerwear, accessories, and jewelry to give it that final finishing touch.
While it can be tempting to wear your most high-impact pieces together in one look and call it a day, that isn’t always the most fashion-forward way to think about getting dressed. What do celebrity stylists, influencers, and fashionistas know about getting dressed that the rest of us tend to overlook? Balance is the key to any great outfit.
Here’s how you can work your best pieces together with simple closet staples for a flawless head-to-toe ensemble.
Consider Your Silhouette
A great outfit always takes the proportions of your clothes into account. As you get dressed, think about the silhouette you are going for.
Do you want to look sleek and classic? Slimmer proportions are your best bet here — think tailored blazers, slim-cut jeans or pants, and form-fitting dresses.
Do you like feeling a little more playful and appreciate volume? Find one way to bring volume into your look. Dramatically flared jeans, bell sleeves, or puff sleeves add lots of visual interest, but be sure to balance them with more toned-down items. If you’re going for a big skirt or flared jeans, wear them with a simple tee.
Like high-impact sleeves? Keep it simple with your skirt or pants and other accessories so that your statement garment can be the focal point of your style.
Wear Varying Textures
Balancing an outfit between moderation and extravagance requires you to think about the materials you plan to wear.
For example, if you are wearing a simple wool sweater, you have a little room to play with more high-impact pieces in terms of texture. You might wear that sweater with a silk skirt to elevate it to an eye-catching color for a romantic date night look or rock it with a pleated shirt to add interesting visual details.
Women’s faux leather can be a great way to incorporate an edgier, luxe-looking material into your outfit for less of an investment than traditional leather. Pair leather leggings or a faux leather skirt with a more understated top for a cool style that can go anywhere. All of these materials will look chic together without feeling over the top.
Mix High and Low Accessories
Accessories are a great way to create high-impact outfits with minimal effort and investment — and no outfit is complete without them! One way to balance moderation and extravagance in your outfit is to vary your accessories.
If you tend to opt for pretty and feminine jewelry in materials like gold, silver, gemstones, and diamonds, you can add a lab-grown diamond necklace to your look that conveys the luxe sensibility of those materials.
Layering your jewelry is also a great way to show off your personal style and allows you to mix heirloom pieces with everyday items. Think pearl bracelets paired with an on-trend metal cuff, or an eye-catching pendant necklace worn with a classic locket. Mixing and matching more expensive pieces with trendier items can help show off your unique personal style.
Invest in Classic Shoes
If you like to experiment with trends in your outfit, it can be worthwhile to invest in classic shoes that will help you balance the more extravagant garments in your closet. A simple but timeless shoe wardrobe will ensure you always have something to wear with your trendier pieces that won’t feel too distracting or go over the top.
What kinds of shoes should you invest in? A good simple black high heel, a heeled ankle boot, comfortable ballet flats, and a knee-high boot will always be in fashion and are considered essentials that will ground your more adventurous fashions.
Look for quality construction and materials like leather, patent leather, and suede to ensure they stand the test of time.
Add Unexpected Details
True fashionistas know that personal style comes down to the details. So don’t skip over the little things that will make every outfit feel special, even if that means treating yourself to one high-quality piece that feels a little splurge-y.
A silk scarf around your neck adds a sense of timelessness and a chic pop of color. A good belt, maybe even something one-of-a-kind from a vintage shop, can become the unexpected centerpiece for an outfit. Or something subtle yet pretty like diamond ear cuffs will show off your keen attention to detail and add just the right dose of shimmer and luxe sparkle to both day and night looks.
Strategize Your Handbags
Like investing in good staple shoes, opting for a few luxe handbags in classic materials and shapes will offer that elusive balance between understated and extravagant.
If you love a certain designer, it could be worth saving up for an iconic bag from your favorite label — especially if it is a shape and size you can carry every day. If you favor flashier purse designs, make sure to tone down the rest of your outfit and let the bag do all the talking — a great beaded, sequined, or embroidered bag easily becomes the centerpiece of any look.
Vary Your Staples with the Seasons
Getting dressed for the seasons requires a few tweaks to your outfit approach to maintain that
balance between your more luxurious pieces and everyday staples. Your accessories can often be worn throughout the year, while you’ll need to update your winter wardrobe basics and refresh those summer sandals as the weather shifts.
For winter, garments made from sumptuous fabrics like velvets, cashmere, and boucle will feel seasonally appropriate and help elevate jeans and long-sleeved tees into great outfits. In the summertime, you might want to splurge on materials like linen and patterns like florals or embroidered items that will make your favorite jean shorts and airy skirts shine.
Strike the Right Balance
Finding the right balance between moderation and extravagance is key to putting together a flawless outfit. Mix and match simple, quality pieces with standout items to create a sophisticated and stylish look.
