Dresses are probably the most fuss free and easy to wear clothing item. You don’t have to worry about putting a whole outfit (with multiple layers and pieces) together, just throw on a dress and head out. But, while doing this, a lot of people downplay dress’ potential as a versatile piece of clothing. Here are some tips to help you style your dresses better.
Layered over a vest
Who says dresses can’t be worn when it’s cold? In fact, if you add a few other layers and accessories to your summer dress, you could come up with the most stylish cold weather outfit. Wear a turtleneck, a t-shirt or a shirt underneath your dress to make it more cold weather appropriate. You could opt for longer dresses and even add a pair of stockings.
If your dress is patterned, try to match the color of whatever you’re wearing underneath the dress (turtleneck, t-shirt or shirt) with one of the colors from your dress. If your dress is plain, wear something that is either in a contrasting shade or a neutral shade underneath.
Also, you don’t even have to wait for colder weather to try out this outfit combo. Pair a light t-shirt with your summer dress and you’re done. Doing this instantly makes your look a little more casual. Also, on days when you don’t want to swap your comfortable bra for a fancier (and a little uncomfortable) one but don’t want the strap to show, this outfit combination will come to your rescue.
Belt it out
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Wearing a dress as it is – especially when it’s new – will work for the first few times. But after a couple of wears, that can get boring and repetitive. Then you could add some cute and interesting accessories. Start with a belt. A lot of people don’t like adding a belt to their dresses because they think it’ll make the outfit look too structured. But wrapping a belt around your waist will give your dress a new look.
If you don’t have a belt that fits you, take out the long strap from one of your handbags and shorten in to fit you. You can also get a thin and narrow (but long) scarf and wrap it around your waist over the dress. Knot the two ends of the scarf right above your belly button and leave it be. You can get creative while choosing your scarf. Don’t just stick to plain ones or ones in matching shades.
Pairing dresses with shoes
If you think dresses only go well with ballet flats, sandals or heels, you need to keep up with the times and changing trends in the fashion world. Instead of always picking up heels and ballet flats while wearing a dress, try styling them with other shoes. For a casual look, wear a pair of sneakers or trainers. If your dress is plain or in neutral colors, pick up a pair of shoes with patterns or in bright colors. If your dress is already colorful or patterned, stick to neutral colored shoes.
If you’re headed out to a party or a fancier place, wear a pair of boots with your dress. A pair of ankle boots with medium heels is the best option for this look as the combo is stylish. You can also wear thigh high boots for a more sophisticated and chic look. If you want an edgier route, put on a pair of combat boots. These days, combat boots are available in all colors so even if you don’t want to stick to the basic black combat boots, you can easily find something to suit your tastes.
Other ways to style your dress
You could flip the wearing a vest under your dress rule and instead layer a vest over your dress. You could also adjust this look in a way that your vest covers the top half the dress completely and the lower part of your dress actually looks like a skirt. On a similar note, you could also wear a skirt or a pair of trousers above your dress to make the upper part of your dress look like a top. Remember to tuck the skirt of your dress into the bottom properly so that your pants don’t look lumpy around your thighs after they’re buttoned up.
If you’re running out of new dresses to wear, try styling an oversized t-shirt, shirt or hoodie as a dress. Although you could definitely just wear that oversized top on its own, belting it on your waist will make your outfit look more put together. Opt for a pair of knee high socks in a matching color, put on your favorite sneakers and you are aptly styled for the day.
