How do you make basic outfits look more put together?

[OneOpalOwl]

I wear a lot of very basic (boring) outfits - t shirt and jeans, cardi and jeans, jumper and jeans. All usually with trainers.

The items themselves are nice and fit me well, but the outfits are just so plain. I’ve been a bit lost style wise over the last couple of years and while I’m never going to be the most fashionable person ever I’d still like to look and feel a bit more put together!

I’d love to know how people manage to make basic items like these look like an actual intentional outfit?! What is the secret because I can never seem to get it right!

I think accessories such as a belt, a nice piece of jewellery and then having your hair and makeup looking intentional.

Add a belt and coordinating shoes and bag. Wear jewellery and make up.
i have the same issue and am trying to build a collection of coloured trainers, and try not to buy plain tops and jumpers. The trouble is I don’t like a lot of them with patterns on!

Thank you! I have been looking for some dainty necklaces and hoop earrings to add a bit of something so perhaps i’ll do some ordering this evening.

Belts too - i saw a snake pattern one recently (maybe M&S!?) which I thought would be particularly good with black or navy and grey in the winter.

I might start doing my nails too actually 😉

In the winter I think having a great coat does carry a simple outfit but I live in NE Scotland so I have to go with practical black puffer 90% of the time.

I think accessories do the heavy lifting here. I'm just wearing a jumper, jeans and trainers today but I feel nice and put together and I think it's the extras. I always, always wear jewellery so I have hoop earrings in and a chain necklace on. My trainers are smart rather than my scruffy ones I wear for walks. I'm wearing a bit of makeup....not loads but mascara, blush and a tinted lip balm. My hair is clean and I've sprayed a bit of perfume when I got ready this morning.

They are simple little additions but I do think they make the difference between feeling like you intentionally chose your outfit rather than you just chucked on whatever was to hand.

Do you actually want to look more put together? Or might you perhaps want to look less bland, more stylish, with a bit more pizazz?

(I’ve spent time in the north of Scotland, in winter, and never owned a black puffer jacket …)

The trouble with t shirt, jeans, jumper is that there’s not a lot of variety in fabrics. Cotton top and jeans, presumably a wool jumper.

You need a shearling cap or a huge mohair scarf. A cropped suede bomber jacket. Red leather gauntlet gloves. Burgundy velvet trousers. As well as an ‘intentiona’l hairstyle, one visible element of make-up, jewellery, belts, attention drawing footwear …

I think it’s all in the details…

• make sure everything is clean/pressed
• accessories make a massive difference - don’t put too many on at once, but a good belt, or a scarf, an interesting belt etc go a long way
• shoes make a massive difference. In place of trainers, try a pointed boot or slingback - it immediately makes your outfit look more put together
• hair/make-up help
• texture is important in a simple outfit. Have some contrast in the mix - a soft silk shirt with jeans, for example, or a fluffy knit with faux leather trousers.
• try to have contrast in shapes too - some volume on either the top or bottom (straight leg jeans/larger sleeves, or wide leg trousers/fitted top

I'm rubbish putting outfits together so I tend to go for plain stuff, then lift with accessories.
Belt with a nice clasp, tuck a t-shirt in, wear nice shoes or jazzy trainers, a nice stylish jacket, earrings and makeup.
Hair I can never get right so I don't stress too much there.

It makes a huge difference, and doesn't take much thought.

I think a nice blazer often lifts a jeans/trainers/tshirt combo, with a pretty scarf or floppy fake flower on the lapel. An eye catching necklace works well too.

I’m not particularly stylish , and I don’t wear clothes well if that makes sense I’m only 5ft but I always have immaculate make up , gold medium hoop earings , gold necklace , good leather handbag .
nice draped scarf in winter and stylish coat.

many years ago I started a corporate job but could only afford two dresses, I bought one in black and one in grey and five scarves. Nobody ever noticed and often complimented me on my look . A client came into the office looking for me and couldn’t remember my name he asked for the Parisian looking lady , I was thrilled ! Small details can make a huge impact.

Thank you ☺️ I saw a lady with the most gorgeous oxblood Mulberry today and thought I do definitely need some new bags instead of Longchamp or pockets!! Thankfully I am in London this weekend and can do some real shopping. We have nothing here and I’m fed up of online!

Zara have some great value leather and suede bags at the moment. And you can get lucky sometimes in TK Maxx!

One other thought I should have included in my list - fabric matters a lot. If you can stick as far as possible to natural fibres (cotton, silk, leather, linen, wool) you will look a lot more polished, even if the shapes/colours are the same. You don’t have to spend a fortune, and there are lots of options out there (I’m a TK Maxx fan for this and have found some real gems). I no longer buy any knitwear that contains acrylic - it just looks terrible so quickly.

Make sure the basics you wear are good quality
Good grooming
Decent, expensive accessories eg jewellery, shoes

I think it’s mostly about the cut and silhouette of the pieces. Even very basic jeans and a T-shirt can look really elevated if the proportions work well together — good fit, a bit of contrast between fitted/looser pieces and nice quality fabrics. It’s often the silhouette that makes a simple outfit look polished, in my opinion.

I'm a big fan of scarves and have over 60-from silk squares to wool pashminas.

They can change an outfit and are perfect for matching to plain clothes. there are many, many ways to wear them and lots of online tutorials showing you how to do so.

I second those who say jewellery can also help with a plain outfit and I have a range from fine jewellery to junk jewellery. One piece can instantly make you look more chic, even if it just a watch.

It's not a popular view but I think plain single block colours need ironing and are worth the effort. I keep an iron and ironing board tucked away in my bedroom and, if I think a piece of clothing looks as if it is a crumpled as W H Auden, I iron it. It takes five minutes or so at the most.

I always have something on my nails-a colour or Dior Glow.

Your plain clothes, if clean and pressed, are perfect for dressing up,

I'm interested - what do you consider to be an "intentional" hairstyle?! If it's the same as what most people seem to mean by a "good" haircut (as per the frequent recommendations on MN of needing one, as an essential basis for looking put together/stylish/whatever), then I have a good hairdresser, but I don't think I have a good, ie sharply cut & well-styled, hairstyle!

I've tried over the decades - had it shoulder-length, had it straightened, had it bobbed, yet never really liked those versions. But it's been mostly long, wavy & red (ish) & has always been my USP. And now that I'm late middle-aged, I've grown it long again & (I think because I've stopped drinking & started taking glucosamine, chondroitin & fish oils) it is still thick & wavy & looks healthier & shinier than it has in many years. So I've made a decision to keep it long. And while I can enhance the colour & stay strawberry blonde I shall, & when it's time to go grey I have decided that I'm going to embrace full wild witchy silvery waves - as big as possible!

That will probably mean that I will never be truly stylish - but I will feel like me, & be happy!

Depending on your style but I like interesting knit wear and accessories, and a quirky hair cut 😊

What @MakemineaGandT said.
Just ironing everything and making sure everything looks crisp rather than crumpled and worn out, and that shoes aren't scuffed, makes a great deal of difference.
And hair done and good skin that needs minimal make-up yet glows. I don't wash my own hair anymore, instead having it professionally blow-dried once a week, and I've really invested in my skin (laser and microneedling at the dermatologist, rather than botox and filler) so at least my head always looks good!
Also agree about texture. And, actually, I find plain but tonal tends to look more polished than patterns (which breaks my heart, as I love a good pattern, but now have it on a cushion rather than on me).

What's wrong with 'plain'?

A brooch for your jacket. Several in fact, and bigger than you might think.

My scarf rule is practical - to keep my neck warm - and I have lots of lovely ones in a range of colours and pattern. Avoid that droopy over the shoulders that photographers like to inflict on women. Look up YouTube on how to style scarves.

Maker sure your shoes are clean and polished, as is your handbag

Follow people on social media who do jumpers and jeans well- there are loads- and also look online at M&S, Zara, Hush, whatever your usual shops are and see what makes their models stand out. Then copy it

Other posters have already said this but, what style jeans? What style T shirt? What style cardigan? What style jumper?

There are infinite ways of playing with shapes and silhouettes.

I am also pro ironing.

Trying to look put together can actually make everything look quite bland and safe. You don’t need to go full on Su Pollard, but maybe a Mulberry bag is just tipping you back into safe and dull not “oh that’s interesting” choices?

Caring for your clothes is a big thing here, they should be laundered and importantly ironed. And in good condition.

and sadly quality talks, in fact it screams, low quality items will always look low quality, and it’s fine if coupled with some higher quality bits. But if the whole outfit is Low end it’s difficult.

and they should fit properly

Maybe think again about your coat? That can make a big difference to how you feel about what you’re wearing in winter. You say that because of where you live you have to wear a black puffer coat. Maybe there are other practical styles of coat?

And black doesn’t actually keep you warmer than a coloured coat. Obviously you probably wouldn’t want to wear impractical pastel colours, but I always want to challenge the assumption that because it’s winter the default is black (or navy or dark grey if you’re really wild!). Probably harder to find nice colours but maybe worth a try?

PS, for more interesting colour coats, jumpers or t-shirts, try Vinted!