I remember when Callie was a baby, we had just gotten her diagnosis and our lives literally flipped upside down. During that time, the absolute LAST thing on my mind was putting together a fashionable outfit (much less showering daily). I spent the bulk of her early years languishing around in my rotation of leggings, hoodies, and T-shirts, I stopped putting effort into my outfits or my appearance at all. My days of meticulously planning my outfit each day slowly faded away, and soon, I became a homebody hoodie wearing gremlin. Little did I know, fast forward to the Covid era, that this lifestyle wear would soon become the norm! Slowly though, I was starting to get a handle on life as a disability mama and was desperately in need of some wardrobe changes. I definitely was yearning to feel more like my “old” self and the wear-what-feels-comfortable mentality was starting to get old.
1. Invest in elevated basics
When I decided to give my wardrobe a transformation, I knew that I wanted to have items that felt as comfortable as throwing on sweats. I’m all about how things feel. So I took stock of each of my beloved pieces in my wardrobe and replaced it with a better basic: ratty old graphic tees were replaced with short-sleeve and long-sleeve button-ups, worn-out sweats were replaced with leggings that I could dress up, and sweatshirts from James’s academy days were replaced with cardigans and light-weight quarter-zip sweaters. Now, when I go to get dressed, I can turn to these elevated basics like I would my trusty sweats, and ta da: My outfit is a pulled together look for leaving the house without having to put in any extra effort.
2. Add one “dressed up” piece to every outfit
If there’s one thing that packs the biggest punch when it comes to looking good with little effort, it’s this. When picking out what to wear, I try to make things a bit dressier by choosing one or two “dressed up” pieces to pair with the rest of my outfit. For example, if I decide on a pair of jeans and a quarter-zip sweater, I’ll pair them with an elevated handbag. If it’s hot out, I’ll swap out denim shorts with a linen shorts but will pair them with sneakers to still keep things casual. If my entire outfit is comfortable—like my Saturday Archery Mom uniform of yoga pants and a sweatshirt—I’ll layer on accessories like some chunky rings, chain necklaces, or a bracelet stack to brighten things up a bit. Another hack? Add a hat. Makes everything a look a little more polished.
This obviously isn’t applicable too often here in Texas, but during the winter, I absolutely take advantage of my outer layers. Jackets and coats are a great way to style an outfit, even if you’re keeping things casual with leggings and a tee. I heavily rely on my leather jacket and my long coat for dressing things up. Even if I’m wearing athleisure, either option instantly makes me feel pulled together in a complete, styled outfit.
4. Don’t underestimate the power of jewelry
Jewelry helps dress up any outfit, which is why I always layer it on—even if I’m just chilling at home all day. I recently started curating a jewelry capsule, which is exactly what it sounds like: A collection of higher-quality pieces that I can turn to again and again when I get dressed. My jewelry capsule consists of larger gold hoops, smaller gold huggies, several pendant necklaces, a gold chain for stacking, pearl studs, and a strand of pearls. While I do have different pieces for dressier events, statement pieces for vacation, or glitzy pieces for going out to dinner, when it comes to simply getting dressed for the day, I mix and match these items based on what I’m wearing.
5. Incorporate a “French Tuck”
I love a french tuck and have been using this styling trick on repeat. A French tuck is when you tuck a shirt in the front of your pants while leaving the rest untucked. (While wearing button-ups, you can also simply tuck half of the front in while leaving the rest untucked.) This instantly makes your outfit feel more styled and intentional. As a bonus, this also helps to show off belts, which I love wearing for making outfits feel a bit more elevated, too.
6. Curate a capsule wardrobe
While it might seem like having more in your closet would lead to better outfits, sometimes I find that having too many options to choose from while getting dressed overwhelms me. I’ve worked on creating a capsule wardrobe and I’ve found it has made getting dressed easier for me. I love being able to mix and match pieces I already own while simultaneously eliminating the debilitating nature of choice—and saving my wallet from pointless shopping sprees in the meantime doesn’t hurt either.
I’m ok with investing in classic pieces and have focused on that approach as opposed to buying a bunch of trendy (#cheap) stuff that’s going to fall apart or be out of style by next season. This way, I’m always sure to choose pieces that feel elevated and interesting, so when I get dressed, I never have to worry about my complete outfit feeling too bland.
7. Find a “go to” outfit
Steve Jobs wore the same thing every day. A black turtleneck and jeans. Now I don’t know if that’s something I could do (I respect how he was trying to mitigate decision fatigue!) because I love the creative nature of fashion, BUT it can be a genius styling hack for those days when you have no idea what to wear.
For example, when I’m staring into the endless black hole that is my closet, I tend to gravitate toward the following uniform: jeans, a striped tee/tank, and my Birks. After I add some jewelry and style my hair, I feel put together without having to put in any effort—or use too much brain power. If I need to dress it up, I’ll add cute wedgies, a designer bag, and a hat.
To create your own, ask yourself which pieces in your wardrobe make you feel the most confident. A trusty pair of jeans? A wrap dress? A cardigan? Use them to create a uniform that you treat as your “go to” outfit on days you are in a rush or don’t know what to wear.
