College wardrobes only have so much room, especially in dorms. Three drawers, a small closet, and if you bring it yourself, a few extra bins. As a result, you can only pack so many articles of clothing for the year, and with so few options, it’s easy to recycle outfit after outfit.
You’re one month in, and all of your ensembles are starting to look the same. Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with repeating outfits, but if you’re anything like me and enjoy treating every day like a runway, you’re desperate for a way to mix up what you’re wearing without blowing the college-girl budget. Fortunately, I’ve found three major ways to keep those clothes going all season!
- Silhouette
-
Playing with silhouettes is one of the easiest ways to create visual interest and prolong the life cycle of your wardrobe. All it really takes is a few simple staples and an understanding of how shapes and structures work. The same few pairs of jeans, fitted tops, oversized sweaters, and delicate skirts can last for ages if you just play around with how they balance each other out.
One of the most common silhouettes right now is a fitted top and baggier bottoms, which is trendy for a reason; it’s cute, after all. However, there are far more ways to style the same articles of clothing.
A fitted top with a smaller or more fitted skirt adds a sense of precision or daintiness, depending on the particular pieces used. A baggy top, sweatshirt, or sweater with baggy bottoms adds a more casual, relaxed feel. A baggy top with a smaller skirt or pair of shorts can help an outfit feel more cutesy or delicate. There’s an infinite number of ways to mix and match articles to vary silhouette, and each one helps prolong the wardrobe life cycle a little bit more.
- Layers
-
Particularly in the fall, layers are a girl’s best friend. That may sound daunting in early Florida autumn since fall is far from equivalent to cool weather here. However, once that breeze starts to hit, a new world of possibility opens up.
My personal favorite layering options are tights and jackets, but there really is no end to what you can layer. If you can dream it, you can do it. That being said, it’s important to consider what the layering will bring to your outfit. After all, the same simple black top and jeans can look drastically different when paired with a lacy white cardigan, a leather jacket, or a flannel tied around the waist.
It’s also important to note that these layers can be worn in different ways. One of my personal favorite variations is a flannel worn normally, tied around the waist, or worn completely off the shoulders. It doesn’t seem like a major difference, but something as small as wearing a cardigan off one shoulder can make an outfit feel completely different.
The power of shifting how you use your layers is yet another weapon in your wardrobe arsenal, and it’s an incredibly fun way to elevate your ensembles.
- Accessories
-
Adorning my outfit with accessories is my personal favorite way to spice up my outfits. An outfit can work without accessories, but they just make it so much more fun.
Earrings, necklaces, bangles, and belts add the extra bit of flavor that makes your outfit feel unique. Sometimes, simpler accessories can make your outfits feel sleek and elegant, but as a maximalist, I feel that if the jewelry doesn’t sound like a percussion instrument, something’s not right. I’ll forever advocate for having as much fun with accessories as your heart desires.
If you want a simple outfit to feel more fun, try using that random scarf as a belt, or finally break out those giant earrings you hardly wear. Switching up your jewelry and other accouterments can make outfits feel completely different, simply because they shift the tone. Accessories are truly your best friend when it comes to adding interest to ensembles, and I will forever be their biggest supporter.
Your wardrobe is unique to you, and all that really matters is that you feel like yourself when you pick your clothes out in the morning. They don’t always have to look perfect, and they certainly don’t always have to be trendy; they just have to make you feel good. Dress for yourself, because at the end of the day, you just need to feel beautiful in whatever you wear.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest!