A classic t-shirt is a staple in everyone’s wardrobe. No matter who your fashion icons are or how you’d categorize your sense of style, I’m positive that you own at least two (or maybe ten…) t-shirts. There are many obvious ways to style a classic tee, and a few others that may not have crossed your mind. I compiled a comprehensive list of quick ways to add a bit of personality to your typical t-shirt-centered outfit.
1. Tie it up
You’ve probably seen this a lot, but there’s a reason it’s so popular. Tying up a shirt makes it more flattering and crops the shirt without actually committing to the crop with a pair of scissors. This look is best with high waisted bottoms, like the skirt shown above or a pair of high-rise denim.
2. Over a turtleneck
Some people love this look, some people hate it, but I’m here for it. I have the tendency to throw a turtleneck under anything and everything I wear, especially if it’s cold out. In case you ever thought you couldn’t wear your favorite t-shirts in the winter, think again. This trend sometimes can be a bit edgy or “skater boy”-esque, but if you’re open to that look, I’d highly recommend giving this a try.
3. Cuff it
This is likely the simplest way to quickly spice up your good old t-shirts. You’ve seen it a million times already and I’m sure you already know by now how to cuff a shirt, but in case you don’t, it’s as simply as folding the sleeves up once or twice. It takes 5 seconds per sleeve and you immediately look more polished than when you started.
4. Under a dress
Wearing a t-shirt under a dress is another trend that is somewhat new. Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of people wearing t-shirts under dresses to make dresses a bit more casual than when worn on their own. Depending on the dress you’re pairing it with, try finding similar colors in the t-shirt and the dress so that the look is cohesive when paired together. A good tip if you aren’t sure what t-shirt to wear is to just go for one that is white or black, because those match with almost anything.
5. With a skirt
Pretty similar to the dress option, wearing a t-shirt with a skirt instantly dresses your look down. Pairing a graphic tee with a skirt is a cute way to mix tomboy and girly without the outfit clashing. In general, if you’ve got a louder skirt, it’s best to pair it with a more toned down t-shirt, and vice versa. This way, you won’t look like you just threw two random articles of clothing together to complete an outfit.
6. Crop it
This way of changing up your t-shirt is something you’ve probably already been doing since middle school. This works best with oversized t-shirts, maybe ones that you’ve thrifted or ones that are just sitting in your closet because they’re way too big for you. Just grab the closest pair of scissors, draw a quick line across with a pen or pencil, and starting cutting it up. Cropping a shirt takes maybe 3 minutes and completely alters the look of the tee.
7. Tuck it in
Tucking a t-shirt into pants is by far the most common way I style my t-shirts. In fact, I pretty much tuck in everything I wear. Tucking in your tops gives you a nice, cinched-in waist which results in a flattering look. This is literally such a simple way to change up a typical t-shirt outfit and will make you look as if you put way more thought into it than you actually did.
8. Let it loose
This is by far the easiest and most intuitive way to wear a t-shirt. T-shirt are meant to be cozy, easy, and effortless, right? I usually wear my t-shirts loose when I’m too lazy and don’t care what I look like, but I tend to pair them with tighter pants so that the look balances itself out.
9. Add a belt
I used to never wear belts, but now I almost always wear one when I tuck in my t-shirts. It tightens your waist just a bit more than the tuck alone, and it adds a bit more personality, especially if you’re just wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans. You can go for a statement belt, like the one pictured, or just settle for something more basic like a black belt with a gold or silver buckle.
10. Add jewelry
This technically doesn’t directly involve the t-shirt itself, but layering some necklaces over top is perfect when you want to add a bit of class to your typical outfit. This can be applied to any top, but layering necklaces over a baggy t-shirt is particularly cute because of the juxtaposition of the delicate jewelry paired with the lazy, effortless tee.
So, those are the 10 ways I frequently style my t-shirts. Hopefully, you found at least one new way to change up your classic t-shirt look.