As much as we'd love to buy a new outfit every time we have an event, the funds don't always allow, leaving many of us feeling stuck in a style rut.
However, clever styling is a useful way to make pieces feel new with minimal outlay. Shopping your own closet and never underestimating the power of accessories are just two secret weapons of the cash-strapped but clever fashion lover who cannot afford to indulge in a new wardrobe every season.
Most importantly, remember that true style has nothing to do with how much money you spend. The most stylish people are those with skills in pulling together looks that reflect their signature style. Look to women you admire and apply their flair to how you put together your own outfits.
Here are twelve handy yet effective hacks inspired by the fashion set to add novelty and newness to your existing edit of clothing...
1- Layering
Layering items like waistcoats and jackets to create a dimensional look with contrasting colours and textures – see how cleverly this lady has layered a looser grey blazer over a neater red one, to create a striking look.
The contrasting fabrics and textures add depth while the slim rib knit which is the under layer adds even more textural interest.
The look is perfect for the Irish summer when temperatures can vary wildly and allows you to stay warm while also really chic. The contrasting colour of her bag also adds to the overall impact of the outfit.
2- Jewellery
Using sculptural jewellery to make minimal pieces more interesting – this season larger sculptural jewellery styles are popular.
Statement cuffs, chokers and earrings defined by dramatic, yet simplified lines are available at all price points and are an excellent way to elevate simple slip dresses, t shirts or co-ords.
This look from the Missoni show demonstrates how a statement piece of jewellery is a great focal point and will dress up a simple little black dress to make it seem expensive.
See Cos, One Dame Lane, and Seamus Gill for ideas.
3- Contrasting socks
Adding contrasting socks to elevate your footwear – socks in summer are no longer a fashion faux pas.
If you look at fashionable feet for the past few seasons the proliferation of stylish socks has been a growing trend. Now they are being paired with all kinds of shoes from kitten heels to trainers, to fisherman sandals to clogs.
This pairing of colourful Miu Miu trainers and sober grey knee length socks shows how a sock can add an unexpected edge to a look and keep it interesting. Socks – sporty, ribbed, marl or plain are now a key accessory and an inexpensive way to look contemporapry without a big spend. Plus, they are snug when the sun is absent.
4 - Scarves
Using print scarves creatively – once the preserve of your Gran, print scarves are also enjoying a renaissance. They can add immediate punch to any outfit and can be worn in multiple ways - around your neck, as a top, in your hair, on a handbag, instead of a belt, or wrapped around your wrist.
Worn next to the face they add flattering colour to lift a tired complexion. Just look how the yellow scarf in this photo elevates the entire look and adds just the right carefree edge.
4- Clashing prints
Mixing unusual colours or clashing prints - colour combination is an art form as this shot of fashion influencer Susie Bubble at the Miu Miu show demonstrates.
5 - Play with colours
The mix of orange, turquoise, mustard, and soft green shouldn’t work in theory, but it does. It sings with fun and a personal sense of style (Bubble is known for her adventurous use of colour and print) amidst a sea of sameness and safe choices.
To find unusual colour combinations, experiment – take items out and try different combinations until you hit on striking ones, then record the look for future reference. Also look at the social media of people known for their talent with colour like Bubble, Aoife Dunican, aka The Style Bob and Terri Cooper, aka The Style Coop.
6 - Charms
Using charms to make bags feel current and unique – the bag charm craze is ongoing and while you might stop short of adding a Labubu to your tote, adding a couple of personal charms can add new life to an old favourite while also injecting a sense of fun to your arm candy.
You can make your own charms from old pieces of costume jewellery, keyrings, ribbons small leather items and knick-knacks – it is your personality so go with what makes you smile. As the image shows, there is no wrong way to do this trend, and whatever stylish jumble you create is your prerogative.
7 - Borrow from your partner
Stealing pieces from your other half – as this striking image of Joan Smalls reveals, stealing inspiration from the boys is a fail-safe way to look cool. Her oversized grey suit paired with a classic white shirt and waistcoat could have come from any menswear range yet looks perfect on her.
If you can’t afford to shop, take a quick look into your partner’s, husband’s, or boyfriend’s wardrobe – you will find great pieces you can “borrow” including blazers, jeans, leather jackets, shirts, knits, and tee -shirts with a relaxed, boyish cut. Saint Laurent’s Spring Summer collection will give all the inspiration you need.
8 - Repetition, repetition
Fashion loves repeating itself as the recent trend for doubling up on accessories shows. Whether it’s twinning your bags (one small and one large), double belting your waistline or stacking bangles one on top of another, saying it twice or even thrice is a simple design trick to make a stylish statement.
At Miu Miu models wore up to three belts to add a stylistic emphasis, an easy step to emulate. By pairing belts or bags, you already own in new combinations, you can make them feel new- to-you again.
9 - Brooches in creative clusters
Brooches are another accessory to have received a modern make-over. Once considered fusty, now a creative cluster of brooches curated on your lapel is an expression of the current appetite for personalisation.
They are being worn by the street style set at the shows and are making their way into collections too. This dress from Miu Miu’s collection from autumn winter 2024 incorporates the look, but you can make similar for a much lower price point by searching out costume brooches from shops like Jenny Vanders and Rhinestones.
10 - Belt coats and jacket for a new silhouette
Waist emphasis is a continuing trend right into autumn winer and it’s one of the simplest ways to add a contemporary twist to pieces you already have.
Belting blazers, coats, knitwear, or dresses adds a subtle edge and makes them look immediately sharper and more stylish. If the colour of your belt pops against the piece you are wearing it with, then even better as this image shows. Matching your belt to other accessories (as per the gloves here) also elevates any classic look.
11 - Play with scale
Play with scale e.g. oversized suit with tiny bag – proportion and how you play with it can really make a look. An oversized suit with a dramatic shoulder-line looks even cooler when paired with a teeny-tiny bag as per this show-goer at Schiaparelli.
Always think about the contrast within an outfit – playing with the scale of accessories or garments can show your sense of flair and that you know how to mix elements for maximum impact.
12 - Using denim to defuse more formal pieces
To re-imagine more formal jackets and tops for a second life, simply add denim. In this shot pairing a Chanel jacket and bag with blue jeans dials down the classic nature of these iconic fashion pieces and adds an air of youthfulness.
If you ever need to make a piece less formal, less frumpy, or less rigid simply add a pair of favourite blue jeans. They will instantly make any outfit more relaxed and modern.
Look to how this lady has carefully considered her proportions and paired the neat jacket with slouchy jeans and then pulled her shirt cuffs down for added effortlessness. It instantly makes the jacket less ladylike but also cooler. The colour pairing is also perfect.
