Here are 6 tips to help you make a month of outfits using basics! I added 4 new wardrobe staples to my closet from Encircled and made over 30 outfits for everything from backyard barbecues to going out for drinks.
All of the pieces I added were black, so if you have a ton of black clothes in your wardrobe, here's how to wear them all month long. The secret to making a ton of outfits with your new clothes is to buy items that complement what you already own. Adding versatile garments to your wardrobe is key to being able to get more from less. Here are a few outfit ideas and how I chose basics that matched my closet.
By the way, this story was created with gifted clothing from Encircled. I love that they aim to create well-made, versatile basics that will last years - essential for creating a sustainable wardrobe. Encircled is also size-inclusive and a certified B-Corp! I'm always looking for brands that reflect my values and style, so I'm sharing the brand with you.
I also want to point out that although these clothes were gifted, I still treated them like any other purchase. I was careful only to choose items that would enhance my wardrobe and meet my needs. I selected the Unbodysuit, UnMoto Jacket, the medium Chrysalis Cardi, and The Comfy Wide Leg Pant. Here are a few ways I made sure these items would be good additions to my wardrobe, including estimating their cost-per-wear and making a ton of outfits with them.
Outfit ideas: Here are the outfits I created and how I came up with all of the ideas for what to wear! I made these outfits in Stylebook using the virtual mannequin. Here's a tutorial. (Scroll to see more outfits!)
All Black - Monochromatic outfits are a classic, no-fail look. All-black outfits look sleek and play up the clothing silhouettes. To make your outfits a little more interesting, try playing with textures and layers.
Black and White - If you're tired of wearing all black, try black and white. I like mixing casual and formal pieces when wearing black and white to avoid looking like I'm going to the office. I used the search feature in Stylebook to find all of the white pieces that I own, and then I mixed and matched my new items to get these combinations.
Black and Denim - Denim looks extra polished when paired with black. If this is a color combination you enjoy, don't limit yourself to one! Try your black tops with every denim piece you own, including shorts and jackets! The top I chose has the look of a bodysuit, so it tucks in really nicely. I tested it with every denim piece I own; these were my favorite combinations. I cloned each look and swapped the denim pieces.
Pop of Color - In the past, black and brown were a fashion no-no, but I'm all for it. Don't limit yourself when creating outfits. Feel free to clash and introduce color into your all-black outfits. Accessories like bright earrings pop exceptionally well.
6 Ways To Choose Wardrobe Staples
Here's how I choose pieces that fit in with what I already have. There's no need to do them all; any of these would work well on their own. See what works for you!
1. Make A Wardrobe Swatch
Instead of making an outfit, I make a wardrobe swatch - I pick an item and put lots of different combination ideas with it on the same layout. If I'm thinking about buying a new pair of pants, I add the potential new item to a collage and then a ton of shorts from my closet. This makes a quick visual to see they will work with what I own.
2. Keep Track of Style Inspirations
I save style inspirations in Stylebook and group outfits with similar aesthetics or clothing pieces together. Seeing everything in one place makes it easier to spot items that I genuinely love. Since I collected them over time, anything that appears consistently is definitely my style. When I shop, I make sure the new clothes fit in with my inspirations and are helping me achieve the long-term vision I've created for my wardrobe.
3. Plan It Out
Sometimes I get distracted by random clothes and wind up blowing my budget on something I didn't plan to buy. The best way to overcome this is to create a wishlist. This helps me stay on track and makes it easier to save for higher-quality pieces. Before committing to buying anything, I check my "Wishlist" in the shop feature.
4. Fill Wardrobe Gaps
When an item I love starts to wear out but is still useable, I mark the status as "Should Replace" When I see a good sale or feel like shopping, I check my "Should Replace" list in Style Stats. This helps me avoid wardrobe gaps that would have a significant impact on my wardrobe, and I want to make they are filled before spending my budget and closet space on other pieces. For example, te wool motorcycle jacket is replacing a vegan leather jacket that wore out this spring.
5. Virtual Try-On
I loving doing a virtual try-on. I quickly add the online photo to Stylebook and collage outfits with clothes from my existing wardrobe. I need to make at least three outfits before I consider it a good buy, but sometimes, as in this case, I can make way more than that! If the catalog photo was photographed on a mannequin or model, I can even add it to my virtual mannequin in the app to get an even more realistic view.
6. Cost Per Wear
Cost Per Wear is the price divided by the number of times the item is worn. The more you wear an item, the lower the cost-per-wear goes. Well-made, timeless pieces can have an incredibly low cost-per-wear. Stylebook automatically calculates the CPW as you enter your outfits on the calendar. When looking for a new item, I try to estimate CPW with a tool in the shop feature. I like looking at similar pieces in my wardrobe and using their number of wears as a reference.
