How To Evolve Your Style From Trendy To Timeless

The fashion world has always been highly trend-bound. And while it might be fun to follow the fashions and see what your favorite brands and designers will come up with next season, building your too much around what’s trendy can be more trouble than it’s worth. You may just find yourself buying more new clothes than you need, and they might even end up going out of style before you’ve worn them more than once or twice.

Have you grown tired of chasing all the latest trends over the years? Maybe you’re looking to spend less on clothes, or simply feel like changing up your style? Whatever your reasons might be, it may just be high time to consider switching to a more classic aesthetic. At its core, dressing classy means investing in versatile, polished pieces that will look great no matter the occasion, season, or time of day. You’ll also want to prioritize pieces that will last you a long time, which can help you cut back on impulse buys and impromptu shopping trips in the long run. If you’d like to transform your personal style into something clean, elegant, and truly timeless, the following tips can help you get started.

Avoid Showing Too Much Skin

Midriff-baring tops, low necklines, tiny skirts, and other revealing clothes may be fun, but they’re definitely not appropriate for every context or occasion. For a classy aesthetic, you’ll want to stick to more modest cuts and styles. Choose necklines that cover your and skirts that fall to just above your knees or lower for everyday wear. 
Do note, however, that dressing classy doesn’t mean you have to look frumpy by any means. Think of it instead as an invitation to find ways to flaunt your assets without overexposing yourself. For instance, you can buy tights in black or another dark color to wear with short skirts. This will give you a more pulled-together look that’s and stylish at the same time.

Choose Quality, Long-Lasting Fabrics

One of the wonderful things about putting together a more timeless is that it encourages you to think more deeply about how your clothes are made, as well as what they’re made of. You’ll want to find essentials made of fabrics like linen, cotton, silk, and wool. These materials are not only lovely to look at and comfortable to wear—they’ll also last you years and years as long as you care for them properly. Be sure to read the care labels on your garments so you know exactly how to keep them in great condition for a longer time. Most cotton items, for example, will need ironing to get rid of unsightly wrinkles. Silk, linen, and wool pieces will also usually need to be hand-washed or dry-cleaned. As these fabrics can be damaged by washing machine spin cycles or shrink in dryers, you’ll have to take a gentler approach to cleaning and caring for them.

Start with Solid Neutral Outfits

Bright colors and bold prints can certainly look plenty elegant with careful styling, but if you’re just starting out on your journey toward a more classic style, neutrals are probably a safer way to go. You can find plenty of solid-colored neutral pieces in stores, and their relatively low-key appearance makes them easy to mix and match. Don’t be surprised if that white T-shirt, black tank top, or navy-blue suit jacket ends up becoming a core component of many of your favorite outfits. If you want to add a personal touch while keeping things stylish, consider creating your custom printed tees with subtle designs or classic motifs that complement your wardrobe.

Shades of beige, white, black, gray, and dark blue are the most common neutrals, but don’t limit yourself to dressing in just these shades from head to toe. Adding a pop of color via an -catching pair of shoes, a belt, a patterned scarf, or some other accessory can help liven up an otherwise neutral outfit. You can also try wearing different shades of the same color for a monochromatic ensemble that isn’t boring to look at.

Put Together a Uniform

One big and persistent style misconception is that you shouldn’t buy items that are too similar to things you already have. While it’s true that nobody wants a consisting only of identical tops and bottoms, knowing what suits you can help you put together outfits more efficiently. If you like how your legs look in form-fitting pencil skirts, for example, it’s a good idea to stock up on a bunch of them in different colors and fabrics. If you enjoy a classic white tee and jeans combo in more casual settings, think about how you can elevate that same concept with white button-ups and dark slacks.

If you think about the biggest style icons today, you’ll soon realize that many of them also have their own “uniform.” They know what pieces look best on them and how to combine these with other items of clothing to produce memorable looks. Follow their example by thinking hard about what you look good in and building your new around these pieces. You’ll soon end up with a signature style that’s all your own, and dressing yourself will be much easier down the line, too.

Make Sure Your Clothes Fit You Perfectly

Oversized and extremely form-fitting clothes both come in and out of style pretty frequently, but clothes that are tailored to fit you just right will look good forever. Look for form-fitting pieces that follow the natural of your body and show off your figure without being too tight. You’ll also want to make sure that skirt hems, sleeves, and pant legs right where you want them to instead of being too long or too short. Of course, unless you’re very lucky, clothes you get off the rack probably aren’t going to fit you like they’ve been made to measure. If you find a piece you love that doesn’t sit quite right on your body, don’t hesitate to take it to a trustworthy tailor or dressmaker for altering. Alterations may seem like an extra expense, but tailoring fees are a small price to pay for an outfit that fits like a glove and lasts for years.

In today’s increasingly fast-paced world, it sometimes feels like new styles and fads can rise and fall in a matter of mere months. To keep yourself from getting too swept up in up-and-coming trends, it helps to step back and instead prioritize items and styles that stand the test of time.