The little details that make or break an outfit

Being stylish doesn’t come down to how much money you’ve spent on a particular outfit. A great look isn’t all about brands or labels. When it comes to a look that just works, it’s about the little details that can make or break it. There’s an attention to detail aspect of fashion that when utilised can really turn an outfit from good to great. Paying attention to the small things can help achieve a better overall effect so your outfit, no matter what brand or how much money you’ve spent on it, can look on point. Here are a few key things to pay attention to, always.

Fabric

We often think about how an outfit looks but forget about the one thing it’s made of, which is the fabric. The fabrication of an item clothing can really make or break it. A shirt can look so different when for example it’s in a crisp cotton versus linen versus silk. It’s all about how you want a garment to present. Do you want it to look casual? Super polished and professional? The fabrics that you wear can often lead the way when it comes to the vibe you’re wanting to put forward. For example, a silk trouser has a very different feel to a linen pant. It’s important to think about this when you’re trying to put an outfit together.

The fit

How something fits and sits on the body really can make or break it. It’s always a good idea to ensure that your clothes fit just right (it’s the Goldilocks approach). You don’t want anything that’s way too oversized or way too small. A shirt for example that’s a tad too small so it has a puckered effect where the buttons aren’t sitting quite flat doesn’t present as well as a shirt that’s a good fit and leaves you enough room to move comfortably. The same with pants with a waist that’s far too small or big, you don’t want your pants to gape at the back but you don’t want them to be so tight you’re left with a muffin top effect either! If you can, invest in a little tailoring of the clothes that don’t fit well so you can remedy the parts that need fixing.

Everything sits right

A stray thread.  A missing button. Wrinkles and creases on your clothes… these are all things that can really spoil how an outfit looks. It pays to take care of what you’re putting on your body, by fixing garments when needed and showing them the care they deserve.

There’s at least one element of interest

The people whose style I really love always have something about their outfit that feels a little different and adds personality. Whether it’s a statement piece, a signature item or even just the fact they’ve chosen to roll their sleeves a certain way, really well dressed people tend to own their look by adding an interesting feature. For some this comes innately (lucky them!) but for most of us, this requires playing around with an outfit, adding pieces here and there to elevate it and avoid it looking pedestrian. An outfit should be an expression of who you are so ensure that there’s always an element of you in what you wear.