How do you make basic outfits look good? This is always a popular question! Lately I’ve been wearing outfits with a lot of basics, so I thought I’d take a moment to share some tips on how to make outfits with basic pieces look good.
Basics are just what they sound like — basic clothes. They typically have simple silhouettes, are in neutral colors, and don’t have a lot of details that make them stand out. (To learn more about basics, aka foundational items, check out my blog post My Philosophy for Crafting a Wardrobe: Foundational + Flair Pieces.)
All right, now how to make these basic pieces look good. You’ve heard me say before that when you understand the foundational principles to style, it’s a game-changer. You can pull together pretty much everything! This concept is true for basics as well. So, let’s talk about a few of the essential style concepts that make it so that you look good, even in an outfit full of basics.
1. Decent Quality Basics
Here’s something that is super important to remember: all basics are not created equal. For instance, black t-shirts are not all the same. Some drape really well and hang on you in a stylish, elegant way — yes, even though it is just a simple black t-shirt. Meanwhile, a different black t-shirt may LOOK cheap because the material doesn’t drape well, it clings, or the fabric just looks kind of cheap.
This principle matters EVEN MORE when it comes to basics. That’s because basics are SO simple that you can’t hide the imperfections as easily. So, you want to make sure the basic items you wear look decent and lay nicely and fluidly.
It doesn’t mean that everything you buy has to be expensive. You should know by now that I’m not all about expensive clothes! The clothes I’m wearing in this post are almost all under $30. So your basics don’t have to be expensive, but they can’t look super cheap.
2. Fit
You have heard me quote the hilariously wonderful Stacy and Clinton duo over and over, “If you don’t have fit, you don’t have style.” Fit is the most underrated aspect to looking good and feeling put together. This is especially important for basics because they are such simple items, and there is no print or other visually distracting element to hide behind. If you want to make outfits with basic pieces look good, nail your fit points.
When it comes to fit, first you want to get the size correct, obviously. Beyond that, there are more detailed fit points to look for, like how high or low the rise is and if that rise works well on your body type, how the item hugs — or doesn’t hug — your shape, whether it’s too loose for your body type around the hips, and more. Honing in on the details of fit points in those ways can completely transform how you look and feel in clothes, and they are the difference between you feeling frumpy versus you feeling put together in basics.
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3. Cohesive and Interesting Combos
Once you have the right pieces — ones that are of decent quality and fit well — to make outfits with basic pieces look good, be sure your combinations are cohesive and have at least a little visual interest.
One way to achieve that when working with all basic pieces is to mix your neutrals in a way that provides interest and makes them pop from each other. Some of my favorite combos for neutrals are shown throughout this blog post: olive + black, olive + white, white + medium blue jean.
Bonuses to Make Outfits With Basic Pieces Look Good
Now, if you want to elevate outfits with basics even more, here are three additional things you can incorporate into your outfits to give them a bit more oomph — without being over the top or making a huge statement!
1. Bonus #1: Add a Print
Add a print somewhere! It can be in a subtle way, like how I’m adding printed earrings in the picture above to add a pop.
Or you can add a larger print, like how I’m wearing a striped tank in the picture below. Does a striped tee count as a basic? Some would argue yes while some would argue no. It functions like a basic as it goes with pretty much everything. Next time, swap your basic black or white top for a striped one instead for an instant boost to your outfit!
These are my faaaaavorite summer pants, by the way! Super duper comfy, lightweight, and breathable. I shared about them in My Three Favorite Comfortable Lightweight Summer Pants. I’ve worn them in temperatures as hot as 117 degrees, and they came through. Amazing! Find them HERE. I wear size S.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: Kohl’s (exact–wearing size M)
Pants: Old Navy (exact–wearing size S)
Sandals: Famous Footwear (similar)
2. Bonus #2: Add a Splash of Color
Another thing you can do is add a small splash of color to make outfits with basics look good, without feeling over the top. (Not that anything is wrong with being over the top — but outfits that make huge statements are not what this post is about. 😊) Some subtle ways you can add color are with earrings, a belt, or shoes.
I LOVE these earrings from Nickel & Suede — and ALL my earrings from them, really! This is the only brand of statement earrings I’ve worn since 2013. They’re that good! In fact, all of the statement earrings I’m wearing in this post are Nickel & Suede. They are SO lightweight and comfortable. They don’t weigh your ears down. The quality is fantastic. And they have tons of different styles, colors, and prints. See some of my favorites HERE. I believe you can still get $5 off using my code PUTTINGMETOGETHER5.
The pants are the same summer go-to pants as the olive pair above. Find them HERE. I wear size S.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: Kohl’s (exact–wearing size M)
Pants: Old Navy (exact–wearing size S)
Sandals: Famous Footwear (similar)
Earrings: Nickel & Suede (exact)
3. Bonus #3: Utilize Texture
If you don’t want to wear prints or big splashes of color, your outfits can still be visually interesting by utilizing texture! For example, in the outfit above, instead of wearing the plain white tank that I’m wearing in other outfits, I went with a crochet tank. The texture in this top adds detail and an interesting characteristic, which automatically adds style to the outfit.
This tank is GREAT, by the way. It feels decent in quality and doesn’t feel heavy when you wear it. I especially love that it’s short enough to wear without tucking. It works well with flares, like I’m wearing here, as well as shorts, soft pants, and wide leg bottoms. Find it HERE. Note: The holes do show through more in other colorways, while white is actually okay if you wear a nude bra. If you’re going for other colorways, plan to wear a camisole.
My jeans are not available anymore, but they are Democracy found at Nordstrom Rack last year.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: Amazon (exact–wearing size S)
Pants: Nordstrom (similar)
Sandals: Nordstrom (similar)
I hope those tips help you make outfits with basic pieces look good this summer and beyond! It really starts with the three foundational things listed above, so nail those first. Then, when you want to elevate, use the bonus tips to take all of your outfits up a notch!
Get Dressed With the Summer Wardrobe & Outfit Guide and PMT Style Club
If you’re interested in taking your style to the next level, join us inside the PMT Style Club!
As a Style Club member, you’ll be able to keep your style fresh, continue cultivating a wardrobe you love, and feel great through all your life changes, body changes, and seasonal changes with exclusive resources and a friendly, non-judgmental, inspiring community.
Also, when you’re a PMT Style Club member, the Wardrobe & Outfit Guides are included with your membership each season! (A $34 value.) Plus, you get access to the MANY other resources that are available in the club, like a library of in-depth style lessons to help you discover your style type, dress your body shape, learn to pair colors, dress a changing body, and more, live Q&As with me and our in-house trained stylist, extra shopping links, and the awesome community. You’ll also get to do these outfit challenges with us!
You get tons of value as a Style Club member to help you continually love your wardrobe and feel great in what you wear.
