Who doesn’t love a good “before” and “after”? Some of you have said how you really like it when I do outfit breakdowns, and based on the end-of-the-year survey, I think it’s time to do them more often! Today I’m showing the difference between wearing vs. styling clothes so you know tips and tricks to pull together outfits more effectively.
The examples for today will focus on how to pull together outfits with a black turtleneck, revisiting some of the outfits from my recent post 12 Outfits With a Black Turtleneck. (If you haven’t seen that post yet, it’s a good one! Go check it out!) Even if you never plan to wear a black turtleneck, read this post anyway because the focus is more on the style principles and not so much on the outfits. You’ll learn things here to pull together all outfits — not just ones with black turtlenecks!
So, if you’re ready to learn some tips and tricks to make outfits look more pulled together, let’s do it!
SIZING: I’m 5’6″ and usually S/M or 6 in clothes and 8.5 to 9 in shoes.
Wearing vs. Styling: How to Pull Together Outfits With a Black Turtleneck and Jeans
First up is an outfit with a black turtleneck and jeans. Here’s what it looks like if you just throw on the clothes and wear them without any styling or intentionality:
What it needs:
- The right shoes
- Better proportions
- Accessories
- Optional: An interesting layer as a focal point
Here’s how it looks when we add the right shoes and better proportions:
1. The right shoes. We swapped the grey athletic sneakers for shoes that are more cohesive. First, black shoes echo the black top, creating consistency. Second, the loafers’ style better aligns with an elevated casual outfit than the athletic sneakers do.
2. Better proportions. The top is too long and creates an unappealing 1:1 proportion. Basically, my body is cut in half, which isn’t the best proportion. You can shorten a top by either tucking it or getting it hemmed with alterations. I chose to tuck it all the way around, but if you aren’t into tucking, get it altered to hit at the 1/3 point between your shoulders and the ground. Either way, a shorter top immediately creates a more aesthetically-pleasing proportion that elongates the leg line.
3. Add accessories. Accessories can make or break an outfit, and even tiny little ones like these pull together a whole outfit. Check my blog post with before and afters HERE. For simple accessories that work with nearly ANY outfit, check out this roundup of accessories.
4. Optional: Add a statement layer. While you could stop at step #3, and be perfectly pulled together, you can add a statement blazer for extra style points! I chose one that has a small plaid print with little bit of black in it because the black ties in nicely with the black in my shirt and shoes for a cohesive look. Again, this step is optional (because you need to be able to take off layers when it’s hot and still look pulled together), but if you need a layer, elevate your whole outfit 10 notches with a statement one!
Here is everything we covered in wearing vs. styling and how to pull together outfits with a black turtleneck and jeans!
There we go! Make sure you focus on proportions, always add accessories — even small ones, and focus on the right shoes. These styling details make all the difference!
Wearing vs. Styling: How to Pull Together Outfits With a Black Turtleneck and a Skirt
Now let’s break down a second outfit from my recent post 12 Outfits With a Black Turtleneck.
Here we have a black turtleneck with a skirt. This is what it looks like if you just throw pieces together without styling tactics or intentionality:
What it needs is the same as outfit #1:
- Better proportions
- The right shoes
- Accessories
Let’s recreate it with the same pieces but better proportions and accessories:
1. Wearing vs. Styling. This is how it looks when you “wear” the clothes without styling details to create a cohesive, pulled together look. It’s not the ugliest thing in the world, but with simple styling changes, we can totally pull it together into a confidence-boosting outfit.
2. Better proportions. Because the skirt is so flowy, tucking the top provides better proportions and creates a better silhouette by defining the waist.
3. Cohesive Shoes. The tan lug sole boots were, again, not the worstttttt thing ever. After all, the color was at least cohesive with the flowers in the skirt. But, there are better options to take the outfit up several notches. The lug sole boots are quite clunky with the thick sole AND the rounded toes, which doesn’t feel as cohesive with this lightweight, flowy skirt and formfitting top. Swapping these clunkier boots out for boots with a sleeker profile and pointed toe box elevates how polished the outfit looks. Not to mention the black boots are taller and in the same base color as the black skirt. This helps elongate the leg line, creating one unified line between the black skirt and the black boots.
4. Accessories. Like I mentioned earlier, accessories are crucial to adding polish and finishing off outfits.
And here are all the steps together, how to pull together outfits with a black turtleneck and a skirt:
There you have it! Tips for how to make outfits look pulled together. If you like this post, let me know via commenting on it or emailing me, and I’ll be sure to write them more regularly!
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