How to Style Like a Pro: 1 Piece, 3 Ways Strategy

If you’re a petite in midlife and you’re trying elevate your style to polished and modern and feel excited about your wardrobe instead of overwhelmed and bored, this post is for you!

When you wake up in the morning are you blindly reaching into your closet, pawing through things, but coming out with something you think will work but not really loving it.

Then, you’ll want to keep reading because I’m going to show you one way you can reduce the amount of items in your closet AND be able to pick out something that makes you happy and confident.

The biggest mistake people make when they are bored with their wardrobe, or don’t have great outfit options is they shop and shop.

They keep throwing money at the problem and end up with an overstuffed closet full of cute things they don’t know how to put together.

For example, you see something super cute in the store, try it on and it fits. As a petite, that feels like a huge win–just to find something that fits or excites you. So you buy it, of course!

But, when you wake up in the morning and go to get dressed, you have so many clothes you can’t really think straight and feel super overwhelmed.

Today, I’m going to teach you one of my guaranteed style strategies that will keep your closet from feeling overwhelming and make it easy and fun to coordinate an outfit.

I PIECE, 3 WAYS STYLING TIPS

Step 1: Keep It Cool or Keep It Warm

First things first, stick to the same color temperature. Warm hues with warm, cool shades with cool. Trust me, it makes all the difference! Don’t know your palette and need to get your colors done? (Click here to book a time on my calendar to learn more about getting a professional color analysis done.) See this post on how to use a color palette to curate a beautiful wardrobe.

Step 2: Refine Your Refinement

The next thing you need to keep in mind when putting together an outfit is you generally want to keep your outfits within the same level of refinement.

There are three levels of refinement:
Level 1:
Fancy, refined and delicate. These are typically special care items. Think “Dry Clean Only” items.

Level 2:
This is your everyday wear. Between refined and rugged.

Level 3:
Super casual. This is your workout and sports wear.

You can mix Level 1-2, or 2 with 3 but do not mix Level 1 with Level 3.

When you stick to similar levels of refinement like I have done in the outfits above, you will look more polished and put together. There will be a cohesive story or narrative.

When you don’t do this, your outfit will look “off.” Even if the pieces fit, they won’t look or feel right together. For example, you put on a nice fancy event dress, but then you wear old sandals instead of a pair of pumps or strappy heels, the outfit doesn’t work.

After you’ve put together the first outfit and you love how that looks,  try putting it together with an item in a similar silhouette, but a different clothing category. 

Step 3: Mix, Match, and Swap

Now for the fun part! Mix up silhouettes while staying true to your palette and refinement level. Swap out one item, and voilà – a whole new look that’ll have heads turning wherever you go! Instant style success.

So, whether you’re rocking wide-leg pants, chic shorts, or a statement skirt, remember these three golden rules. With the 1 Piece, 3 Ways strategy, your wardrobe will become a playground of endless style possibilities.

PLEASE SHARE: What item in your closet do you love to wear multiple ways?