You don’t have to spend a fortune to look like you have an expensive wardrobe. The key is to look “put together”. What does that mean? Well, I would say that you want a clean, wrinkle-free, well fitting and coordinated outfit. Well-fitting means that the clothes are fit to your body type. Coordinated means that the pieces look like they go together, this includes your clothing items as well as accessories.

I’ve always been an advocate for dressing the body that you have. This is absolutely key to looking your best. Clothes that fit will flatter your body no matter your size. Wearing an oversized piece of clothing will most likely not flatter you. You want to find clothing that fits properly. This may require that you visit a seamstress to get the best fit for your body type. Be open to different styles and try on a variety of style to find what works best for you.

Our bodies change over time. We can’t the same thing in our 30s that we wore in our 20s. Nevermind what happens when we get to our 40s! We need to try on different styles to see how they fit. We need to try on the items we have in our closet to see how they fit! We have to embrace the idea that our bodies will look different in the clothes we own over time. If we’re willing to be objective about this, we can try different styles and find what works best and flatters most.

Once we have the right pieces, how do we pull the outfit together? A coordinated outfit requires that we pull together a “look”. We need the clothing items to be paired with accessories that make an outfit. This is where your personal style has an impact. You want to use your accessories to style your “look”. Let’s say that you prefer a more classic preppy style. Perhaps you like to keep your outfits simple. You’ve chosen to wear a black midi wrap dress with nude pumps. This is simple and straightforward from a style perspective. But you could pair this with a turquoise statement earing, a bright orange clutch and colorful bracelets when heading to dinner with your friends. Or you could pair this with a pair of pearl earring and head off to work. Start with a simple base and add depending on your preferred style.

Finally I want to go back to clean and wrinkle-free for a moment. Sounds so simple and straightforward, right? I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen in clothes that could use an iron and a trip to the cleaners. Please don’t think that maybe others won’t notice…. they will. Keep your clothes in good shape by following care instructions printed on the label. If you care for your clothes, they will last longer and look better.

This is how you can achieve a “put together” look - so that even a girl on a budget, can make a statement. How much you spend on the clothing items isn’t as important as how you look in them. Find items that work for you… for your body type, your style, and your budget!

See a few items below that won’t break your bank account and might contribute to your style goals!

J. Crew Factory Cropped Jacket with Pom Poms

Joie Elline Floral Printed Short Sleeve Blouse

Over the holidays I had a chance to catch up with some girlfriends. We were chatting about the family reunions and get-togethers that usually take place around the holidays. One friend of mine told a story about one of her younger cousins who came to their family reunion dressed in a very short mini-skirt and crop top. An outfit that might be considered “inappropriate” for such an event. This story got us talking about how we’ve noticed this in other scenarios as well. Where sometimes we’ve encountered people who just don’t dress appropriately for the event they are attending. This got all of us (and especially me) thinking about how we learn to dress for the event we’re attending or for the job that we commute to.

Workplace wardrobes have evolved enormously over the years. Going from corporate office jobs that required a business attire to tech startups where employees not only wear jeans, they wear their pajamas to work! Seems like industry plays a large part in determining workplace wardrobe. More traditional industries such as banking stick to a business attire dress code. More current industries have a more lenient dress code. But just because you can wear sweatpants to work doesn't necessarily mean you should.

The wardrobe you build says a lot about you. It’s a personal reflection of your style. What you choose to put in your wardrobe should flatter you. Over time, you want to build a wardrobe that is versatile enough to cover you from formal to casual and everything in between. Your work wardrobe should reflect your position and your industry. A senior position at a bank would require a very different wardrobe from that of a senior position at a tech start up. If you’re office is more on the casual side, don’t think that means your wardrobe can be reflective of the same thing you wear to the park with your kids. Even in a casual environment, you can still look professional in jeans. Be thoughtful about your wardrobe and what you want it to say about you.

So whether it’s dressing for work, a family reunion, or even date night, be thoughtful about your wardrobe. When it comes to work, dress for the job you want. I remember once hearing the phrase “you can never be over-dressed”. I think for the most part that’s true. I’ve found it’s better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed. When in doubt, take the high road and dress it up.

Below I’ve highlighted a few options in versatile pieces that will go far in your wardrobe.

The right cardigan can make all the difference. Depending on your style and the occasion you have lots of choices in this great layering piece. A delicate stylish cardigan can dress up an outfit. A boyfriend cardigan can give your outfit an edge. These two cardigans below (both from Ann Taylor Loft) offer a little feminine structure to your outfit. Perfect for business casual (paired with a blouse and pencil skirt or trousers) or date night (with a V-neck tee or tank and jeans).

These two dresses (both from Ann Taylor) offer versatility to go from the office to evening out. What about a school fundraiser or charity auction? We all have different functions that we find ourselves struggling to dress for at the last minute. A simple black shift dress can be the answer in a pinch when you’re unsure what you wear. A wrap dress is classic and timeless. Both options are easy and flattering. Why makes things complicated? Keep a simple solid dress in your wardrobe that can be dressed up or down in a moments notice and you’ll never be caught with nothing to wear!

Also, it’s worth mentioning that Ann Taylor has a section on their website highlighting their work wardrobe options. In fact there are several retailers offering this type of collection shopping where you can pick the style of clothing you are shopping for to help filter your options.

These two J. Crew blazers show just how “non-traditional” your blazer can be. There is a good chance you already have a black or navy blazer in your closet. But what about a blazer with a twist? This velvet option adds texture and sophistication to an otherwise very plain tank and jeans. Imagine what it might do for a little black dress. The metallic tweed blazer is also featured over a white t-shit and pants offering a quick pick me up (perfect for date night). But this same blazer could easily be paired with a tank and pencil skirt, a shift dress or your favorite pair of boyfriend jeans. The structure in these pieces adds a little formality to an otherwise casual look.

As you can see from these few examples, there’s plenty of options in versatile clothing pieces that can keep you dressed appropriately for just about any event. You don’t have to buy a special outfit for brunch with the family. You also don’t have to wear sweatpants to work. Invest in a few key pieces and add on from there. When in doubt keep it simple and appropriate.

Your budget wardrobe doesn't have to look cheap

Dressing "Appropriately" with Versatile Options