Determine the pattern – and break it
Think about the outfits you’ve worn in the past weeks as a whole. What do they have in common? In everyday life, we often stick to an established formula – for example, a t-shirt plus jeans. Even if you mix and match many of them, the resulting look is bound to be somewhat similar. Therefore, it might be useful to replace a part of the equation altogether.
For example, instead of jeans, you could get a pair of trousers; even if you wear them with the same old t-shirt, they will still elevate your look because the pattern is broken, and the combination is less basic now. Vice versa, you can keep the jeans and change your go-to type of top. That way, you can upgrade your outfits by buying just one or two new pieces instead of a whole wardrobe.
Where to shop:
10 Russian Clothing Brands to Shop Online
Be mindful about looking for inspiration
You can often hear stylists saying you should “look for references,” but that’s a very general tip that’s not always helpful. If you start to aimlessly browse outfit ideas online, you’ll get overwhelmed in a second. It’s not clear what exactly to look for, plus all these cool outfits you find attractive on others might not suit you. How do you go about it then?
The answer is: try narrowing it down. Again, you can turn to the pattern you’ve determined earlier and characterize it with one word. Sporty? Casual? Basic? Corporate? Once you do that, it might be easier to find a keyword for the style you’re aiming for. For example, you might want to go more classic or extravagant, perhaps more feminine or masculine, creative or practical. Keep your chosen word in mind and try browsing for outfits paired with it, or, better yet, look for guides on how to dress that way. Not everything you’ll see will be directly applicable to you, but you’re guaranteed to broaden your horizons in the direction you want them to. If you’re lucky, you might even find a content creator who has a similar style and body type as you, and then you can refer to their looks for inspiration.
Examples:
How To Be More Elegant and Classy: Lessons from Audrey Hepburn
“You can also take inspiration from any type of art or even from your own life experience to make your style more authentic,” says Polina Korkina, a stylist from St. Petersburg. “Think about things that impacted you and create a mood board. What would you pin to it? An album cover from a favorite band, some of the greatest art in our history or a weird teapot you saw in your grandma’s house when you were a kid – it could be anything. This method helps to set the tone to your style and stick to it, regardless of what’s trending at the moment.”
Pay attention to details
It’s not only what you wear, but also the way you wear it. Tiny things can change your appearance: if you thoroughly clean your old white sneakers, they might start to look brand new; if you tailor a pair of pants that are a little bit too big, you’ll look much more polished; if you always wear a shirt buttoned up, try unbuttoning it and wear a t-shirt underneath, etc. It may not sound like much, but is actually a really good way to upgrade your outfits without spending much money – all you need to do is put in a little more effort.
More tips:
We hope this guide was helpful and inspirational for you. In case it made you wonder what were the outfit options in the past, look no further – here are our stories on Soviet fashion and Russian folk dress.
