Ways to Make Casual Outfits a Little More Chic

 

You love casual dressing but when you’re dressed down, you still want to look chic and well-dressed. Looking put together, even if you’re wearing a pair of ripped jeans with a tank top and sneakers, isn’t a trick with smoke and mirrors. It’s a matter of some simple tweaks that elevate and differentiate your casual look. Let’s look at a few easy ways to make casual outfits a little more chic.

Add a Beautiful Handbag

The good news is that you don’t need a Birkin to look like a million bucks. A quality handbag that’s stylish and well-made will do the same job when added to a casual outfit. Think about switching out that battered backpack for something a little less utilitarian and a lot more stylish.

You might still choose a backpack for your casual outfits but choose something with flair and the sleek look of a woman who gets things done, even when she’s off the clock. Today’s backpacks aren’t the mundane mountaineers of yesteryear and some are downright fashion-forward. Try a cheeky shoulder bag or a freewheeling hobo to set off your casual outfit. Whether you’re in ripped jeans, a tank top, and sneakers or a full-length summer tank dress, worn with a large-scale straw hat and flip flops, everything you wear is elevated by adding chic handbags. In beautiful colors, textures, and materials, purses clarify your style statement.

Build a Firm Foundation

Foundation garments are not worn for the sake of propriety alone. The bras and other undergarments you wear are the foundation of your clothing and determine the way it looks.

Visible panty lines, bra straps, and bra “bulges” can destroy the integrity of an outfit, making it look frumpy and haphazard. So, choose your undergarments carefully. Have your bras professionally fitted to ensure a comfortable, smooth fit and adequate support, making the most of any outfit you’re wearing.

Body-conscious trends are especially vulnerable to the potential for undergarment “failure.” For some of these casual outfits, it’s more sensible to wear an all-in-one undergarment like a bodysuit, reducing the lines and bulges that can be caused by separates. A seamless look is what you’re after, so choose carefully to look streamlined and chic, while supported and comfortable. The right undergarments add swag to any outfit!!

Chain, Chain, Chain

Casual dressing isn’t fussy but it can certainly be chic. So, accessorize your off-the-clock looks by adding something that is eye-catching, beautiful, and emblematic of the fashion landscape. One of the hottest trends of 2023, chain jewelry is the accessory of the moment. And it’s so easy to add this trend to casual looks.

This year’s chain trend is everywhere, with chain adorning handbags, earrings, shoes, boots, and belts. And body jewelry is a novel, fun part of the trend. Body jewelry can be anything from a simple gold chain around the waist to a full metal chain bra worn over a sheer blouse.

Wallet chains and purse charms featuring chains are huge right now, so if you’re not the type to wear chunky chain necklaces or shoulder-dusting chain earrings, add a chain this way. Body jewelry isn’t everyone’s jam but if it’s yours, try a crop top with a delicate—or chunky, as you see fit—waist chain, or go “Summer of Love” with a loose chain swinging from a chain bra worn under a white button-through shirt. Just add slouchy athleisure wear shorts, a ball cap, and your hottest kicks. Add pearls to the open-to-the-waist neckline of the shirt to give this traditional jewelry look a cheeky twist. Bonus points for French cuffs without cufflinks dangling over your hands for a dash of in-your-face punk.

Eyes Peeled for Thrifting Treasures

As you stalk the racks of thrift stores, be alert to items like silk scarves. Your hands will tell you they’re silk, as the texture of this fabric is unmistakably soft and supple. Wrap your silk scarf around the strap or handle of your chic handbag or use it to tie your hair back. Wrap it around your neck or let it trail from the back pocket of your jeans.

Elevate your casual look with thrifted Western-style shirts. The Western look is taking over international runways, so leverage it! Seek out embroidery, pearl-look snap buttons, and contrasting piping. Cut off the shirtsleeves and stuff the tails in your cutoffs. Now, add a pair of metallic cowboy boots and a straw cowboy hat. Or tie your Western shirt at the waist and wear it with this year’s full, flowing palazzo pants and sandals, your gorgeous handbag slung over an arm or shoulder.

Thrift stores are a gold mine of chic finds if you walk in the door with intention and a fashion laundry list. For minimal outlay, you’ll find key pieces that take your casual wardrobe from the mundane to the sublime in one sharp style move.

Chic appeal for casual dressing takes you to a whole new level of leisure-time style. With a few easy pieces and some cleverly applied accessorizing, you’re effortlessly chic and infinitely stylish.