While we always want to look our best, sometimes the situation doesn’t call for our most standout outfit. If you’re hanging out with friends or at home, then sometimes a more casual look is far more appropriate. However, casual doesn’t have to mean that you don’t look great.
Here are some ways that you can style a casual look that works amazingly well for your personal style and helps you to look and feel good.
Comfort and Fashion
There’s a common misconception that you have to be uncomfortable or in pain to look good. However, this isn’t just incorrect, the opposite is often the case. If your clothes are comfortable, then you look and feel more comfortable, which makes you look nicer.
Let’s put it another way. When you’re obviously uncomfortable or in pain, then you might slouch or constantly try to adjust what you’re wearing. You may limp because of your heels or, in the worse cases, injure yourself. There’s nothing fashionable about bleeding into your shoes.
If your clothes are too tight, then they can be unflattering. While you might not want to accept that you’re the higher dress size, getting the next size up can help you to look and feel so much better than squeezing into something that doesn’t fit properly.
The gold standard of comfortable clothes are clothes that are fitted to your body. These are the most flattering, as they fit your body perfectly. We’re all different shapes and sizes, which means that two outfits of the same size might sit completely differently on your body depending on the cut. If you can get fitted clothing, then great! If not, then try to find cuts and styles that suit you.
So, how does this apply to casual clothing?
While some outfits might require sacrificing the finer points of comfort or practicality for the greater good (balance is always key), casual clothing should always be comfortable. You need to be able to move around and relax in your casual clothes, or they’re inherently not casual anymore.
Finding Your Personal Style
Being comfortable in what you wear doesn’t just refer to your physical comfort. You also need to be comfortable in yourself and your choices. The best way to manage this is to find and define your personal style.
A personal style is different things for different people. For the more fashion-focused, it comes down to making a statement about yourself through your clothing. But many people stumble upon a personal style by picking clothes that they consistently like.
While following trends doesn’t hurt, trends are defined by the fact that they come and go. One way to make sure that you’re consistently in style is to use trends as a tool. If you like a trend, then let it inspire you and your wardrobe, but don’t let yourself become a slave to it. Trends are designed to sell clothing, which means that obsessively following every trend going, no matter what is a surefire way to rapidly spend your money.
However, your personal style is more consistent. It might change as you change, but it’s something that’s recognizably you. You can find inspiration for your personal style by looking at trends, as well as Pinterest and modeling or clothing shows.
You’ll develop a stylist’s eye over time, where you identify things that you love and dislike, as well as colors that work best for you. You should also look for silhouettes and how things hand when you wear them.
Your personal style will be evident in most of the clothes that you wear, but it’s most important when it comes to casual clothing. Work clothes are often subject to dress codes, so you’re expected to dress a certain way, and more formal events have similar rules and expectations, although you are usually able to be more creative.
Clothes for All Seasons
Your clothing should do a lot of things, but while there’s often a lot of focus on how they look, you need to consider how practical they are. One of the primary purposes of clothing is to protect you from the weather.
In summer, this means picking clothes that will keep you as cool as possible. You can have a lot of fun with it, and it all comes down to the aforementioned personal style. You can look pretty and ethereal in a floaty summer dress that will let the air to your skin, helping you to keep cool. You can also go cool and casual, with shorts, sneakers, and maybe some custom T-shirts to give your look some personality.
In winter, you need to keep yourself warm. Some people prefer winter clothes, as they allow you to embrace wonderful layers for a more complicated, yet comfortable winter look. This is the perfect time of year to pull out a sweater to keep yourself warm while being effortlessly stylish.
Smart Casual
For some people, the words “smart casual” send a cold sweat down their backs. This is because it’s sometimes hard to find the balance between casual and formal wear. However, it’s best to look at smart casual as a freeing idea.
Smart casual essentially means that you can put more effort into your outfit and show off a little, without having to go all out with your formalwear. This means different things for different people.
It’s a perfect opportunity to pair a floral dress with something a bit more funky, like military boots and a leather or denim jacket. Or you can simply dress up casual jeans and a t-shirt look with a blouse and a blazer.
Another good way to level up your casual wardrobe is to add accessories galore. Accessories are the perfect way to finish off any outfit and add a touch more personality to the look. Whether you want to be a bit more glam with jewelry, or you want to add a hat for an added dimension to your look, just have fun with your accessories.
