How to Mix and Match Clothes You Already Have

Discover how to create a whole new wardrobe from the clothes you already have.

Sometimes, fashion can be complicated, and we can get stuck in the cycle of wearing the same outfit all the time. However, not everyone wants to buy a whole new wardrobe every season, and most would love to make the most out of the clothes they already own.

The question is, though, how do you mix and match clothes you already have? Well, it is straightforward, but it can take some time and a lot of experimenting.

In this post, here are seven main tips on how to mix and match clothes you already have so that you can have multiple outfits you love without having to buy anything new.

1. Sort out your wardrobe

First, you need to start by going through all your clothes, go through everything and decide what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of.

Not only will this help you become more organized, but it will also give you a chance to see what you own and give you a better idea of the outfits you can make.

Most of the time, we get stuck in a wardrobe rut because we forget what we have and end up sticking to the same outfits. When it comes to sorting all your clothes out, be prepared to be strict with yourself, and only keep things you know you will wear.

If you already have an idea of an outfit or an emotional connection to an item, you can create sections or piles to organize everything out, which will later help you put everything back in the wardrobe.

Don’t keep things you know you won’t wear as this can make it hard to have an open mind when it comes to creating outfits; also, getting rid of clothes helps improve your organization.

Keeping things you won’t necessarily wear in your wardrobe can also cause you to think that you don’t have clothes that you like. This gives you the impression that you don’t have anything to wear, which is incorrect.

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2. Pick basic staple items

Having a few basics items will help you to build up an outfit. These basics will act as the foundation of the outfit to add different pieces to create multiple different outfits.

Your basics can consist of a t-shirt (black and white), leggings, a pair of jeans and some trainers; this is all you need to build outfits with.

Whether top or bottoms, the basics you chose should be quite neutral colours, such as black, white, or grey, this is simply because they are more versatile, they can be paired with more and are suitable for every season.

Having your basic staple items can mean you already have five or more outfits because you can style them in so many different ways.

Something you should be aware of is that your basics should always be trend-proof. There is no point in having a white top with the latest trend details, as once the trend is over, and it’s a new season; you won’t want to wear it, and they’ll be fewer outfits you can create with it.

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3. Pick statement items

Your statement items are the pieces that will make the outfit stand out and be the main focus of your outfit. Your statements might be a blazer, a skirt, a pair of boots, anything that draws attention to your outfit, and something that’s individual to you.

Having a statement piece you don’t particularly like, or it isn’t something you’d usually put with an outfit, defeats the purpose of having a statement piece.

If you see someone else wearing a particular item with an outfit that you wouldn’t personally wear, don’t copy it; find what works for you, something you’ll feel confident in.

The statement items don’t need to be anything out there; it can just be a simple cardigan, for example, but what makes it the statement is that it is built on top of your basic items.

If you like wearing bright colours or bold patterns, this is a great way to add a statement to the outfit. If that’s not your style, you can wear more neutral tones and add something like a blazer to be the statement.

Another way to have a statement in your outfit is to layer pieces together. For example, you can your basic t-shirt and a jumper, wearing the jumper over the t-shirt with a bit of the t-shirt showing is a good way of making the outfit out of simple items.

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4. Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone

To mix and match the clothes you already have, you must be prepared to try something new.

If you are the type of person that sticks to the same style or have a few outfits you wear on repeat, matching different items and trying new styles is the best way you’ll mix and match your clothes the most.

This doesn’t mean you have to change your style completely, but making those small changes will help you make the most of what is already in your wardrobe.

For example, a good way of mixing your clothes would be taking a dress that you often wear and adding a t-shirt jumper underneath. For some, this may be a huge no, but stepping out of your comfort zone and giving it a go, may give you a new style you love.

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5. Take some time to create outfits

Once you’ve been through your wardrobe and picked the bits you are keeping, start to put some outfit ideas together.

You can start by selecting one item, laying it out, and style it with loads of different pieces. Keep doing this until you’ve found an outfit you like, and then keep repeating this with other pieces.

A good thing to do while doing this task is to take photos of the completed outfit. This helps you see what you’ve got, and it stops you from having to do this whole process later down the line.

It’s also a good thing to have for the rushed morning when you panic about what to wear; instead, you can look through your photos and take your pick.

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6. Find inspiration

Don’t be afraid to use social media or the internet to find some inspiration. Something that I’ve learnt is that, when you want to broaden you style or want different ways to style a specific item, use websites like Pinterest or Instagram.

It allows you to see different styles you may not have thought of yourself or have different variations of something.

You doing this can help you find styles that suit you or give you the inspiration you need to put outfits together.

You don’t necessarily need to copy the outfit from head to toe, but finding the little things you like and putting them together to find an outfit that suits you the most is the best way to do it.

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7. Use accessories to change up the outfit

Another way you can mix and match the clothes you already have is by using accessories. Accessories are a good way of elevating an outfit and making the outfit look different. For example, an all-black outfit of jeans and a jumper can be changed by adding some gold jewellery and a belt.

The accessories you use don’t have to be over the top or have loads of different accessories; they can be simple as a layered necklace or a belt with gold detailing. The primary purpose of an accessory is to add a feature to the outfit.

Take the outfit you’ve already put together and start by adding simple items, such as a pair of earrings. Keep adding and swapping out items until you have an outfit you are happy with and are ready to wear.

It’s important to remember you don’t need to overdo it with the accessories; some outfits only need something simple to pull it all together.

You also don’t need a wide variety of accessories. For example, you can have two handbags that you switch between a few different jewellery pieces and a belt and scarf.

The point is, you don’t need loads of different items; styling the same ones in different ways will make them look brand new each time.

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Summary

I hope these steps have been useful and have helped you to mix and match the clothes you already have.

It can be easy to get rid of something you’ve worn a few times because of the repetitive outfits, but these tips will help you wear the same items multiple times but in completely different outfits.

This will help you broaden your style and help you spend less money as you won’t need to go out and buy new clothes all the time.