Being college students, we definitely live our lives with a bit of a tight budget. Sometimes this means we (unfortunately) can’t buy every cute outfit we see for every occasion. It is important to have some fashion staples that can be styled for pretty much any occasion. The key to making an outfit work is all about accessorizing it correctly and styling your hair and makeup accordingly. Here are some tips on how to style a simple outfit for various occasions, along with suggestions of what fashion staples to use.
For school:
What to wear: Jeans, leggings, t-shirt or tank top
Shoes: any
Accessories: none*
Makeup: none*
Hair: style as desired
This requires almost no effort, just go for whatever is comfortable!
*anything that you wish to wear
For casual events (dates, gatherings with friends or family, certain parties):
What to wear: Jeans or a skirt, plain/patterned shirt
Shoes: any
Accessories: simple jewelry (stud earrings, small necklace)
Makeup: Simple, if desired.
Hair: simple styles as desired
For most casual events, simple is best. Go with pieces that will look good, but not over done.
For an interview:
What to wear: nice blouse, skirt or dark pants, blazer or neutral cardigan, simple colored dress
Shoes: flats or heels (solid, neutral color)
Accessories: Simple or none
Makeup: Very natural, simple makeup
Hair: out of your face, nothing fancy
For interviews, most basic fashion staples will work as long as they are decent and professional. Do not over do anything, keep the look simple and professional.
For semi-formal events:
What to wear: skirts, dark pants, blouse, simple dress, maxi dress
Shoes: flats, heels, sandals
Accessories: earrings, necklaces
Makeup: a little more than normal
Hair: half up half down, curled, straightened
The key for making an outfit work here is finding the perfect balance between dressed up and casual. Do not overdo it! Remember, its semi-formal so you don’t want to look overdressed.
For formal events:
What to wear: dresses (typically floor length), long skirt with same colored shirt
Shoes: heels or flats
Accessories: bracelets, necklaces, earrings, anything you feel is necessary
Makeup: “night time” makeup
Hair: up-do’s
This is your time to shine. Go as fancy as the event will allow for, some events will call for a more professional style and others can be as fun as you want. For these, you can do the makeup as heavy as you feel is appropriate.