Are you ready to make your fashion game to the next level? Discover the most brilliant fashion hacks that not only take your style to new heights, but are also kind to your bank account and the planet!
Fashion hacks
Chances are you have a lot of cool creations in your wardrobe that you are completely unaware of. We do not mean that you have forgotten them at the bottom of a drawer, but that you have not yet discovered the full potential of a garment. We will help you get more out of your wardrobe! Mirjam Hamming is sustainable style coach and shares nine original fashion hacks with very ordinary pieces of clothing. These are all clever ways to create more original outfits with garments you already have hanging in your closet - we, along with Mirjam, have gathered the best tricks for you. So pick up your creative hat and dive into your closet! You'll be amazed at how simple and fun it can be! Thank us later!
Classic versus sporty
If you take a pair of jeans or a short denim skirt out of your closet, you will probably choose a sporty T-shirt to go with it. Mirjam: ‘That's cool too, but look what happens when you wear something completely different with it, like a lace going-out top or a business blouse. Those jeans or skirts can also be combined incredibly well with more classic clothes and other fabrics. A pair of pumps underneath and you can even wear a denim fabric to a chic dinner or a job interview. In short, one pair of jeans offers many outfits. Oh, and of course the other way round works too. Try it on! Business trousers also go great with a sporty T-shirt and you have a totally new look,’ is one of her handy tips.
Split a suit
‘Do you have a matching suit like a jacket & trousers or trousers & shirt with the same print? Take them apart! Wear the outerwear with a different pair of trousers or skirt and vice versa! Bet this produces more surprising combinations than how the suit was originally conceived,’ says Mirjam.
Need a new middle jacket? Think about your jacket!
About that jacket... Do you have one hanging around that could use a bit more daylight? Wear it on a nice spring or autumn day as a middle jacket. It's perfect! A jacket is easily seen as business-like, but that is unjustified. A jacket like this can be worn very well with a sporty look, for instance with trainers or a jumper underneath or with sporty jeans. These styles can be a bit rough, it makes it more exciting,‘ Mirjam says.
Combining busy prints
‘Many people think you can't combine different clothing prints. Nonsense! On the contrary, it can be done very well. What works very exciting is to combine a small print (i.e. with small, delicate patterns) with a garment with a larger print. Quiet versus busy, in other words. Bonus tip: make sure at least one colour matches in both prints, then you're always right. So a pink floral pattern and a pink stripe can go together perfectly,’ she believes.
A jacket can be perfectly paired with jeans for a sporty look and busy prints are also great to combine, as long as you stick to a few rules.
Summer dress for winter look
‘Do you have a cool summer dress? You can also wear that very dashing in winter,’ is her next tip. ‘Put a jumper over it, such as an oversized jumper with thick tights underneath, et voilà! You've created a cool new look. Extra nice is then to put a small belt around the waist (i.e. over the jumper), so you can puff the jumper a little over the thin belt. Here you go, a first free outfit. Bonus: this look can also work really well by buttoning a blouse or cardigan to a dress!’
Fashion hack for your cardigan
Talking about cardigans... ‘Wear it backwards once,‘ Mirjam tips, ’so with the buttons back. That way you can turn a cardigan into a jumper! And if it's really cold, just wear a turtleneck underneath.‘ Here you go, a new jumper without having to buy it. Basic rule of matching outfits ’When creating an outfit, start at the bottom of your outfit, i.e. your trousers or skirt,‘ she advises. ‘Chosen? Then find a matching top with that. Tops match well with undergarments if both garments have the same brightness in colours. So with two bright colours or two muted colours, you can't really go wrong.’ Read more about colour types and which type you might be here!
Fashion hack for a (blouse) dress
Yes, it hangs in many women's wardrobes, a dress with buttons from top to bottom, also called a blouse dress. How is it usually worn? Classically with tights and a turtleneck, right? It's great fun, but why not wear it open and wear jeans instead of tights? With a cool turtleneck and boots, that slightly business-like dress suddenly becomes a totally different garment. Also surprising is not to wear a turtleneck under that blouse dress, but a cool woollen jumper or sweatshirt over it! Then do the puff trick with the belt again and you have yet another outfit without buying anything new.‘
Make a black outfit festive with colourful accessories like a hair tie. And you can also combine that blouse dress in many more ways than just classic with tights with this fashion hack.
Too short?
Got outerwear with slightly too short sleeves or high-water trousers? Too bad, but no reason not to wear them. The solution is to just roll them up a bit more! Or is some outerwear too short (think a top) so you don't wear those either? Then try combining them with a high waist trousers or skirt and tuck that too-short shirt in. ‘No one sees it,’ she declares.
Little fashion hacks: tips with accessories
‘With earrings, scarves, necklaces, a hairband, socks, shoes, a turtleneck or a collar, you can give an outfit a surprising twist, at least if you add a third colour. ’I notice,‘ she says, ‘that many women tend to choose an accessory in the colours of their outfit. That's fine, but it becomes much more exciting if you don't choose red earrings to go with that red suit, but rather yellow earrings to go with a green hairband, for example. Experiment with these little details in front of the mirror to see what other combinations suit your style. Of course, you can also really spice up a ’boring’ outfit with accessories. So don't cross out that boring suit just yet. My advice is to browse through your accessories first.’
Get started with a no buy clothing style
Fashion hacks are some, but we have many more ideas to make the most of the clothes that are already there. We'll help you get started with the No Buy Fashion Guide. Over a hundred pages of cool ideas on how to look nice without even buying anything. Nothing. Nope. Nada. Not even second-hand! For 9.50 euros you will have it delivered straight to your inbox and thus on your tablet or mobile phone!
Will you also join this fun community? Read this guide too and discover lots of original ideas. Because so many cool clothes are already out there! Order the No Buy Fashion Guide from our webshop!
Your fashion hacks
So, what are you waiting for? Dive into your wardrobe and try these fashion hacks out! You'll be amazed at how small changes can make a big difference in your style and for the planet. Do you have a great fashion hack that we need to know about? Share it on Instagram and tag @thegreenlist.nl. We are super curious to see your creations! Happy hacking!
More sustainable fashion tips
- Organise a clothing swap party! We have tips!
- Free second-hand clothes: Also join The Clothing Loop!
- Lending clothes to each other? Think about this to avoid hassles.
Photo credits: main image: thegreenlist.nl, others: jacket: Blue Bird (Pexels), combining prints: Godisable Jacob (Pexels), woman with accessories: The Lazy Artist (Pexels), blouse dress: thegreenlist.nl.
