Ready to elevate your classic style outfits? Here are three master tips to take your look to the next level.
Classic style is one of the most sought-after styles today. And why not? It’s polished, chic, and enduring, embodied by style icons like Princess Diana and Cindy Crawford.
Styling classic outfits presents a challenge familiar to classic and non-classic lovers alike. The challenge is finding the right balance between trendy and dated—in other words, timeless. Timeless applies not only to clothes but also to the person wearing them. If you want to learn more about ‘what is classic style clothing’, I’ve written an entire guide that I definitely recommend reading.
In this article, I highlight some important fashion tips for those who want to master the classic dressing style or even enhance a capsule wardrobe. In my experience, these tips are game-changers. I hope they help you as much as they’ve helped me master the classic fashion style definition.
This post is all about classic style outfits.
How To Dress Classic Style Outfits
1. Classic Style Outfits Have Three Noticeable Pieces
When it comes to classic outfit ideas, make sure your outfit has three noticeable pieces. In the design world, the most aesthetically pleasing creations follow the rule of thirds, or the golden ratio frequency found all over nature (e.g., flower petals and seashells). Adding a third piece brings an outfit together (like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae).
Right Photo: A braided belt with a shiny buckle adds enough contrast to ground this classic style outfit.
For example, let’s take a button-down shirt and a pair of trousers. An ideal third piece can be a cardigan, a jacket, a belt, or a scarf.
For another example, let’s take a dress with heels. An ideal third piece can be a pair of tights, a statement necklace, or a belt.
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While classic looks can certainly have more than three pieces, the idea is that three of those pieces should be apparent. You can use color, material, or shape to differentiate your separates. Please note, that unless your footwear stands out, it typically doesn’t count as a third piece.
2. Dress In Your Best White
Though not necessarily minimal, the best classic outfits get every detail right. It’s important to know your most flattering colors, especially whites. This, of course, is all due to the white button-down shirt, a must-have staple in any classic closet.
However, bright white may not be the most flattering option for you. Does it give you an even and fresh complexion? Or does it make you look blotchy and tiresome? If so, sister colors such as ivory, cream, or even a dull white may be more giving.
Right Photo: A cooler, brighter white gives my skin a more even complexion.
Note: I used the same lighting in both photos. My skin undertone is cool and I tend to look best in a winter or summer color palette.
Head to your nearest store for business casual workwear or wardrobe basics, like H&M or Banana Republic. Try different shades of white and see what looks best. Typically warm undertones favor ivory and cream, while cool undertones favor truer whites.
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3. Know Whether To Go Sharp Or Soft With Styling
Though somewhat intermediate, this style tip is essential to classic style fashion due to the prevalence of tailored looks. The cut and style of jackets, shirts, dresses, and coats range from sharp, crisp lines to softer, more relaxed shapes. Depending on your body type and facial features, you’ll look better in one or the other (or somewhere in the middle).
Soft facial features and fleshy bone structure favor softer materials and styles while dramatic facial features and sharp bone structure favor crisp materials and styles. These characteristics correspond to bone structure and how weight is distributed on the body instead of a one’s weight or clothing size.
Right Photo: Softer materials, rounded hems, and a more relaxed fit in the shoulders and bodice create a more flattering classic outfit with my softer features.
Note: The outcome would be reversed when styling these outfits on someone with more dramatic (sharper, straighter) features.
Some people have a mix of soft and sharp features, so this balance is also achieved by pairing a softer piece with a structured piece such as a satin blouse and a semi-fitted blazer in tweed. Again, going to a store and trying different styles, materials, and shapes will help you determine what classic styles look best on your body type.
Related Post: These Fashion Tips For Body Types Actually Work
Classic style outfits are so much more than mixing and matching a capsule wardrobe. Developing an awareness of your unique features and the materials and colors that flatter you best is key to styling timeless, classic looks at any age.
This post was all about classic style outfits
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