My sister has a real talent for putting together *adorable* casual outfits. A little half tuck here, a little hat there, and she looks like she just stepped out of the Anthropologie lookbook! Me, I tend to go for one of two options: 1) dressed up—full face of makeup, the whole nine yards, or 2) my comfy, comfy clothes with no makeup. I used to struggle with outfit questions, like, Do these socks look frumpy with this skirt? What on earth am I going to wear this top with? But, as I’ve developed my personal style, I’ve learned a few little tricks for creating casual, heading-out-the-door outfits. 

Here are 5 ways to dress up casual outfits.

1. Start with one (1) interesting piece.

In this outfit, I wanted to keep the focus on this lilac eyelet top. So I paired it with a dark denim pencil skirt. The skirt is flattering but doesn’t steal all the attention. 

If I had worn a bright or patterned skirt, it would have distracted from the main star of the show—the top! For a truly good outfit, choose one piece to shine. And make sure that everything else supports that piece instead of distracting from it.

2. Do a cute hairstyle.

If you have 5 minutes, you have time for a simple hairstyle! My sister happens to be fantastic at cute hairstyles (lucky me!), so I asked her to do this side braid before I went to work. It did a great job of taming my Day 4(!) curly hair. 

Here are some easy ideas for cute hairstyles:

Dutch side braid (This is basically what Paryse did on my hair.)  

Throwback ponytail

Maiden braids

You might not think a hairstyle makes a big difference, but it does! I remember one weekend when I attended a Christian conference (before CG method). I let my hair do its own thing (poofy and a bit frizzy) until Sunday morning. 

Fed up with my hair, I did a simple maiden braids hairstyle. It took me less than 5 minutes and made me feel more put-together. And, when I walked into the church, a guy friend exclaimed, “Look! You did your hair!” *blushes* Although it was a slightly embarrassing moment, it helped me realize that I should try a little harder with my hair. Haha!

3. Wear cute shoes with your casual outfits.

No matter what the servants in Ever After say, people WILL be looking at your feet. And shoes can either make or break your look. 

For casual shoes, my philosophy is, “Buy them cheap, and wear them out.”

I picked these polka dot sneakers up at Giant Tiger for $5 on clearance! Yay! Although I don’t expect them to last for more than a season, I’m not worried about it because the price was so low. 

Last year, my mom and sister and I purchased black lace-up flats from Walmart for $3 on clearance. We wore those shoes out! And they looked cute with just about anything! 

(With that being said, I do own a few pairs of boots, quality running shoes, and a pair of nude heels that were more expensive. However, they are “investment shoes” made of quality materials, and they’ll last for several years without going out of style.)

4. Define the waist.

One of my pet peeves with modern fashion is the lack of a defined waist! If you wear an oversized shirt AND a baggy skirt/pants, how are you not going to look frumpy?! Some people can pull it off, but not me!

Here are some ways to define your waist:

• Tie a knot in one corner of your shirt.
• If the waist of your skirt fits your natural waist, tuck in your shirt all the way.
• If you know how to sew, take in your shirt a little at the waist.
• Add a belt in a neutral or pop colour.

A defined waist is a simple way to make your outfit look 100% better. Trust me on this, ladies!

5. Add a jacket or topper to your casual outfits.

Although I didn’t wear a jacket with this outfit, it’s another easy way to dress up an outfit. I could have added a jean vest or jacket to this outfit, and it would have looked adorable. 

If the weather happens to be chilly or wet, a jacket is also going to be more comfortable than bare arms. But, if it’s warmer than you thought, you can just take off the jacket.

Let’s Chat:

Which of these tips for dressing up a casual outfit was your favourite? Do you like casual outfits or dressing up better? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!