How to Put Together an Outfit: A Styling 101 Guide for Beginners

1. White tee and jeans

First, we’re starting simple and basic with a white t-shirt and blue jeans. Everyone probably has these pieces in their closet. This combination is my go-to when I want to look like I have my life together but don’t want to put in too much work.

There are a lot of variations that you can make. You could go for a fitted white t-shirt in a thicker material or a looser t-shirt in a thinner material. You can opt to tuck it in, leave it untucked or go for a crop top.

The same thing goes with jeans. I like my light, straight-legged jeans, but depending on your jean preference, you could go for darker denim, or a different cut and silhouette.

Because the outfit is so simple, I think that it provides a great opportunity to wear a belt. I’m wearing a brown leather belt of a medium thickness. I want the belt to have its moment but not take over the outfit.

When it comes to jewelry with this specific outfit, I like to go for something simple. I’m wearing a sun necklace which I think is perfect because it’s gold and matches the belt buckle.

It also has some personality, which is good because we’re working with a very blank slate.

With shoes, you can go in so many different directions. I personally gravitate to going with Doc. Martens. These are platform ones that give a really good solid grounding to the outfit.

I’m wearing white socks that you see them poking out of the shoes, and I think that looks really cool.

If you find that chunky black boots will weigh the outfit down too much, you can always go with some white sneakers that help keep it more casual.

Or you can go a little bit more classic by going with some heels.

2. Full black monochrome look

My first piece of advice for an all-black outfit is to think about the textures, as all the pieces are the same color.

Here, I’ve styled some faux leather pants with a cropped sweater. The textures are so different that each piece stands out on its own. I then added a black denim jacket that is kind of worn black.

I decided to go with a gold chain for accessories, and on my feet, I’m wearing a pair of black Converse. I feel really cool in this all-black outfit.

For more styling tips on wearing all one color, see my previous tutorial on monochrome outfit ideas.

Here, I’m wearing some black jeans and a black sweater. I also introduced a belt with a gold buckle, so it will pop out. To accessorize, I have a thin gold chain; honestly, when in doubt, go for a gold chain.

For shoes, I decided to bring the big boys back out - my platform Docs. To finish it off, I have my black blazer.

3. Patterned pants

Moving on to an item of clothing that is a little bit more fun: patterned pants. There are a couple of different ways you can approach pants that are really colorful. 

The first way is to let the pants be the statement piece, so you’ll want to go for a neutral or simple top. These pants are shiny, sparkly, and lime green. I feel like this is the perfect outfit for when you can’t be bothered because you really don’t have to do too much.

If you want the outfit to be a little bit more cohesive, you can go with patterned pants and then take a color in those pants and match it with your top.

In this case, I have these blue gingham pants, and I’ve paired them with a blue tank top that matches perfectly.

4. Black skirt

This can be any type of black skirt; I’m personally going with a black tennis skirt because I feel like it's versatile.

My first piece of advice when styling a skirt is to have fun with it. Going with a gingham patterned top keeps the outfit interesting. I decided to add a green cardigan because it looks super fun with the gingham. 

5. Neutrals

I started with a cappuccino-colored base and then added a sweater vest over the top. With those tucked in, I then added a cream-colored belt that helps to bring all of the elements together. Then I added some tan boots.

Neutrals together always look chic.

6. Platform boots

The height of platform boots can make them a little bit scary, but I think that high boots deserve their moment. I usually style them with a dress or a skirt, and I think they look the best with black tights because then the boots don’t seem as intense.

Here, I styled them with a red skirt and a patterned black and white top. I added a leather blazer because it adds some edge.

For a more casual look, I went with a denim skirt that is a little bit longer, so even though I’m showing my bare legs, it’s not showing that much.

I went really simple on the top with a beige turtleneck under a black crew neck. I feel like pairing platform boots with any outfit takes it up a notch.

How to put together an outfit

I hope you’ve picked up some helpful tips for how to put together a good outfit and style different items in your wardrobe. I’d love to hear if you have any top tips for styling outfits; let me know in the comments below!