What to Wear: New Uses for Your Closet Favorites

What to Wear: New Uses for Your Closet Favorites

Rethink everything from little black dresses to leather jackets.

Rae from wisanow says, "On Style goes strong, this article looks at great ways to utilize what is already at hand - maybe just a head shift needed.  Love the pic above of Twiggy wearing her version of a white shirt."

By: Cynthia Nellis October 27, 2011

If you've ever looked into your closet and wondered What do I have to wear? you are not alone.

One of the reasons that you may feel that there's nothing to wear is because you are so used to thinking inside the fashion box. You wear your little black dress the same way every time with pearls and pumps. Or you are used to pulling out your black pantsuit and wearing it with the same two or three tops

So, I've put together several photo galleries of "what to wear" ideas for your most common pieces to help you look at your standbys in a new way.

Little Black Dress - Your favorite dressy staple might benefit from a pair of red shoes or matching cuff bracelets.

• Wear cuff bracelets with your little black dress.-Just choose matching cuffs — everything from gold or silver to large jeweled cuffs — and pair (as the only accessory) with a basic little black dress for a striking look.
• Wear red shoes with your little black dress.- This look works best with bare legs or skin-tone hosiery (which seem to be making a comeback thanks to Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.)

• Try a leather jacket with your little black dress. - Give your little black dress a casual-cool vibe
• Cover up a little black dress with a tuxedo jacket - Want a way to cover up that looks fashion forward, not frumpy? Try a tuxedo jacket over a little black dress .
• Pair ankle boots with a little black dress. - The easiest way to freshen up any outfit is to add an updated pair of shoes. This season, the trendiest footwear is definitely the ankle boot. Wear yours with a little black dress  If you don't want to go bare-legged, black hosiery (especially tights) work with ankle boots.
• Add print or textured hosiery to your little black dress. - Cover up your legs the fun way
• Accessorize your little black dress with a bold necklace. - The best way to accessorize a little black dress? Add a dramatic necklace as the main focal point.

Vest - A vest is a great finishing piece, but you don't need to only layer it over a solid-color top and pants. Try it with everything from prints to brights for a fresh look.

• Go monochromatic with your vest.- Want to look chic and sleek? Wear all one color with your vest, ie a head-to-toe black ensemble
• Wear a menswear vest over an untucked blouse. - Go with a casual chic look and wear a vest — either menswear or fur — over an untucked blouse or tunic  If you are worried about too much volume (which is easy to get with a longer blouse and a fur vest) then wear the untucked blouse belted under a vest.
• Wear brights with your fur vest. - Although you may be tempted to wear neutrals with your vest (especially your fur vest)
• Wear a vest as a top. - One new way to wear your menswear, button-front vest is to wear it alone, as a top  If you want a little more coverage, layer a pretty lacy cami underneath or wear it alone under a tux jacket for evening wear
• Wear a vest with a print. - Don't be afraid to wear a fur vest — even one that has variations in color — with prints. It's a modern approach to mix and matching

White Shirt - Belt your white shirt and add leggings or layer it over tanks: new ideas for a closet essential.

• Make your white shirt casual.- Give a classic white button down shirt a relaxed feeling by wearing it belted over skinny pants. Add some fun accessories (nothing too matchy-matchy) and you have a perfect casual look that is timeless
• Give your white shirt a chic twist.- Want a white shirt look that's effortlessly chic? Tuck a basic white shirt in to ankle cropped pants and add fabulous heels: gorgeous!
• Keep your white shirt classic with jeans. - Tuck a white shirt into blue jeans (especially ones that are updated like these slightly low-waisted bootcut jeans) and add a pair of pretty flats for a classic look.
• Give your white shirt a dressier edge. - Pair a plain white shirt with a metallic gold skirt, black lace, velvet or other dressy fabric and it gives the entire outfit a modern dressed-up edge.
• Take a white shirt to work. - Sure, a white shirt with a black pantsuit is basic, but it's also perfect for the office.
• Adopt a trendy white shirt look. - Pop the collar, layer on a jacket and wrap your waist with double belts like Twiggy did for a trendy twist on the white shirt

Black Pantsuit - Add a pop of color or a pretty print to change up this wardrobe basic.

• Wear head-to-toe black. - All black isn't only slimming, it's very chic. Add a black shell or blouse under your black pantsuit  Make all black even more interesting by choosing something that has texture like burnout velvet or sheerness.
• Go shirtless with a black pantsuit. - Go for a sexy evening look that skips the blouse. Add strands of pearls and jewels for a timeless, elegant black pantsuit look that's dressy.
• Add a white shirt to a black pantsuit. - Add a white shirt — either a crisp tailored white shirt or something sheer and pretty — to a black pantsuit for a classic look
• Add a bright shirt to a black pantsuit. - A shot of bright color like fuchsia or turquoise adds some pop to a basic black pantsuit.
• Add a print blouse to a black pantsuit. -A black pantsuit forms the perfect background for either dark ground prints or something fun and girly like a floral.
• Try fancy flourishes with your black pantsuit. - A turned up collar, broad cuffs and a sparkly brooch all add a huge dash of style
• Wear a vest with your black pantsuit. - Add a dandy touch to your black pantsuit by adding a matching vest
• Wear a scarf with your black pantsuit.-Add a scarf — print, textured or bright solid — to give any black pantsuit a lift.

Leather Jacket - A leather jacket with a cocktail dress? Modern and fresh. More ideas to stretch your looks with a leather jacket.

• Wear ankle boots with your leather jacket. - A cute way to balance out this season's hot shoe — the ankle boot — is to wear a leather jacket with it. Add a dress or skirt, and bare legs (black tights can work, too, if you don't want to go bare.
• Add a bright scarf to a leather jacket. - Throw on a big, bold scarf with your leather jacket. Prints, punchy colors and textures all give a black leather jacket an updated look.
• Wear a leather jacket with something dressy.- Add a leather jacket over a little black dress or even a leopard print maxi dress like Rachel Zoe has done (Helen Mirren did something similar months ago.): the idea here is to give your dressy piece a casual-cool vibe by adding a black leather jacket to it.
• Choose another color besides black leather for your jacket. -No need to stick with just black: other colors make great neutrals, too. Look for putty, chocolate, even a bone-colored leather (all these tones are actually less harsh on mature skin than black.)
• Wear a leather jacket with brights.- The best way to wear this season's bright red, blue and green pants? By tempering them with a leather jacket up top

Pearl Necklace -

• Wear a pearl necklace with a pendant. - Give pearls extra style by adding a pendant. You can either add something chunky
• Choose pearls with a light look. - Pearls that are strung on a lightweight base like wire and have space between them have a floating-on-air look that's elegant and modern.
• Do wear large pearls in multiple strands. - Get a rich, layered look by wearing multiple strands of large pearls. Up the style factor by mixing different colors of pearls together
• Do wear a pearl choker. - Choose an updated pearl necklace in something elegant like this collar-style pearl necklace pictured. Another great pearl necklace option that's close to the face is a bib-style necklace.
• Try different colors of pearls. - Who says pearls have to be white? Try something with a silvery finish or opt pink or even black.
• Wear long strands of pearls.-Long multiple strands of pearls (if it's 26-36 inches it's called opera length; 36+ it's a rope length) are a perfect way to wear pearl necklaces. They look especially great with silhouettes like tunics or sheath dresses that don't have a defined waist.
• Mix pearls with chains. - Go with a look Coco Chanel herself would approve of by mixing a pearl necklace with chains.
• Wear a single, classic strand of pearls. - A classic length for a pearl necklace is about 18 inches; at this length it looks great with most necklines and is timelessly chic.
• Mix pearls with glitz. - Make your pearls really pop by mixing them with clear and colored crystals (or even better: mix them with diamonds)