We *all* know the feeling of looking in our closet and thinking, “I have nothing to wear.” When you’ve worn every combo thrice, embracing your inner fashionista is hard. But look no further—here, I’ll give you my top five tips for enhancing your outfit in a simple and easy way (no DIY, and yes, that means no scissors).
Cropping T-shirts Without Scissors
The feeling of having a tank top or T-shirt that would look so much better if it were cropped is universal. Have no fear, because there is a simple 1-minute hack to solve this problem. My friends and I use this practically every week in school, and it works like a charm. All you need is a T-shirt or tank top and a hair tie (preferably not a scrunchie—try the thin but strong ones). Make sure to put the hair tie on your wrist! This will make the hack a lot quicker.
First, you’re going to put on the top you want to crop and tighten. Then, you’re going to take a bundle of fabric from the back of your shirt, starting with the hem, and bunch it together. As you do this, look how the length changes in the mirror with the more fabric you bunch. Once the shirt is at your desired length and fit, take the hair tie from your wrist and tie it around the base of the bundle as many times as required to tie it together. (Pro tip: I’ve found the sweet spot is three times.) Finally, with the tied-up bundle of fabric, tuck it inside your shirt—and there you have it! The back of your shirt is no one’s business, and often, the bundle won’t be that visible. Now you have a T-shirt or tank top that can be worn both full-length or cropped, giving you double the outfits while elevating your style.
Layering Dresses and Skirts Over Pants
This one is less of a hack and more of a mindset shift. Often, we see dresses and skirts as pieces to pair with tights or legwarmers underneath—but what if there was another option? This simple styling tip changed my closet and life in less than a day: layering dresses and skirts over pants.
There are no instructions for this, so go wild! The first time you try, it might feel unnatural—but if you end up liking it, the possibilities are endless. A common example of this is wearing a knee-length or shorter dress over baggy or flared jeans (baggy sweatpants also work great). This gives you a snatched silhouette on the top while keeping it baggy and visually interesting on the bottom. If the top of a dress doesn’t follow your school’s dress code (for example, it is strapless or has spaghetti straps), you can always layer a short or long-sleeved shirt underneath. Typically, this hack tends to work better for shorter dresses than longer dresses, but fashion is all about experimenting and figuring out what works for you.
When it comes to skirts, this hack is definitely harder to implement. If you have a maxi skirt or a skirt with built-in shorts under it, pants likely won’t fit under it. But if a skirt doesn’t have built-in shorts and isn’t a thick maxi skirt, get creative with layering. A combination that always looks good is a tighter, slightly cropped top, a short skirt and baggy or flared jeans underneath. Not only does this immediately make you 10 times more fashionable, but it is also a creative spin on a standard outfit. This helps you find your personal style a lot quicker and opens up hundreds of avenues for accessorizing.
Wearing T-shirts and Sweaters Over Dresses
The biggest part of expanding your closet is going out of your comfort zone in fashion. While others may see dresses as something they wear on their own, they can be so much more—they can be turned right into laid-back pieces. An easy way to wear dresses casually while looking cute is to wear T-shirts and sweaters over them. If you prefer a more minimalist style than the previous tip, this idea is for you—it’s easy to dress down and keep low-key.
Since this tip doesn’t have exact instructions, the possibilities are, once again, endless! Baggy shirts look best on these dresses as they tend to hide the bulk of the top while showing the skirt at the bottom. In cold weather, this hack saves you when you’re trying to look cute but comfortable. Try on a sweater over a dress, and get ready to look straight out of a fashion magazine (like, GL, ahem!). For bonus points (in accessorizing *and* adapting to the weather), try on a pair of jeans or thermal tights and legwarmers underneath the dress. We all have T-shirts that we avoid picking up to wear to school—there’s a good chance at least one of them matches perfectly with one of your more fancy dresses.
Accessorizing with Household Items
Clothes are the base of any outfit, but if you’re looking to elevate your outfit—whether it’s for a special occasion or not—you’ve come to the right place! Accessorizing isn’t just jewelry: household and comfort items can double as accessories. (In this case, don’t be afraid to take risks.) For this hack, you will need keychains or small stuffed animals (we’re looking at you, Labubus) with attachment loops. You may also need paperclips, safety pins, carabiners or any attachment device.
If your bottom doesn’t have loops—for example, if you’re wearing a skirt, dress or simply pants without belt loops—you can always invest in a sturdy metal belt chain. They come in all shapes and colors, and can act as accessories by themselves, too.
At the end of the day, wearing clothes in unconventional ways is a great way to approach your outfits when you feel like you have nothing to wear. Look for silhouettes you like, and try to match them—even if it means you end up wearing combinations you’ve never worn before. When experimenting, you never know which surprising combination you’ll end up liking the most, so try out some of the tips in here and see which ones fit your aesthetic.
Tag us on IG @girlslifemag with your fave fashion fits!
Looking for more fashion tips?
👗 The Easy Equation To A Simple (But Cute) Back-To-School Outfit
👗 The 2025 Fall Fashion Trend Inspo You Need For This Weird Weather
👗 DIY Your School Wardrobe
Top and slider image: @heyimhershy
Body images: @shop.rosewood.co, @briafo, @nadiaelok, @alexandraarmata
