Go take a look at your closet. Now, push aside your everyday t-shirts and jeans. What do you have back there? An old, billowy white shirt from your Halloween costume three years ago? A pair of green overalls you found at the thrift store and just couldn’t pass up?
We all have these little items and accessories that find their way into our lives. Be it a costume piece or just something a little bolder than what you typically go for, it can be pretty hard to seamlessly fit these styles into your wardrobe. We asked several of you to share with us the most unconventional pieces in your closet, and how you style them for everyday wear.
“My mom gave me this shawl (I think it’s called a shawl?) to wear with dresses for mass and stuff. I was drawn to it because this is the type of clothing my grandma would make me but I never thought it looked good on me, especially around dresses so I decided to style it completely differently. I made it into a shirt by adding string to tie it together, but I would suggest sewing on buttons instead, I was just rushing. But I have never worn this just because I literally came up with it right now. I’m thinking I would wear it to hang out with friends at like a fair or a festival. It’s perfect for the summer because it’s super breathable.” – Karla Zamarripa
“I got this Halloween sweater through eBay this past winter. I had recently gotten really into fashion and wanted to lean more into wearing quirky clothing. One brand I really love is Talbots and their themed sweaters from the early 2000s. I’ve always been obsessed with Halloween and when I saw this Halloween themed sweater after scrolling through all the Talbots pieces on eBay I couldn’t turn it down. Even though it’s one of my favorite pieces, it doesn’t get a ton of use. Part of this is because Austin is hot and because this piece is a bit hard to style. I would say it’s a pretty wearable piece for me now that I own more clothing, although I think that its wearability depends largely on how you feel about wearing statement pieces. I’m hoping to get more use out of this sweater in the fall when things cool down a bit.” – Ren Breach
“This denim vest with little embroidered flowers was a thrift find I got for about a dollar. It’s a bit big on me, so I find it difficult to style, but I thought it was too cute to pass up! The fit is made a bit more awkward by the straps on each side– they make the silhouette kind of unflattering from the back when tied. I think I’m gonna try to alter it into something a bit more wearable when I have more free time. For now, I like to pair it with a solid colored skirt or pair of pants and add some cute spring-themed accessories.” – Kunika Trehan
“I made this top after seeing a lot of corset tops on Depop [a digital marketplace app] and Instagram, and I bought all the materials from Etsy! My mom taught me to sew and how to make some patterns because she went to grad school for fashion, she was a huge help whenever I got stuck. I don’t wear it super often– it’s truly not the most comfortable piece and requires you to keep really straight posture the entire time you wear it. But when I do, I like pairing it with a solid pair of pants with a fun texture or silhouette (either flare or bootcut). Overall, it’s not something I find easy to wear every day, but I think it makes me feel more excited for the occasions where I do get to wear it!” – Ira Gulati
Hopefully, we’ve inspired you to pull a neglected piece from the back of your closet and look at it with new eyes. You never know what a big difference some creative styling and a dash of confidence can make!