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Un-Fancy

capsule wardrobe 101, Outfits: Summer, summer outfits

how to take your basics from day to night

09/17/14

Come in close …

I’ve got a secret for you.

Ready?

Here it is:

Basics don’t have to be basic.

They can do day and night with simple accessory swaps + a general rule that has to do with wearing flats during the day and heels at night.

Learning to style your outfits up and down is like a secret weapon. And it’s surprisingly easy to master.

Here are six examples of how I styled pieces from my summer wardrobe for day + night:

 Chambray Shirt

daytonight1

DAY: Pair your chambray shirt with skinny jeans + birks + a mini backpack for an errand-ready outfit.

NIGHT: Put on a pretty necklace + swap your jeans for soft black shorts + add a chunky heel and you’re ready for a night out.

Track Shorts

daytonight2

DAY: No brainer outfit here — just add Birks + a casual button up shirt for a look that’s pulled together yet relaxed.

NIGHT: Believe it or not, you can take your track shorts into the night with you. The look here is understated chic with chunky heels + a messy braid + a white tank with a bit of interesting detailing at the shoulders.

Jeans + Tee

daytonight3

DAY: Start with skinny jeans and a soft tee. Then add flat sandals + a backpack + a couple of bangles to give a bit of interest. Simple, simple, simple. Oh, and comfortable.

NIGHT: Ah, the power of accessories. Here we’ve got the same pair of jeans + top paired with totally different accessories — a cheetah clutch + chunky heels + a killer necklace. I’m sure you’re noticing a trend here — flats for the day to keep comfy, heels for the night to look like you cared more than you did.

Maxi Dress

daytonight4

DAY: This dress is an obvious candidate for a day to night piece, but let’s break it down anyway. For day, wear it with flat sandals and a mini backpack.

NIGHT: Change up the look by putting your hair in a topknot + adding a gold cuff bracelet + swapping your backpack for a mini cross body bag + slipping into some chunky heels. (You can’t totally see them, but they’re the same heels from the outfit above.)

Cotton Tank Top

daytonight5

DAY: For a day look, pair your cotton tank with skinny jeans + flat sandals + a casual beaded necklace. To me, this look would be a little boring, but the silver sandals give it just enough interest, while the cognac bag breaks up the dark color scheme.

NIGHT: Cotton reads casual, so up your game with a bold accent — crazy neon yellow heels, anyone? And finally, add track pants so everyone knows you know what’s up.

Little White Dress

daytonight6

DAY: Pair your little white dress with a cool jean jacket and flat sandals — and done!

NIGHT: Even a casual little white dress can go fancy. I decided to go with a bold black and white color scheme, and let the dress do most of the talking.

xo

15 Comments

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Comments

  1. Kristiana says

    September 17, 2014 at 8:21 am

    Love this post!. I’m a big fan of using accessories to spruce up a “basic” outfit. And I love how just adding something so simple as a pair of heels can completely transform a look.

    Kris | http://www.love-loft-life.com

    Reply
  2. Agnes says

    September 17, 2014 at 8:24 am

    Great post! I’m a big fun of 3rd :) I look at all ideas and I think that all we need is a little bit of inspiration, everything else can be found in our own wardrobe :)

    Reply
  3. ShalandaLeigh says

    September 17, 2014 at 8:32 am

    I love the idea of going from day to night. I haven’t tried it yet but I hope to soon. With plenty of shoes, I lack in the accessories department.

    Reply
  4. lucinda says

    September 17, 2014 at 8:55 am

    simplicity at it’s best.

    Reply
  5. Steph M says

    September 17, 2014 at 9:20 am

    Okay, the track pants! I bought a pair because track pants as fashion? Yes, please. But oh my goodness, I can’t keep them pushed up! How do you manage? I want them to be a little ‘styled’, you know, and the cuffs just slip down my legs. It has prevented me from wearing them in public.

    Reply
    • Tania says

      September 17, 2014 at 11:03 am

      Maybe you need a small size? I usually have the opposite problem as I have big ol’ legs lol There are also better brands out there that have tighter bands on the legs and waist. I find that H&M is a bit too loose in that regard, but I get a size smaller and have it fitted all over and pretend I am fabulous.

      Reply
  6. Lizz says

    September 17, 2014 at 9:51 am

    Loving these ideas! Those track shorts look great all spruced up for night!

    Reply
  7. Bruna says

    September 17, 2014 at 10:23 am

    Loved it!!!!

    Reply
  8. Irene says

    September 17, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    Love it!

    Can you do a post about your accessories? What you keep in mind when you’re buying accessories etc.

    Love from the Netherlands

    Reply
    • Jaime says

      September 17, 2014 at 5:43 pm

      I agree! Also ~ do you rotate them in/out with your capsules? Or do you have a standard set of go to accessories that you always use?

      Reply
  9. monica says

    September 17, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    Great ideas!

    http://www.moniquitabella.com

    Reply
  10. Sabrina says

    September 18, 2014 at 1:23 am

    Great inspiration. Love that maxi dress.

    Reply
  11. Niki says

    September 18, 2014 at 1:40 am

    Love the simplicity of the looks. It really is just a few tweaks to take it from day to night. I noticed that for a lot of the night looks it’s a matter of switching from flats to heels. Is there an alternative for the night outfits for those who don’t want to wear heels? What are your footwear recommendations that don’t require I wear heels?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Date Night: white blouse, black jeans & blue shoes - justjacq says:
    September 25, 2014 at 7:04 am

    […] a leather jacket over it and a dark bra underneath so it was a tad bit sexier. I was inspired by Caroline’s post about taking pieces from day to night. One thing that always bothers me about these kinds of posts […]

    Reply
  2. Vacation Capsule Wardrobe | Britt, where are you? says:
    March 31, 2015 at 5:34 am

    […] thing I really strove for (inspired by un-fancy’s post) was taking my day time outfits to nighttime […]

    Reply

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