Fashion Rules That Everybody Should Live By

We tend to express ourselves through our clothes. The way a person puts together an outfit says a lot about their personality. They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but let's face it, we're all guilty of a little cover-judging.

What you wear is important, and though we're all for self-expression in any form, there are some basic fashion rules that can help you portray yourself as a put-together, respectable human being.

Cinch In The Waist

woman wearing jean dress and leather belt
Photo Credit: @redheaded_misfit / Instagram
Photo Credit: @redheaded_misfit / Instagram

A belt can add a lot of visual interest to an outfit, and it can also help less structured clothes flatter your figure a bit more.

Never underestimate the power of a good belt.

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The French Tuck

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french tuck burgundy outfit
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Photo Credit: @styleblueprintmemphis / Instagram
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Tucking in only one side of the front of your shirt is known in professional circles as the "French tuck."

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It's a sure way to make sure that your clothes look super chic.

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Iron Your Collar

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Photo Credit: @kfashinspiration / Instagram
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To make sure that the collars on your shirt lie flat, take a hair straightener to them.

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Just press the collar down for a fresh, put together look every single time.

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Wear A Coat As A Cape

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Photo Credit: @milyfeinanutshell / Instagram
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Unleash your inner superhero and wear your coat as a cape. Who says you have to put your arms in jacket sleeves?

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Just throwing the jacket over your shoulders is way more stylish.

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No More Pilling

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Photo Credit: Instagram
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The best way to remove pilling and fuzzy looking loose threads from your knitwear is to take a razor to your sweaters.

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You sweaters will look as good as new after you give them a bit of a shave.

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No More Shapeless Dresses

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girl taking a mirror selfie in a beige shift dress with black belt.
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Photo Credit: @zoekoops / Instagram
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Shift dresses can be beautiful, but they can also be pretty shapeless.

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If you think shift dresses don't work on your body type, it might just be because you haven't tried them with a belt yet.

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Spray Your Tights

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woman sitting on a bench in navy blue tights and a red dress
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Photo Credit: @janynetens / Instagram
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If you spray your tights with hairspray after you put them on, you give them an extra layer of strength and protection.

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That way, they're less likely to tear as you wear them.

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Back To Basics

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Photo Credit: @inspiroue / Instagram
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There's nothing wrong with being basic.

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It's great to have items that fit into a neutral color palette in your wardrobe because you always know that they'll go with anything and that they're suitable for any occasion.

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Don't Give In To Trends

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youtuber alisha marie standing on a busy street wearing white gvinchy track pants, a black cropped tube top and a white bucket hat.
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Photo Credit: @alisha / Instagram
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It can be hard on your wallet when you try to keep up with the latest trends and fashions.

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You don't need to have name brand items in your wardrobe to be stylish.

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Go For A Monochromatic Look

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woman walking on street wearing green jacket and green dress
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Photo Credit: @styledumonde / Instagram
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Sometimes it takes a simple idea to make a statement.

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Try wearing an entire outfit with only one main color in it interspersed with a few neutral pieces. Check out this all green look.

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Leggings Are Definitely Pants

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youtuber remi ashton wearing black leggings and a pink t-shirt
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Photo Credit: @missremiashten / Instagram
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I don't care what anybody says, leggings definitely count as pants.

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You put them on one leg at a time just like every other pair of pants in the world. Plus they look pretty cute.

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Mix And Match

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woman wearing striped top and leopard print skirt
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Photo Credit: @helenanderz / Instagram
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Mixing patterns is an easy way to make it look like you know what you're doing as far as fashion is concerned.

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Just make sure that when you're mixing patterns, you mix two patterns of vastly different sizes.

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Tuck It In

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woman wearing a checked button down shirt tucked into a yellow pencil skirt
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Photo Credit: Trendy Curvy / Tumblr
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Make sure that when you're tucking your shirt in, things don't get too wrinkly.

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You can also tie blouses in the front as a less wrinkly alternative to tucking them in.

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Care For Your Clothes

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man holding up shrunken green sweater mirror selfie
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Photo Credit: @dj_t._official / Instagram
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Make sure you read the washing and care instructions on the label of your clothes before you just throw things in the washing machine.

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You don't want to end up with a shrinkage situation.

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Go To A Tailor

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Photo Credit: Huw Fairclough/Getty Images
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Very few items of clothing fit perfectly right off of the rack.

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It takes a little bit of tailoring to make sure that your clothes fit properly. It's worth the investment.

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The Perfect Cuffed Sleeve

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Photo Credit: @walmartfinds / Instagram
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You would think rolling up your sleeves would be easy, but it's hard to get that perfect cuffed sleeve look.

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Start by unbuttoning the entire sleeve, then fold the sleeve halfway up your arm, then roll up the folded part from the bottom.

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Always Try Before You Buy

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Photo Credit: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Never buy clothes without trying them on first.

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How will you know if something fits you or looks good on you if you don't try it on? Spend your money wisely.

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Wear Clothes That Actually Fit

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Woman in brown shirt, scarf, leather skirt, and a black fur overcoat standing outside
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Photo Credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
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It's so important to wear clothes that actually fit you properly and flatter your figure.

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Sometimes that means taking a few different sizes into the dressing room with you to see what works best.

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Perfectly Cuffed Jeans

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blue running shoes and cuffed jeans
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Photo Credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
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Getting the perfect cuff on your jeans seems like it should be simple to do but so many people get it wrong.

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Don't just scrunch up your jeans. Take the time to fold the cuff properly.

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Don't Underestimate Athleisure

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woman walking outside wearing blue track pants and a tight blue long sleeved top
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Photo Credit: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images
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Athletic clothing is making a real comeback. Brands are making athleisure that's both stylish and comfortable, so you really get the best of both worlds.

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This trend is definitely here to stay.

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Always Accessorize

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Photo Credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
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It's important to find the right accessories to elevate your outfits. A gold chain is a good classic accessory that goes with pretty much anything.

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You can really have fun with different styles of jewelry.

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You Don't Have To Wear Skinny Jeans With Tall Boots

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woman wearing jeans and knee high leather boots
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There are definitely ways of folding your flared jeans flat against your leg so you can comfortably fit them into tall boots.

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Don't think you have to go out and buy skinny jeans just because you have a pair of knee-highs that you want to wear.

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Prevent Shirt Gaping

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Photo Credit: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images
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People who have larger chests know full well how annoying it can be when button down shits start gaping between the buttons.

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Just grab yourself some double sided fashion tape and stick that fabric down.

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The Tank Top Trick

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woman wearing plaid vest dress over white blouse and big sunglasses
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Photo Credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images
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Sometimes when you wear a sweater or a sweater vest over a blouse, the blouse underneath starts riding up.

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Put on a tight tank top over the blouse and then put on your sweater. The tank top should keep the blouse in place.

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Create A Capsule Wardrobe

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Photo Credit: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
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You don't need all of your clothes in your closet all year round.

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Create a smaller capsule wardrobe for each season and put the rest of your clothes away in storage until you need them.

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Add A Pop Of Color

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ois Opoku is seen wearing red overknees boots Aldo, Proenza Schouler bag, black shorts Meotine, cape
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Photo Credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images
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Sometimes all a neutral outfit needs is a little pop of color.

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This woman is wearing all black and grey but her fire engine red boots are to die for.

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Add Some Shine

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Maria Rosaria Rizzo wears large earrings from Giovanni Raspini, a sequined shiny glittering short dress with long sleeves from
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Photo Credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
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Shine and sparkle can really add visual interest to an outfit and make you feel like a million bucks.

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Sparkle is a great addition to any outfit, and it can make a casual look feel more special.

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Throw A Coat On

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Sara Carnicella wears a gray wool beret hat from Zara, a brown oversized wool long coat from SeeUsoon, a white wool turtleneck pullover from Mango, a Vuitton multi bag, black Zara shorts, Jonak black pointy thigh high boots, a golden necklace from APM Monaco,
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Photo Credit: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
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Coats and jackets have the ability to really pull a whole look together.

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They take clothes and turn them into an outfit. invest in a couple of quality coats for your wardrobe.

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Casual Is In

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lena Gerber wearing blue Closed jeans, printed Band H&M shirt on October 23, 2020 in Hamburg, Germany.
Photo Credit: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images
Photo Credit: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images
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If your clothes fit right, you can totally go out in the world wearing a band tee and a good pair of jeans.

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This girl looks super chic in her white ACDC cropped t-shirt.

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