If You Have These 8 Things In Your Closet, You Will Transform Your Sartorial Life
With real photos to prove how they’ve changed ours.
by The Candidly Team
Are we all not always on the hunt for faster, sneakier ways of looking “styled?”
We certainly like the idea of being reaaaallly well-dressed, but we’re not about to host a cinematic try-on sequence every morning in front of the mirror to make it happen.
Hacks are a weird word to use to describe our approach to looking chic, and yet, these 7 hackish things are precisely what have helped us reach new heights where getting dressed is concerned.
Each has been life-changing. Each has made getting dressed simultaneously easier and much better executed.
We won’t drone on and one. These are the 7 things that will make you look a million times more styled than you ever have before. All comfy. None labor-intensive.
Off we go!
1. The Belt That’s Better Than A Designer Bag
Ok, so we’re hitting you right off the bat with the by far biggest splurge on this list. And for a belt! We know, we know. But listen, we don’t work for Gucci, and we’re not about to tell you that you need to drape yourself in designer items to be chic. But we did (after much careful deliberation) invest in this belt. And what we can tell you is it has been nothing short of game-changing.
It turns every single outfit we wear it with into an actual look.
First, the visuals…
This belt has all the striking power of a Gucci handbag, but it doesn’t disappear the moment we set it down, and while it’s pricey, it doesn’t cost thousands of dollars.
We’re big believers in owning one divine thing that can make all the inexpensive or plain Jane things we wear it with suddenly look elevated. This belt makes us (who spend 92% of our lives in sweats) look like the best, most polished, put-together version of ourselves. So, in our case, it was well worth saving for.
Because it’s such a splurge, we’ll let you know, we did find it on sale in select sizes on Gilt. We included both buttons below. And if the sizing confuses you, here’s a little guide. A size 65 in the Gucci belt is equivalent to a US size 00. Sizes go up in increments of 5, so size 70=0, 75=2, 80=4, 85=6, 90=8, 95=10, 100=12, 105=14, 110=16, 115=18, 120=20.
Price: $520 (Starting at $352 on Gilt)
2. The Tuckable Luxury Sweater
Quince Mongolian Cashmere Oversized Boyfriend Cardigan Sweater
We’re not claiming to be geniuses, or middle-school teachers, when we tell you that literally tucking in your clothes can make you look 87% better. Nevertheless, it does work, guys. Especially when it’s a luxurious sweater, which we’ve discovered can basically be worn like a t-shirt when buttoned up and tucked. Just far more opulent and styled.
Take a look.
We love that an oversized sweater has a way of covering us entirely and still giving us an effortlessly nipped silhouette.
We’ll get to the dumbest, most brilliant hack for how to tuck it in a minute. But we have to start with the sweater itself. We discovered this gloriously slouchy cashmere cardigan after pining for a certain famous nearly $500 version. But this one costs over 3X less, and it is just as luxe, soft, drapey, and dreamy to move about the world in. We bought it in oatmeal as you can see above, but the color selection is incredible.
And now for the sort of genius invention that gives you the perfect tuck. Before you ask, yes, it was on Sharktank. But brilliance is brilliance, so here we are. It’s called the Tucky, and it’s a belt or actually more like a band, a simple elastic waistband we wear around our waist, tucking the bottom of our sweater into it to create the perfect shape and a tuck that doesn’t fall out at the whim of our pants. Scoff all you want, but then try it. You won’t look back.
Price: $140 for the sweater, $30 for the Tucky belt
3. The Shoes That Work With Absolutely Everything
Nothing is more never-ending than our search for a shoe with proportions that work with every length of jean, skirt, pants, dresses, and all the things we wear on a daily basis. Way too often, we settle for a pair that’s just a bit boring or blah, solely because they match most of our clothes. But this pair does more than match. The rich leather and deep tan hue add a sort of subtle luxury vibe that balances and elevates any look, even when it’s jeans and a tee. And yes, there are other colors but the tan magically works with e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
M. Gemi shoes are handmade in Lucca, Italy, so they go deep into craftsmanship. This makes them a bit more of a dip into investment territory, but because you’ll be wearing them near-daily, it’s one that repeatedly proves worth it.
Price: $228
4. The Soft, Leather Handbag
We could go on and on about the best of the best handbags that are basically just pieces of art we carry our lip gloss around in. In fact, we have done just that HERE.
But sometimes the idyllic, statement leather bag doesn’t have to cost a fortune. And it doesn’t have to be impractical. Which is why we consider this buttery, soft spacious tote from Marcella one of our proudest “finds.”
It’s big enough to hold the precious hoarder level of stuff we drag everywhere, but it has this chic shape and makes any casj thing we’re wearing sing. Especially in the color “bone,” though it also comes in a sea of lusty neutral shades.
It’s the sort of bag you toss over your shoulder without a thought, but the minute you see yourself in any mirrored surface, you get that moment of “Ooh, I actually look like I have my entire life together.” And the price is pretty remarkable!
Price: $161
5. The Chic White Tennis Shoe
Dr. Scholl's Time Off Platform Sneaker
If you’ve been sleeping on the realization that a little white tennis shoe is practically a ballet flat in terms of versatility and chicness, then let this be your alarm.
French women realized this ages ago. But it took us reaching an age where we will no longer tolerate an ounce of foot pain to embrace the full power of the little white sneak.
The trick is to choose something with not too much bulk. Clean. Understated. Our favorite is this one from Dr. Scholl’s because it is hands down THE most comfortable sneak to ever cradle our poor tired feet.
Price: $70
6. The Classic Striped Tee
J. Crew Classic Mariner Boatneck T-Shirt In Stripe
If you ever see someone wearing a sort of casual outfit and think to yourself what is it that’s making them look that much more together and refined, it very well might be a stripe. Take any dumb jeans and tee look and substitute in this striped shirt, and suddenly, you’re fashionable. Call it a Breton or a mariniére, all we know is that it’s classic and basically foolproof.
We LOOOOOVE this one from J. Crew (yes, because of the price) but also the 3/4 sleeve and flawless fit.
Although, one wise woman among us did buy the cropped version, which she had tailored to look like this.
If that doesn’t make you want to stroll along the Seine with all the confidence of a carefree Parisian, we don’t know what will.
Price: $49.50
7. The Wildly Soft, Oversized Scarf
Quince Mongolian Cashmere Wrap
Layering is one of the most opportunistic ways of looking smartly dressed without having to sacrifice comfort. A wildly long, cashmere scarf has a very quiet way of screaming luxury. And as much as we poke fun at TikTok trends, isn’t “quiet luxury” kind of secretly the ideal for most of us?
This scarf is the one we’ll be plucking from our closet every day of every cool month of every year for probably the rest of our years. The softness is endless, the color selection is chef’s kiss, and the price for this much cashmere is practically unheard of.
Price: $100
8. The Cream-Colored Dream Coat
When it comes to a winer coat, all of us have this amazing expensive-looking option right here in front of us, and yet, we all continue to wear our basic blah black coats.
But truly, there is NOTHING more chic than a white coat. Was this not the lesson we took straight from A Devil Wears Prada 17 years ago? (Sidenote: 17! How?!?!) But it holds up today as Miss Hathaway herself proves.
And while the price standing all by its lonesome may sound like a lot, it’s very fair for a substantial Italian wool coat that you’ll own forever and that many brands are charging $1000 for. Buy once, look chic forever. That’s all.
Price: $325
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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