Let’s be honest: There are days when I don’t love my outfits… or even my closet. It’s easy to assume that feeling would disappear with an unlimited shopping budget (it wouldn’t). But the reality is that style fatigue happens to all of us—especially in the winter, when bundling up starts to feel repetitive fast.
When the temperatures drop, practicality tends to take the lead. We reach for the same knits, the same coats, the same boots on repeat. Before long, getting dressed starts to feel more routine than creative. I find that this time of year is when my clients feel the most stuck. And if I’m being honest, it’s when I do too.
As a stylist, I’ve learned that when I’m uninspired, the answer usually isn’t buying something new. Instead, it’s repurposing what I already own. Over time, I’ve built a mental toolkit of go-to (sometimes unsexy) styling hacks that make even the most basic outfits feel fresh again. They’re small shifts, but they make a noticeable difference in how I feel about getting dressed.
Whether I’m working with a client’s wardrobe or my own, these are the styling hacks I rely on every time I don’t know what to wear.
1. Pin a brooch to your simple tops
I have a stack of older knits and tees that, after a few years on rotation, started to feel flat and uninspiring in my wardrobe. Recently, I’ve been collecting brooches—including a feather style I’ve been wearing on repeat—and using them to dress up some of my most basic winter pieces.
It’s completely changed how I see those tops. Pieces that once felt tired now feel styled, and I’ve even found myself building entire outfits around a single brooch. To avoid damaging my clothing, I use inexpensive pin converters (I found mine on Amazon). They help secure the brooch without pulling delicate knits or tees.
2. Pin your sweater to reveal your white tee
By now, most of us know that letting a white tee peek out from under a sweater collar is a subtle but impactful styling shift. But what’s happening at the hem matters just as much. Stylist and creator Amy Fuchsia Shaw (@amyfuchsiashaw) helped popularize this trick, with her video on the technique gaining over a million views.
To achieve the look, fold the hem of your sweater under—leaving the T-shirt untouched—then secure the fold with a brooch or pin at the top. The result reveals just enough of the tee while keeping everything perfectly in place.
3. Fold your pants to create a bubble hem
Over the summer, I used hair ties and wrap sandals to create a balloon-like effect at the hem of my silk and linen pants. I wanted to recreate that same shape for winter, but found my styling hack didn’t quite hold up with heavier fabrics like denim and trousers.
Because I’m almost always wearing thermal leggings under my pants during freezing NYC temperatures, I started using them to my advantage. Instead of cuffing my jeans traditionally, I fold the hem upward and tuck it under the hem of my leggings. The leggings hold everything in place, creating an easy bubble hem that stacks perfectly at the top of my boot shaft.
It’s completely revamped how I style my denim and trousers. And, it’s opened up a whole new set of outfit combinations using pieces I already own.
4. Give your old coat a funnel neck
A few months ago, I challenged myself to restyle my classic black wool coat for winter. After a few seasons of feeling uninspired by it (and nearly listing it on Depop) I decided to give it one last chance by reinventing the collar using a brooch.
Funnel-neck outerwear has been one of the season’s biggest trends. But with coats often costing a pretty penny, I wasn’t eager to invest in an entirely new piece just to achieve the look. Instead, I repositioned the collar inward and secured it with a brooch to create a sculpted, funnel-like shape.
It took less than 30 seconds, but it instantly made the coat feel brand new. After later coming across Amy Fuchsia Shaw’s page again, I noticed she’d shared a similar trick—one that sparked dozens of comments from women saying how transformative the hack was.
Tinsley Crisp, Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer
Tinsley Crisp is a Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer at The Everygirl and specializes in reporting on the season’s latest trends and hottest products. As a New York City-based stylist, she’s committed to injecting joy into the art of getting dressed and delivering attainable yet aspirational content to our readers.
