Or maybe you even feel like you’re selfish for wanting to take the time to figure it out + that’s why you haven’t?
Girl, have I been there!
Can I just tell you that you are beautiful? You are made in God’s image—and HE is beautiful! Just like any area, balance is important, but I think Satan sometimes uses our worries about being vain or prideful to keep us from taking care of ourselves.
Dressing purposefully is a way to care well for ourselves and the people we have influence over—and God can use our appearance to open doors, too!
Think about Esther. Just like her, I believe you were created for such a time as this—living where you are, doing exactly what you do! God created you with unique gifts to share, and choosing to be intentional with what you wear can give you more energy to make those eternally important things happen!
Plus, if the Proverbs 31 woman (whom I named Greater Than Rubies after!) is applauded for wearing elegant, colorful, well-made clothes, then you should be, too! 🙂
So let’s talk about a few ways you can shop your own closet to create outfits that get you fired up to make what matters happen!
Let’s start with your very next outfit.
Do you ever feel like you need just the right event to wear something you love?
Most of us have a piece or two of clothing we get super excited to wear, but we wave it off as an option unless it “fits” the occasion perfectly. Why?
We have nice clothes; we should wear them!
So today, pull out that piece you absolutely love, and create an outfit around it.
Or, jazz up your every day pieces by adding:
- Bold jewelry;
- A dressy completer piece (Maybe a blazer, bejeweled cardigan, or leather jacket.);
- Fancy shoes;
- Or even a bold lip color.
The only requirement is that you have fun!
Now, let’s look at a few options for all the events coming up over the holidays!
One of my favorite tricks to look more polished instantly is The Rule of 3. It works for everything from running holiday errands to the fanciest party on your calendar! Here’s how to use it:
Usually, an outfit has a top + bottom.
The Rule of Three is simply adding a completer piece to your look, so you have a top + bottom + completer piece.
What’s a completer piece? It’s anything that adds enough visual weight to your outfit to read as a third piece, like a cardigan, blazer, jacket, scarf, or even a large piece of jewelry.
Here’s an example of a look with just a top + bottom.
And with a completer piece on top … even though both looks work,
this one is more polished!
For special events, like an office or church party, put together an outfit that pops.
Add color, texture, pattern, shine, or a combination to give your outfit lots of visual interest.
Think of these things as your magic wand for creating a polished + intricate look, by:
- Picking one of the adjectives to be the star player (color, pattern, texture, or shine) or an item that has several of them built into it.
- Then sprinkling in little touches of the rest using jewelry, a belt, shoe, bag, etc.
Here are a few examples:
Hint: Pair opaque black tights with black shoes to create a long, lean line no matter your height!
Hint: Mix a bold pattern with one that’s more subtle,
but in the same color family for tons of visual interest!
Hint: Different textures play really well together, like this silky blouse and faux fur vest.
Need a casual look that’s anything but boring?
Choose pieces that fit well—close to the body, but not tight. (Sometimes casual looks come across as sloppy because the fabrics tend to be less structured.)
You can also borrow from two of the tricks we’ve already covered:
- Use the Rule of 3: top + bottom + completer piece. (Hats and scarves make great options for casual completer pieces!)
- Add visual interest with color, texture, pattern, or shine.
Or, try pairing opposites, like:
- A fancy statement necklace with your favorite tee;
- Structured fabric with something loose and flowy;
- Your coziest knit + a leather jacket;
- Or a classic button up with a boho-chic floppy hat.
Here are a few specific examples:
Hint: A statement necklace can give everything
from a simple tee to a party dress a polished touch.
Hint: Little details, like slightly tucking a top and cuffing your pant legs
can make simple pieces look stylish but not like you tried too hard.
Hint: Luxurious jewel tones work for every complexion, and make a simple outfit pop.
Try them with unexpected neutrals like tans or grays.
Use these tricks to create the perfect outfit for every event on your calendar
this season and let your unique, God-given beauty shine bright!
Greater Than Rubies started as a diary about Caitlin Skidmore’s year long break up with shopping. That year, Caitlin was blown away to discover her average-size closet held 365 “new” outfits. 
