This day and age, it seems like every Tom, Dick and Jane has a wealth of fashion tips and tricks they’re chomping at the bit to tell you. Some of the advice is noteworthy, while others we could do without. Like, who came up with the idea that your shoes had to match your bag? Or that you can’t wear white after Labor Day? Lies! All lies.
With all these fashion tips and tricks floating around, it’s hard to keep up, let alone sift through the good, the bad and the preposterous. Luckily, we’ve combed the web for the easiest and most practical style advice every woman should know by the age of 30. Ready to get started?
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Fashion Tips and Tricks
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How to Organize Your Closets
It doesn't matter what you have in your wardrobe if you can't find it. Hack your way to a cleaner closet with helpful tips like stacking your clutches in kitchen lid racks or doubling your space with two hangers and a soda pop tab. For more where that came from, click right here.
Image: Getty
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Fashion Tips and Tricks #2
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How to Mix and Match Patterns
Pattern play isn't as tough as it looks. When mixing prints, try focusing more on the color than the pattern. You can mix prints in the same hue, like plum and lilac, or in complementary colors (shades on opposite ends of the color wheel) like blue and orange. If you're feeling adventurous, vary the sizes of your patterns or throw in a little leopard, which goes with just about everything.
For more ideas, check out our tips for how to mix and match prints like a pro.
Image: Getty
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How to Select Sunglasses for Your Face Shape
Sunglasses are one of the most prominent accessories, so you want to make sure to choose the right frames for your face shape. For instance, the best sunglasses for square faces are round frames that will balance your angles. The opposite is true for round faces, which look better in angular designs like wayfarers. For an in-depth guide to shopping for the best sunglasses for your face shape, click here.
Images: tFS via Getty
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Fashion Tips and Tricks #5
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How to Tuck in Your Shirt
Have you ever stood in front of a mirror fiddling with your shirt tuck for 10 minutes because you just can't get it right? It's time to learn the basics of how to tuck in a shirt like a street style pro. Click here for 7 ways to master the shirt tuck.
Image: Imaxtree
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How to Stretch Your Shoes at Home
In order to stretch your shoes at home, fill up two Ziploc bags with water, just shy of halfway. Remove as much air as possible, seal the bags and place one of each into the toes of your shoes. Freeze overnight. Pull out the bags or break the ice with the blunt end of a knife, then remove. Do not let the water melt in the shoes. Repeat if necessary.
Click here for more ways to stretch your shoes.
Image: Pinterest via Better Remade
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How to Read Product Labels
When you're shopping for vintage-soft T-shirts, InStyle recommends looking for labels that have 95 percent cotton and 5 percent Lycra spandex. For jeans, you'll need at least 2 percent Lycra to hold the shape.
Image: Urban Outfitters
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How to Shop for Hats
Think you just don't have a head for hats? Think again. Everyone can wear a hat. The trick is finding your best match. Women with oblong faces look best in hats with shorter crowns and wider brims to balance out the length of the face. Square face shapes need a curved silhouette, like a floppy straw beach hat or a bowler hat, to soften the angles. Women with heart-shaped faces should look for medium brims to narrow the forehead, while women with round faces are best in hats with high crowns and medium to large brims to lengthen the face. And if you're a woman with an oval face shape, consider yourself lucky — you can pull off just about anything.
Image: Marie Claire
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How to Cut Your Dry Cleaning Bill in Half
Is your dry cleaning bill starting to put a damper on your bank account? We know the feeling. From using underarm shields to changing your beauty routine, here are eight tried-and-true ways to cut your bill in half.
Image: Getty
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How to Dress for Work
Dressing for the job you want and not the job you have is a fashion standard. By the time you've reached your 30s, you should have all your workwear must-haves, from a classic white button-down to a black blazer. This checklist will let you know if you're missing anything.
Image: Imaxtree
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Fashion Tips and Tricks #12
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How to Layer Jewelry
Learning how to layer jewelry is what separates the Basic Bettys from the street style pros. Here, you'll find out how to pair pearls with chunky jewelry, monogrammed pendants with statement necklaces and how to artfully mix gold and silver.
Image: @jaimiegellerjewelry
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How to Shop Responsibly
Before you buy anything, take a cue from the folks over at Oprah.com and remember the rule of three. If you can wear it with at least three other items in your wardrobe, it's a keeper. If not, skip it. You'll save a lot of time and money.
Image: Getty
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How to Elongate Your Legs
Want to grow a couple inches overnight? Wearing pumps in the same color as your skin tone will instantly elongate your legs. So will open-toe designs.
Image: Getty
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How to Find the Perfect Pair of Jeans
No matter what style you prefer, the most important element in fashion is fit. Shop your shape first, trends second. Here's a complete how-to on picking the best jeans for your body type.
Images: tFS via Getty
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How to Shop for Flattering Swimsuits
The same goes for every item in your wardrobe, including swimwear. From bikinis that'll lengthen a short torso to one-pieces that will lift your bustline, we've got you covered here.
Image: SwimSexy 2015
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How to De-pill Sweaters
To de-pill a sweater, first make sure to wash it inside out. Once it's dry, lay the item flat and hold it down with one hand. With your other hand, softly "shave" the sweater with a disposable razor using short strokes. Clean up the excess with either a lint brush or tape.
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How to Make Cheap Clothes Look Expensive
When you want more bang for your buck, there are a couple simple rules to live by. First, invest in a tailor. Nothing says money like a good fit. Second, lean toward minimalist items without all the bells and whistles — they'll just look cheap. Third, opt for monochromatic items (the darker, the better) that will hide flaws and fabric construction. And finally, wear your cheaper items with more expensive, statement pieces that will simultaneously draw attention and elevate your entire look.
Image: H&M
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How to Choose Necklaces for Your Necklines
Selecting the right necklace can make or break an outfit. Thankfully, our friends at Inside Out Style worked up this handy-dandy cheat sheet on which necklaces work with your neckline. For instance, slim pendants are best paired with halter tops while chokers complement strapless shirts and dresses. Got it?
Image: Inside Out Style
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How to Remove Red Wine Stains
Part of being a grown-up is knowing how to handle a high-stress situation like, say, a red wine stain on your party dress. First, you blot the stain with a dry cloth. Then, pour cool water on the stain and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt to absorb the rest of the red wine. Boil water and then pour it onto the stain. Let the garment sit until the stain lifts. For troublesome spots, soak the garment section in one part white vinegar and two parts water.
Tutorial: Real Simple
Image: Getty
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How to Determine Your Bra Size
Knowing your true bra size is a life-changer. Why? Because the right bra can lift your breasts, correct your posture and make your clothes fit better. Here's how you figure it out.
Image: tFS
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How to Build a Handbag Wardrobe
Building any wardrobe starts with the basics and that goes for handbags, too. Before you start buying bags willy-nilly, you'll want to make sure you have six essentials that will work for every occasion: The crossbody, the weekender, the structured day tote, the day clutch, the evening clutch and that one bag you have just for fun.
Image: Courtesy
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How to Break in a Leather Jacket
When you need to soften stiff leather, wear your jacket during a light rain or spritz it with water. Make sure to move around and bend your arms as it dries, so the leather will ease up and form to your body.
Image: Pinterest via Who What Wear
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How to Make Your High Heels Comfortable
There's nothing elegant about limping around in uncomfortable shoes. To make your heels more bearable, try lightening your toe plant, adding moleskin stops and taping your third and fourth toe together. For more tips and tricks on how to make high heels more comfortable, click here.
Image: Getty
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How to Remove Odor from Vintage Clothes
The best way to clean vintage clothes is to spray your garment with white distilled vinegar or cheap vodka. When the liquid evaporates, so will the odor. For stubborn musty smells, let your garment sit in a bag of baking soda for a day or two.
Tutorial: CutandChicVintage
Image: Getty
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How to Wield Fashion Tape Like a Stylist
If you don't have fashion tape stashed in your purse, listen up. It's the end-all, be-all cure for everything; sagging hemlines, moving belts, nip slips, bra concealers, you name it.
Image: Ulta
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How to Wear Yoga Pants like a Champ
Learning how to wear yoga pants has become a rite of passage. For example, you can pair them with a leather jacket or a trenchcoat on the way to the gym. You can also wear them with a statement handbag or a pair of sunglasses. But you can't even think about wearing them to work. For more tips and tricks on how to wear yoga pants, click here.
Image: Alessandra Ambrosio via Instagram
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How to Remove Wrinkles Without an Iron
The easiest way to remove wrinkles without an iron is to dampen your clothes where the wrinkles are, smooth out the fabric with your hands and blowdry the area while holding it taut. You can also use a straightening hair iron in lieu of a regular one. It works like a charm.
Image: Pinterest via Free People
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How to Clean Suede Shoes
To remove scratches on your suede shoes, gently rub stale bread on the affected area. They'll be good as new in no time. Here are more tips on how to clean suede shoes.
Image: Pinterest via The Coveteur
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How to Know Which Colors Flatter You Most
In a nutshell, women with cool undertones look great in white, black, royal blue, gray, silver and navy, while women with warm undertones benefit from burnt orange, cream, bright yellow, brown, forest green, taupe and camel. If you want to know more about how to find the best colors for your skin tone, we can help right here.
Image: tFS via WENN
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How to Layer Your Clothes
Layering your clothes is an art form and practice definitely makes perfect. If you're a little shaky in this area, these tips on how to layer clothes right.
Image: Imaxtree
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Fashion Tips and Tricks #33
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How to Pack a Suitcase Like You Mean It
Have you ever wondered at the effortlessly chic women at the airport with one compact carryon? It's simple, really. From Saran wrapping their jewelry to storing their shoes in shower caps, here's how they do it.
Image: Louis Vuitton
