Basics to Basics: 3 Ways to Dress Up A Plain White Tee

Welcome to my new series: Back to Basics! In this series, I’ll be showing you how to style closet staples multiple ways. As a recent college grad, saving money is high priority for me so getting creative with pieces I already own is something I do A LOT. With that said, the key to getting the most out of your wardrobe is to have good fitting and timeless basics.

To kick off this series, I’m starting with a basic everyone has in their wardrobe: a plain white tee. A white tee is a great place to start when you have no idea what to wear because you can easily dress it up or down. From the office to a night out to brunch with friends – the possibilities are endless. While I’ll eventually share more looks with this go-to piece, today I’m showing you three simple ways to dress up a white tee for elevated casual looks .

1. Trousers

For the first look, I paired this closet staple with another – black trousers. This outfit is perfect for a business casual dress code but also comfortable enough to wear while working from home. Adding a more structured pant instantly dresses up the look but without overdoing it. I also pulled my hair back into a loose ponytail to look a little more polished. Then I topped it off with simple gold jewelry to let the belt and snakeskin mules be the accents of the outfit.

You can even tone this down from business casual to everyday chic by replacing the mules with sneakers and adding an oversized denim jacket or open chambray.

2. Underneath a Dress

Adding a tee underneath is a great way to get more wear out of your dresses. More specifically, having that extra layer helps dress them down while also making the dresses more comfortable. To make this feminine look a little more playful and match my tomgirl style, I paired it with my AF1’s. Since the print of the dress is so loud, I kept the jewelry simple and went for my cross hoops, petite chain choker, and gold disc necklace I showcased in my Most Worn Jewelry blog post. For a brunch date with friends, I’d wear this with a black mini backpack and an oversized denim jacket.

3. Midi Skirt

Last but not least – a midi skirt. This has been one of my go-to styles ever since midi skirts made their comeback spring 2019. I love how youthful yet elegant this look feels and how easy it is to throw on. You can dress this up even more with booties and a leather jacket, but since it’s the summertime I just paired it with my AF1’s (I wasn’t kidding when I said I wear these with everything) and my hair half up / half down in a mom clip. A midi skirt is a great transitional piece for summer to fall because of their coverage as well as how breathable they are. I highly suggest picking one up if you don’t already own one.

I hope you enjoyed this first installment of Back to Basics! I can’t wait to show you more ways to style closet staples.

Make sure to comment/DM me on Instagram to let me know which basics you want me to style!