Create a versatile wardrobe with detailed pieces

So remember awhile back I shared my closet organization musings with you all. Well it’s still on my mind, this question of how to create versatile wardrobe, yet still stay fairly minimalist. And in a region of the country with four seasons!

I spent the past couple months cleaning out my closet. I actually counted every single article of clothing I owed, tallied it up… and discovered I owned 195 articles of clothing!! (not including PJs, workout, swim, accessories, underclothing, socks, or shoes!). Yikes. That is way more than I need (or even use!).

I tried on EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM… and whittled it down to 144 (about 75 for each season of spring/summer and fall/winter). I donated over fifty articles of clothing! I have more pieces on the way out, but I want to get a little more use out of them one more season.

Create a versatile wardrobe with detailed pieces

I’m restructuring my wardrobe slowly, because I’m not exactly being handed a credit card loaded with cash!

So when LNBF, a Canandian fashion label, asked me to feature some of their bamboo and organic cotton clothing here on the blog, I knew it would fit right into my wardrobe redo posts! They asked me to select a few pieces to showcase for you, which was the perfect time to ask myself: how do I introduce new pieces to my current wardrobe?

You know that “I have so many clothes. But I have nothing to wear” feeling? Yeah, I get that a lot! The difficulty with wardrobes is having pieces that don’t go with a lot of other pieces. That is completely my issue! I have a TON of clothes – way more than I need. But they don’t really go well together. Researching how to create a versatile wardrobe, I notice a recurring bit of advice to make sure each item can go with lots of other items in your closet. 

One clear way to make sure clothing works together is to stick to basics and neutrals when you’re creating your wardrobe. Add the splashy and trendy items in your accessories until you figure out your style and needs. Wardrobes are certainly easier to manage if you stock simpler items.

I know that’s probably not very “fun” for more fashion-forward readers. So to keep it from being boring, I added another layer to this “rule of basics”: I create a versatile wardrobe by selecting DETAILED pieces.

Look for these kinds of details to create a versatile wardrobe

When I considered the LNBF summer fashion line, I noticed right away that most of their items are solids. Which fits my plan to stock simple items, but to boost my wardrobe, I also love that each of their pieces has subtle details in texture or fit. Here’s some details that help create a versatile wardrobe:

Asymmetrical hemlines – Although it’s at heart a maxi dress, what makes the Julia Maxi dress stand out is the detailed gather on one hip that leads the eye down to the asymmetrical hemline. I also chose a bright color to liven up my roster of solid dresses! This dress lets you do the high-lo hemline style without being overly dramatic. Add a scarf and heels to dress it up; go with flats and a straw hat for casual summery looks!

Built in layers – I definitely choose black as my go-to (seconded by gray!), yet this black Khloe maxi dress avoids being ho-hum with two deep blue layers with ruched sides. The top layer is a gauzy chiffon fabric, so there’s also texture involved. Plus the built in layers give you a put-together look that doesn’t involve bulkiness or decision making!

Contrasting fabric – These gray jogger pants avoid being blah with a textured mesh fabric on the hem and the pocket tabs. Adds interest, and makes them fun to wear. I will advise that most of the items in the LNBF collection ran a bit looser (so I sized down and that worked perfectly) for these pants I chose my regular size, which worked but I might have preferred a size up, actually.

Tailored tees – Also shown above, the Pansy pullover already adds some detail with its stripes (I love stripes), and keeps current with its fit: dolman sleeves and slimming side panels add visual detail to this already striking tee.

Up-to-date shirt hems – one way to stay “trendy” fairly easily is to update your tops with the latest shirt hemline. Although not as obvious a change as colors-of-the-season a shirt’s shape can eventually make it look dated. This rounded hem scoop tee is perfect with a pencil skirt for dress-up, or more casually at home for lounging, and it’s basic enough to last more than just this summer!

No matter what your “rules” for creating a wardrobe, always aim for comfort!

If you don’t like how an article of clothing feels, you’ll avoid wearing it. Even if it’s fun and trendy… so make your pieces count by feeling great when you wear each item! LNBF combines sustainable bamboo and organic cotton fabrics for super comfortable style. They must have had moms in mind when they designed their line! I’ve worn all these pieces with my children around, and always feel I can move around with ease and comfort, and yet still feel “put together.”

And, as a mom, who has time for ironing? Not me! LNBF clothes are so easy to care for – I forgot these items in a corner of my closet for several days, and then realized I wanted to wear one to the Getting Gorgeous event in NYC… thankfully, wrinkles just seem to shake right out of these dresses and tops, because I threw on the Khloe maxi dress and hit the road, and didn’t see a single wrinkle by the time I got there!

Don’t forget how bamboo is hypo-allergenic. And breathable, which makes it perfect for summer wear! I’ve enjoyed adding these pieces to my wardrobe (and yes, they’ve actually kicked out a few other items for good!).

WIN IT: 

Would you love to try out some beautiful, comfortable LNBF bamboo / cotton clothing? I’ve got a great giveaway of a $100 LNBF Gift Card just for my readers! Simply enter in the form below!
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Thanks to LNBF for sending me items to feature. All opinions are my own!