5 Outfit Tweaks That Make My Outfits Look More Expensive
Sara Walker is a Who What Wear editor in residence, content creator, stylist, and fashion consultant based in Los Angeles.
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how to make an outfit feel more considered without actually adding more to it. Not more pieces, not more trends, not more effort. Just better decisions. The difference between an outfit that feels fine and one that feels elevated is usually something small—a shift, a tweak, one intentional detail that makes everything else make more sense. At the end of the day, it's not about having more. It's about being more intentional with what you already have, such as a crisp fabric, a single statement, or a tonal look. These are things I think about almost subconsciously now, but they're the principles I come back to every time I get dressed.
Running out the door and need something easy? A great top, jeans, and a statement accessory always work. Something feels off? It probably needs a steam or a quick edit. Swap a neckline, simplify the shoes, or remove a layer, and it's better almost instantly. And sometimes, the "wrong" combination is actually the right one. Athletic shorts with kitten heels shouldn't work, but they do. Tailored trousers with flip-flops feel just as good. Even color can be simplified. If you want to wear something bold, pairing it back to the same tone in your bag or shoes pulls everything together.
These are the five points I keep coming back to this summer.
1. Add One Statement Piece, and Let It Do the Work
If there's one rule I follow, it's this: Every outfit needs a point of view. Lately, that's been a statement necklace or shoes thrown on with the most basic combination—white tee, jeans, flip-flops. The outfit itself is intentionally simple, almost understated. But the second you add something slightly bold, it changes the entire read. It doesn't have to be jewelry. It could be a belt, a shoe, or a bag. The key is letting one piece carry the look so everything else can stay effortless.
