I Reference These 12 Outfits When I Hate Getting Dressed

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608092615135-main

(Image credit: @discodaydream)

As much as I consider shopping a personal sport, there are times when everything in my closet just feels blah. Call it the closet full of clothes with nothing to wear syndrome. It seems to irregularly strike and without warning no matter if I just bought something I loved last week. Although my job requires me to think about fashion almost every single day, it can still be a challenge to style myself when I'm in a clothing rut. So how do I overcome a bout of fashion fatigue? Here's when having a mental Rolodex of outfit formulas comes into play. If my brain is fresh out of ideas (or if I'm pressed for time), I lean on a handful of outfit combinations that I know will work every time.

While there are several styling approaches to achieving a great look, the most efficient is the two-piece ensemble. Simplicity is the key here don’t worry about complex layering or matching every component down to a t. All you need are two strong pieces and minimal accessories to match. Ahead, see the best two-piece outfit combos I have bookmarked and regularly reference, as well as how to re-create them for yourself.

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089124566-main

(Image credit: @itsmekellieb)

Here's something to do with that extensive sweater collection: layer it on top of a coat or dress for a sartorial touch. 

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089385375-main

(Image credit: @himichelleli)

It's pretty much a fact that everyone lives in sweaters and knits right now, so don't be afraid to layer them up in adventurous, new ways. 

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089685591-main

(Image credit: @anoukyve)

Few options top the simple elegance of a power suit.

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608092030833-main

(Image credit: @claire_most)

Running weekend errands just got a whole lot chicer. 

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089241754-main

(Image credit: @chupsterette)

There's rarely a time when an all-black outfit can do wrong, so it's always a handy go-to when I need to look sophisticated during a time crunch. Try contrasting textures like leather and knit to add interest. 

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608092086893-main

(Image credit: @aimeesong)

Try an oversized belted blazer or "shacket" with a clingy knit skirt to play up the differing proportions. 

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608090234062-main

(Image credit: @alyssainthecity)

Cut-out tops are having a moment right now, so it's only fitting that this ensemble made the list. 

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089567756-main

(Image credit: @charlottekuhrt)

This outfit is cozy and chic. What more could you ask for in a winter-ready two-piece outfit?

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608091959752-main

(Image credit: @greceghanem)

This is how you look effortless. 

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089781031-main

(Image credit: @mariamacfarlanee)

A polka-dot print maxi dress with an animal print coat makes for an unfussy, two-piece outfit that looks anything but simple.

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089888829-main

(Image credit: @discodaydream)

An outfit we'd very much love to live in.

two-piece-outfits-278539-1608089000949-main

(Image credit: @mariaalia)

As far as two-piece outfits go, white blouses and dresses are about as compatible as you can get. 

Next up, 9 Holiday Trends That Are Right on the Mark.

Fashion Market Editor

Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.