'I'm a personal shopper. These 9 style tweaks will stop your outfits from looking average.'

As a fashion editor and personal shopper I know it's not really about what you own but how you wear it.

Styling can mean the difference between looking cool and looking well, let's just say… average. Whatever size, age or income it seems to me everyone wants to look their best self.

And everyone definitely wants to look cool.

These are my styling tricks to look cool and fashiony rather than average, all without spending a fortune.

Watch: The best countries to do thrift shopping at. Post continues after video.

1. Go up a size.

If you haven't noticed, oversized is the new cool silhouette. Slouchy and baggy is the way to go.

You want a cut that is big and roomy. Which means it looks effortless. Feels easy. What's not to love about being comfortable! But sometimes when you're trying something new on you look in the mirror and you're just not sure.

My tip: go up a size! Jeans looking daggy? Get a size bigger. They sit lower. Usually longer in length too. Same with a skirt. That blazer that feels too tight and neat?

Baggy clothes will make your outift more chic. Image: Instagram @shopwithfifi.

Go up a size or two, suddenly it looks cool. Ditto a white tee or blue shirt: both look better when looser. I can guarantee when you go up a size, suddenly the proportions change. Instant cool. Shoes? Haha stick to your own size.

2. Add white shoes.

One of the FiFi philosophies? Shoes maketh the outfit. White shoes are instant wardrobe updaters!

This not a drill. Pull on white pointy heels or any flats and immediately you look fashiony. Chic. Edgy.

White shoes go with every outfit. Image: Instagram @shopwithfifi.

Those old jeans from a few years ago? Pull on white pointy flats. That midi skirt that needs a refresh? Try white mules. A boring black dress? White strappy heels take it to another level. They lighten the look, add a fashion edge you didn't know you needed.

Try this at home with any old average lewks and watch as white shoes work their cool girl magic.

3. Shoulder pads are your friends.

Exaggerated shapes are the difference between looking average and looking cool.

The easiest styling trick: Put shoulder pads in everything. Joking. No joking.

Fashion right now (and for quite a few years more) is all about the big shoulders. It's a thang. Looks cool.

How to style a top with shoulder pads. Image: Instagram @shoptwithfifi.

But what's great about shoulder pads is they also do wonders for your waist (if a small waist is what you want). Who doesn't love a little helping hand. Which is why I live in shoulder pad tees.

So if you have a blazer that doesn't sit properly and needs structure, put in shoulder pads. If your shirt looks limp and sad, put in shoulder pads.

If your T shirt is just a bit floppy (and you are too!)(lols) put in shoulder pads. You can thank me later. 

4. Add bright red or orange to neutrals.

Adding bright colour to a neutral outfit. Image: Instagram @shopwithfifi.

You might have a wardrobe of neutrals. How to inject a bit of cool? Throw in a bit of colour. (Or the other way round: a wardrobe of colour needs neutrals.)

My advice: Try an orange tee with camel pants. Toss a red knit around your shoulders or your waist and it gives off effortless vibes. I think accessories are one of the best ways to inject a pop of colour.

Try red shoes with jeans, an orange belt with chocolate brown slouchy pants or say, a red bag with a camel dress.

5. Don't match shoes and bags.

Sometimes matching your accessories like shoes and bags can look too done. Too uptight. There's nothing effortless about it. It's all too try hard without any spontaneity. Looking cool is about looking laid back.

My advice: Mix it up. It's a sneaky way to add personality.

A tan bag with red shoes (see above) is cool. A silver shoe with a black bag. A brown suede bag with white shoes. It freshens up your styling. You want to appear nonchalant to look cool, as if you just threw it together (I call it "the 5 hour, 5 minute look").

6. One single item in your outfit should be updated.

You don't need to update everything every season. Instead build a wardrobe of great pieces and repeat wear. Better for your wallet and the planet. The trick ? Update just a few key pieces that will inject instant cool into your old pieces. Which means great cost per wear.

So a new big, oversized blazer will suddenly make your old daggy jeans look cool. Your short tight blazer from a few years ago? It will go another season with wide leg jeans.

A longer flared midi skirt will make any old top look cool. And straight tailored pants will get a new lease of life with a cool sporty zip up jacket. 

7. Mix it up.

Image: Instagram @shopwithfifi.

Fashion is about contrasts. Looking cool is about mixing it up. Tight with loose. Hard with soft. Feminine with masculine. Pretty with tough. Plain with ornate. Think outside the box.

Try throwing a pretty blouse with tough leather pants. Or ripped denim jeans with a sequin top. Flat sandals look great with a maxi dress for black tie party. Or try denim with tweed, sweatshirts with a pencil skirt or an evening tuille skirt with a plain white cotton shirt. If it's unexpected it's cool.

8. The wrong shoe theory.

The wrong shoe theory. Image: Instagram @shopwithfifi.

It's a trend in itself – wearing a wrong sho – but I think it works. Easy too.

Think of it this way: if you're not feeling it when you try something on and look in the mirror then change your shoes BEFORE you do anything. The idea is to intentionally choose shoes that traditionally would not work.

For example try strappy heels with track pants, sneakers with a trouser suit, chunky dad sandals with a pretty dress. It could be jewelled flats with denim jeans. It's about going against the predictable and shaking up your style just a teeny bit.

9. Raid the men's department.

See tip number one and you get what I mean. Men's clothes are cut obviously to a bigger size. And quite often men's fabrics are better and sturdier than women's.

I know for instance the men's Uniqlo knits are much better cut for me and can take the constant repeat wear. Men's blazers will give you that oversized lewk instantly. And men's shirts always look cool and sexy on a woman. For me men's T shirts are so good, with wider shoulders, longer sleeves and they skim rather than cling. Yes, please. 

For more helpful style advice and shopping recommendations, subscribe to the weekly Nothing to Wear Substack, listen to the Nothing to Wear podcast or watch Nothing to Wear on YouTube.

Feature image: Instagram @shopwithfifi.

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