How many times have you thought “I have nothing to wear”... while standing in front of a wardrobe overflowing with clothes?

I’ve been guilty of that, too. Countless times. 

It hasn’t happened in ages, though. And I’m not saying this to brag but to show you what’s possible when you move away from fast fashion and start thinking of your clothes mindfully.

Plus, when you get in the habit of experimenting, getting creative, and pairing up your garments in less obvious ways? You’ll unlock new outfits without having to buy additional items every time (so, your wallet will thank you, too).

To get you started and inspired, I’m sharing 15 clothing combinations you (probably) haven’t thought of.

Why it’s important (and fun!) to rewear your clothes and get the most out of the outfit combinations already in your wardrobe

• Fast fashion has brainwashed us into thinking of our clothes as throwaway: we’re buying 60% more than in the early 2000s but wearing them less than 7 times
• This isn’t sustainable and contributes to 92 million tonnes of textile waste every year
• Most consumers can only afford to keep up with that fast cycle by purchasing (and then discarding) cheap clothes… but they usually hide a high cost, because fast fashion causes so many problems, from having a dreadful environmental impact to relying on sweatshops and child labour 
• Plus, while frequent impulse purchases feel good in the moment, fast fashion overconsumption is actually keeping you unhappy in the long run

So, moving towards ethical fashion isn’t about “replacing fast fashion with hauls of garments made with better materials”. Overconsumption is never sustainable.

It’s about purchasing and wearing clothes mindfully, taking care of them and seeing them as durable pieces to fall in love with. And the most sustainable clothes are… the ones already in your wardrobe!

In fact, keeping and rewearing an item for just 9 more months will reduce its carbon, water, and waste footprint by 20-30%.

And the fun part?

You’ll find your own style and rediscover your creativity and self-expression. So, experimenting with your wardrobe and rewearing your new favourite unusual outfit combinations will feel good, too.

15 creative clothing combinations and outfit ideas you probably haven’t thought of

• How to use this guide – Bookmark or save this blog post. Next time you catch yourself thinking “I have nothing to wear”, come back to it and try one of these unusual clothing combinations
• Having the right expectations – Unless you’re Carrie Bradshaw, the chances are, you don’t own every single item listed here. But you’re bound to find several clothing combinations you can try straightaway. And for the record: I didn’t include basic and obvious ones, like “top + jeans”. I’m talking about unusual clothing combinations you've probably never thought of, which is why they’ll feel like a new outfit altogether

Let’s get started! (That's me in the photo back in 2019, by the way)

1. Tuck a short dress into a skirt or trousers, wearing it like a top
2. Cropped cardigan or chunky sweater + dress
3. Wear an oversized blouse or shirt like a strapless top (tying the sleeves behind your back) + trousers or jeans
4. Turtleneck underneath a dress (especially one with spaghetti straps)
5. Style a maxi skirt (one with drawstrings or an elasticated waist, so that it doesn’t fall) as a strapless dress + belt
6. Wear a dress like a skirt (fold it inside the waistline) + belt + blouse or crop top
7. Pinafore or dungarees + a top you still haven’t worn them with (you’d be surprised at how versatile they can be!)
8. Wear a crop top or corset over a blouse, long-sleeve top, or t-shirt
9. Hoodie + pleated or tulle skirt
10. Wear a blazer over your dungarees, leaving it unbuttoned
11. Graphic tee tucked into a tulle skirt (or a long skirt + belt)
12. Blazer + dress
13. White shirt (tied up at the front, or unbuttoned with a black or neutral top underneath) + denim shorts
14. Sweatshirt/casual jumper + mini skirt
15. Knit waistcoat + long skirt

How to get even more out of these unusual clothing combinations

• Accessorise them – Each of these unusual clothing combinations (and your usual ones too) can be turned into multiple outfits and variations. For example, adding a belt and necklace, tights in a different colour, another type of shoes, white socks sticking out of your boots… Go on: unleash your creativity
• Digitise your wardrobe – I came up with ideas that can work for most people but there’s so much more you can do when you know exactly what clothes you’re working with. When you are looking at your entire wardrobe in one go, though, it can be hard to “see it”. So, consider digitising your clothes with free apps like Whering or Save Your Wardrobe, which will allow you to scroll through different types of garments (like tops and bottoms) to create even more unusual clothing combinations

Adding to your wardrobe mindfully from now on

I hope this guide helps you reconnect with your sense of self-expression and get more out of your wardrobe, breaking free from overconsumption (in fact, I even got in the habit of borrowing clothes from my mum and styling them in a way that feels “me”). 

This isn’t to say we can never add to our wardrobe, of course! But when you do, consider:

• Remembering what you already own, or checking your digital wardrobe app – For example, you can ask yourself: am I drawn to this because it’s my own style, or is it just a temporary trend and I’ll only wear it a couple of times? Have I already got something similar? Does this new piece go with what’s already in my wardrobe? What outfits can I create with it?
• Choosing sustainable brands – Yes, durable and high-quality clothes made ethically tend to cost a bit more. But because you’ll be buying less and keeping them for longer, you’re probably going to save money in the long run (as well as helping the planet and supporting brands that pay their workers fair wages). You can find hundreds of ethical brands right here on Project Cece, with filters to narrow down your choices 

In the meantime, don’t forget to save this list of unusual clothing combinations. 

Ready to go from “I have nothing to wear” to “I can’t believe this outfit had been hiding in my wardrobe for the entire time”?