How to Use Outfit Inspiration Without Copying the Outfit

Have you ever saved an outfit you absolutely loved, opened your closet to recreate it...and immediately thought, Well, I don’t own any of that?

That does not mean the inspiration is useless.

In fact, this week on Runway to Reality, I’m showing you one of my favorite ways to get more out of the wardrobe you already own: learning how to look at an inspiration photo and figure out what you actually love about it.

Because I am rarely looking at a photo thinking, Do I own every single piece she is wearing?

I’m looking for the idea.

Maybe it is the color combination. Maybe it is the texture, the shape, the layering, the jewelry, or simply the feeling of the outfit.

Then I go into my closet and ask:

How can I make this idea mine?

That is where the fun begins.

MONDAY: GREY + TEXTURE + JEWELRY

Monday’s inspiration starts with grey, but what really caught my attention was everything happening around it.

There is texture, lots of layered jewelry, and a beautiful contrast between the jewelry and the dress. It takes a simple neutral and makes it feel interesting without making it complicated.

It is also exactly the kind of inspiration I love for hot summer weather.

So instead of searching for the exact dress, I’m looking in my closet for grey, texture, long delicate jewelry, and that little bit of contrast that gives the eye somewhere to go.

TUESDAY: TIGER + GOLDEN YELLOW

Tuesday might be my favorite example of how outfit inspiration actually works.

The original photo features a tiger-print top with yellow lace shorts.

I do not own that combination.

But I do have brown tiger-striped shorts and a golden-yellow lace cami.

So I’m flipping the pieces.

Same color story. Same combination of print and feminine lace. Completely different clothes.

That is the point.

The inspiration gave me the idea. My closet gave me my version.

WEDNESDAY: BLACK + LAYERS OF JEWELRY

Wednesday is extra special because it is our very first Style Hour.

I knew I wanted to wear black, and I wanted to layer on the jewelry, so when I found this inspiration photo, I immediately knew I had my starting point.

But I’m keeping this interpretation a little secret.

You’ll have to join me for The Style Hour Wednesday at 12 PM Pacific to see how I used the photo and what I actually pulled from my closet.

THURSDAY: GREEN RUFFLES + BROWN

Thursday’s inspiration had me at green ruffles and a chunky brown belt.

I love those elements, but I’m going to take the idea somewhere a little different and make my version feel more boho casual.

I’m not trying to recreate the photograph exactly. I’m taking the pieces of it that caught my eye and translating them through my own personal style.

FRIDAY: ONE FABULOUS COLOR

Sometimes an entire outfit inspiration begins with just one thing.

Friday, it was color.

I saw this fabulous red-orange summer shade and immediately wondered what I already owned that could give me that same feeling.

No copying the silhouette. No searching for the exact outfit.

Just one color that sent me straight into my own closet.

And yes...I found something.

THE REAL SECRET TO OUTFIT INSPIRATION

Your finished outfit does not have to look exactly like the picture.

Actually, I do not want it to.

The inspiration photo gives you a place to begin. Your closet, your body, your lifestyle, and your personal style turn it into something that belongs to you.

That is how outfit inspiration becomes useful instead of frustrating.

And once you learn how to look at inspiration this way, your closet starts getting a whole lot bigger without adding a single new piece.

WANT ME TO SHOW YOU HOW?

Join me this Wednesday at 12 PM Pacific for The Style Hour, a completely free live workshop where I’ll show you exactly how to take the outfit prompts I share every week and turn them into real outfits from your own closet.

We’ll talk about what to notice, how to identify what is inspiring you, and how to make that inspiration work for your clothes, your body, your life, and your personal style.

And before you come, take my Style Personality Quiz. Understanding your style personality gives you a huge clue about what catches your eye—and why.

You already have the closet. Now let’s see what else is hiding in it.

Let’s get dressed!