8 Simple Swaps to Make Your Casual Outfits Feel More Elevated

When your day-to-day style is consistently on the more casual side, it's easy to eventually start feeling less-than-polished. After all, I love my jeans, sneakers, and T-shirts more than anything else in my wardrobe, but it takes a lot to make those basics feel elevated, and, unfortunately, that task is not something I'm looking to overcome every morning. You feel me?

Instead, by Insta-stalking some of my favorite style-setters, I've learned that there are certain swaps one can make in their day-to-day dressing that will make your even easiest outfits feel elegant at the very least. Think, putting on a blazer instead of your go-to shacket or opting for loafers instead of your trusty sneakers. So, just what are the rest of these wardrobe wonders? Simply keep scrolling for all eight of them to infuse into your looks this season, plus to see how they're styled and, of course, shop my top picks for each.

1. Swap shackets for a blazers

As somewhat of a shacket collector myself, this is a tough one for me to accept, but it's hard to deny that the blazer simply adds way more polish to any look.

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2. Swap beanies for baseball caps

It's true—not all hats are created equal. While the beanie may be best for keeping cozy on a chilly day, if you're hoping to make your look more streamlined, a fitted baseball cap is the way to go.

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3. Swap sweaters for turtlenecks

Something about a turtleneck just screams sophistication, doesn't it? 

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4. Swap crossbody bags for structured top-handles

While an of-the-moment Kelly would be nice, there are plenty of equally-elegant options at more attainable price points.

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5. Swap jeans for trousers

I never thought I'd willingly put my beloved denim aside, but the tradeoff is worth it when you see how much a pair of sleek trousers can do for a look.

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6. Swap mismatched separates for matching sets

Skip the mental math required to put two random items together into a cohesive outfit and go straight for the matching set. It's not only a time saver, but they also always look more polished.

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7. Swap sneakers for loafers

As much as I've come to love slipping into a pair of casual sneakers nearly every day, I always know in the back of my mind that I'm not giving 100% to my look. Maybe 2022 will be the year I give more airtime to elevated loafers.

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8. Swap T-shirts for button-downs

Few things are chicer than a crisp, white button-down shirt, am I right?

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Next, the 32 best things we bought on Amazon in 2021.