There is only so much mileage you can get out of “jeans and a nice top” before getting dressed starts to feel repetitive. The good news? Casual style rarely calls for an entirely new wardrobe. A different layer, an unexpected shoe, or a piece borrowed from the dressier side of your closet can be enough to change the mood.
Take it from these celebrities. These recent looks from Liza Soberano, Nadine Lustre, Olivia Rodrigo, Kathryn Bernardo, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Dove Cameron offer plenty to work with—having particularly busy months themselves, with new films, music, tours, and major life updates keeping them on the radar.
Liza Soberano: Let the details do the styling
Liza Soberano, who voices Raissa alongside H.E.R. (who voices Jo) in DreamWorks Animation’s Philippines-inspired “Forgotten Island,” starts with perhaps the most familiar combination of all: a white T-shirt and jeans.
What makes the outfit feel styled is everything happening around those two pieces. Lace peeks out beneath the hem of her tee, while narrow sunnies give the look a little edge and a tiny bag plays against the weight of her chunky shoes.
It is an easy approach when an outfit feels a little too plain. Instead of immediately reaching for another layer, look at the finishing touches. Even a sliver of lace or a change in shoe shape can make familiar basics feel different.
Nadine Lustre: Pair something practical with something delicate
Nadine Lustre, who recently teamed up with Apl.de.Ap for “Donuts,” gives utilitarian dressing a softer spin in loose beige overalls worn over a simple white bralette.
The bralette breaks up the workwear feel, while stacked gold bangles bring in a little interest without making the outfit look overly done. The same idea works with cargo pants, boiler suits, oversized jackets, and other practical pieces.
Rather than carrying that utilitarian mood from head to toe, introduce something fitted, delicate, or a little more revealing.
Olivia Rodrigo: Wear your dress over jeans
Olivia Rodrigo, who just kicked off her Unraveled Tour, gives a lace-trimmed slip dress a more casual life by layering it over faded jeans. The denim cuts through the sweetness of the dress and makes the whole thing feel less precious, while simple black flats keep the look easy.
It is also a good way to get more mileage out of dresses that feel too short, sheer, or dressy on their own. Instead of treating a dress as a complete outfit, think of it as another layering piece.
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Kathryn Bernardo: Lace works with loafers, too
Kathryn Bernardo—who currently stars in “Someone, Someday” alongside James Reid and Maja Salvador—pairs a sheer black lace top with wide-leg trousers and classic loafers.
The lace brings texture and femininity, but the relaxed trousers and flat shoes keep it from reading as eveningwear. Keeping everything black also allows the different fabrics to stand out without making the outfit feel busy, with a long necklace providing just a small hit of color.
If a sheer or lace piece feels too dressy for daytime, try it with the same trousers and shoes you would normally wear with a button-down or basic tee.
Daisy Edgar-Jones: Anchor an all-white look with darker accessories
Daisy Edgar-Jones, who stars as Elinor Dashwood in the new adaptation of “Sense and Sensibility,” gives her white lace-trimmed dress more definition with black ballet flats and dark sunglasses.
If an all-white outfit starts to feel a little too sweet, summery, or delicate, darker accessories can give it more structure without changing the mood completely. Black flats, sunglasses, a belt, or even a deeper-toned bag can help frame the lighter pieces and make the outfit feel more grounded.
It is especially useful when the clothes already have a lot of texture or detail, because you get contrast without needing to add another statement element.
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Dove Cameron: Put a big blazer over the pretty dress
Newlywed Dove Cameron, who recently married Måneskin frontman Damiano David in Tuscany, takes the romantic-dress formula in a slightly bolder direction with an oversized black blazer thrown over a white lace-trimmed dress.
Dark sunglasses and a structured bag continue the sharper mood, while cow-print Mary Janes make the otherwise black-and-white outfit a little less predictable. The oversized blazer also changes the proportions enough to make the dress feel less occasion-specific.
It is an easy move for any pretty dress that spends too much time waiting for vacations, dates, or special plans: Throw something bigger and more structured over it and wear it somewhere far more ordinary.
