More style, little effort: 5 simple tricks for better looks

Stephanie Vinzens

17/3/2026

Translation: Elicia Payne

Sometimes you don’t need a new item of clothing to create a fresh look – you just need a tiny styling hack. Here are five simple tricks that don’t cost a single penny, but make all the difference.

We’ve all been there: your wardrobe’s full, but the outfits feel the same as always. Usually, the answer to this is clever styling – not another shopping spree. So, here are five ideas that show how even tiny changes can make an outfit more exciting.

1. One leg in, one leg out

Sometimes just a subtle break from routine is enough to create visual excitment. You can easily do this by casually tucking one end of your trousers into your boot and leaving the other draped over it. Now that the boot tuck’s making a comeback, this little contrast looks particularly trendy.

2. Open cuffs, outfit ready

Blouses offer endless styling options. Yet, one area’s often overlooked: the cuffs. If you open all the buttons, the sleeve ends of many shirts fall apart slightly – almost creating a bell sleeve. This gives a cool, relaxed vibe and removes the stiffness off classic shirts.

3. It’s all in the knot

Belts have become much more playful in recent years. They don’t have to be the perfect length or neatly styled. Quite the opposite, in fact the end should hang down casually. It looks particularly stylish if you use it to form a loose knot. There are various ways you can do this – my tip is to guide the end of the belt upwards behind the belt from below and then pull it back down through the loop at the front.

4. Bye bye, handles

This trick’s almost ridiculously simple and that’s why it’s so good. Instead of carrying a bag over your shoulder or by the handle as usual, simply grab it like a clutch. You can hold larger models close to your body with your arm. This tiny change makes your look more elegant without looking like you’ve tried. At this seasons Fashion Week, it was almost the norm to carry your bag like this if you were a guest.

5. A sweater for the waist

These days it feels like just as many people have sweaters tied around them as people wearing them. It looks particularly chic and playful when you tie the sweater around your waist but over your jacket. This creates a beautiful silhouette and an exciting layering effect at the same time.

Stephanie Vinzens

Editor

Stephanie.Vinzens@digitecgalaxus.ch

Has endless love for shoulder pads, Stratocasters and sashimi, but a limited tolerance for bad impressions of her Eastern Swiss dialect.

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