5 Wardrobe Essentials to Improve Your Day-to-Day Attire

You don't need to break the bank to look like a fashionista and you don't need an extremely large closet to accommodate each and every popular fashionable staple, either. Many fashionable men and women today make the mistake of buying every piece of clothing they see on TV or find on the magazines without realizing that all it takes to improve your attire is simplicity with a hint of creativity.

Remember, fashion isn't all about wearing what's "in", it's about working with what you already have in your closet, mixing and matching colors carefully, and feeling comfortable with your own skin; however, if you want a seemingly "complete" wardrobe, adding these five clothing pieces will surely improve it.

The ordinary scarf has now become the new "little black dress" as popularized by Audrey Hepburn. You can do so much with a simple scarf and all it takes is a little bit of creativity and style to turn your scarf into a fashionable clothing piece. For many fashionable women today, scarves can bring color to an otherwise bland attire, make your attire seem très chic, and double as a necklace, sash, purse, and even a belt.

A simple pair of neutral-colored Oxford shoes can make you look like a fashionista regardless of the season. Step into your Oxfords even in the heat of summer to capture a young, lively look, wear your Oxfords during spring to look retro chic, trot Oxfords with socks during fall in case you have no comfortable boots to wear, and put on a pair of sturdy Oxfords which good traction when out and about the city during winter.

There are so many things you can do with a pair of Oxford shoes and whatever the season, celebration or the reason, a pair of Oxfords will always make for a sophisticated addition to your attire.

For men, use Oxfords when wearing formal clothing or match your Oxfords with denims.

For women, use Oxfords with any attire, but if you want to meet the requirements for a smart casual attire, match your Oxfords with tight pants.

Many people claiming to be ahead of the pack when it come to fashion tend to forget that a pair of cool reading glasses still count as clothing accessories and a pair could make or break your attire. If you want to look sophisticated, while protecting your eyes from the sun's UV rays at the same time, then there's no reason why you shouldn't add posh eyewear to your closet.

The right pair of women's reading glasses and sunglasses can say a lot about you and your fashion sense.

If you want to look sharper and more chic, add full-frame eyeglasses with dark-colored rims to your attire to look like a professional. If you want to look youthful and perhaps look younger than your real age, wear half-frame sunglasses with light-colored frames. For those who simply want to feel like a celebrity, add these wide-eyed sunglasses to your wardrobe.

Here are a few more examples and things you can do with trendy reading glasses:

The Youthful dresser loves to mix bright colors and natural tints sparingly. Her fashion sense revolves around the concept of looking young and free with bright, untamed colors. She loves to add modern twists to retro styles and modern accents to retro fashion. Pink and ochre are an unusual mix but the youthful dresser knows how to make two non-complimentary colors look compatible with each other.

The socialite knows what's in and what will be in store shelves next month, ahead of people. You might call her a trendsetter or simply someone with a gift of fashion foresight. The sophisticated dresser knows how to work with unusual frame shapes and colors and even before year's end, she knows what Pantone will pick as this 2012's color of the year (and her bet is aquamarine or teal!).

The undecided dresser doesn't know how to tie a tie, or that blue denim has long been banned by every fashionista everywhere. The undecided also doesn't know if she wants clear frames, printed frames, or solid-colored frames. Surprisingly enough, the undecided dresser still knows how to work it. She's like Marie Curie mixing two opposing substances together without knowing she has discovered something great in the process.

Whether it's old or new, you can never go wrong with an oversized, long-sleeved men's shirt. There are long sleeves for women nowadays too, so if a men' long-sleeved shirt is too large for you, look for women's long-sleeved blouses with "curves".

Over-sized, long-sleeved men's tops work well with short shorts, skirts, long denims, and even colorful slacks. Under the hot weather, you can roll the sleeves up and tie the front like you would a tie-front blouse. If you're pretty skilled with a sewing machine, you could create your own tie-front blouse without sleeves with the help of DIY instructions.

An over-sized men's long-sleeved shirt may also be used as the inner top for your corporate attire-- simply put a blazer on and you're good to go.

For fall, accessorize your over-sized top with scarf and feel free to mix and match with other fall colors to create the perfect fall ensemble.

What can't you do with a pair of black knee high socks or stockings?

Your black knee high socks or stockings may either be used as additional leg covering when you wear short denim skirts, dresses that are a little bit too short, or even short-shorts. You can wear your boots above black stockings to create a sophisticated look or wear them along with your heels and cocktail dress to look taller and more slender.

Black socks or stockings may also be used with a dress, a mini skirt, a school or office uniform, and even with a pair of colored shorts! Needless to say, it's today's "little black dress".

What's the best accessory or piece of clothing in your closet and what have you done with it to look (1) sophisticated, (2) professional/formal, and (3) casual?

Share your best fashion tip with us, below!