From friends and coworkers to acquaintances and more, this is the most common fashion gripe I hear:

“I have individual pieces that I like but I don’t know how to put things together.”

When it comes to fashion, sometimes all you have to do to style a favorite new look is think outside the box. Whenever I’m stuck on what to wear, I focus in on one piece and build a look around it. I find that if I have one piece in mind, it’s easier for me to get creative than if I’m putting together something out of nothing.

Take a look in your closet and pick a piece that strikes your current mood. In this case, I chose the leather shorts. Now, using that piece as the foundation for the outfit, pick another piece that you have not yet paired it with. For me, it was the oversized denim shirt. I liked the idea of mixing sexy leather and utilitarian denim. I decided to add tights since this was a work look (I work in a creative industry so I have much more freedom than most when it comes to workwear) and the collar necklace to make it a little more dressy. To keep in line with the rocker appeal of the shorts, I had to lace up my trusty Litas.

Before I knew it, I had styled an entirely new look just from shopping in my closet and getting a little creative.

  Shirt: Marciano. Shorts: BB Dakota. Tights: Wolford. Sunglasses: Gucci. Necklace: tasha. Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell.