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Have you grown tired of your usual outfits and want to try something new? If you’re feeling up to it, this may be a good time to challenge yourself by wearing clothing items you don’t usually reach for in your closet.

Of course, this is easier said than done, as putting on an ensemble you don’t wear on a regular basis can make you feel like a fish out of water. But if you really want to put a fresh spin on your wardrobe, pushing past the initial discomfort may mean discovering stunning styles you may have otherwise never considered.

Still unsure how to go about it? Read on for some tips that should help you ease into the process of experimenting with clothes and accessories you don’t wear that often, if at all:

Choose What Clothing Item to Focus on Styling

Venturing outside of your comfort zone can be quite an exciting experience. After all, there are so many kinds of clothes and accessories out there that you can experiment with. It’s understandable to want to give them all a shot, given the many outfit possibilities they present.

However, it’ll be hard to figure out a look that works for you if you’re trying on too many clothing items at once. Remember that you’ll be creating new outfit combinations with clothes that look and feel unfamiliar to you. While adding a bit of spice to your ensemble is a good thing, overdoing it may cause you to feel like you’re out of your depth. This, in turn, could end up discouraging you from continuing with your styling experiments.

So, while you’re still starting, decide on one specific clothing item to play around with first. Will it be a bright yellow sundress or a pair of denim jeggings you’ve always been too afraid to rock out in public? Or perhaps you’re planning to buy hosiery that comes in bold patterns you’ve never tried before? Whatever clothing item you choose, use that as your outfit’s foundation, and choose all your other items based on that.

Take Baby Steps When Changing Things Up

You may be tempted to go all out on your fashion experiments, but try to reel in your excitement. If you push yourself too far outside of your comfort zone, you may end up feeling too self-conscious about going out in the outfit you worked so hard to come up with. Worse, you may end up creating ensembles with elements that clash with each other too much.

Let’s say you’re thinking about styling a short, sleeveless dress, and you don’t usually wear it because it shows off more skin than you’re used to. If that’s the case, don’t force yourself to go out wearing it as-is, as your unfamiliarity with that type of outfit is sure to show in your body language. Instead, consider pairing the short dress with some thick, opaque tights and a sheer, long-sleeved blouse. Adding both items to your ensemble can provide you with a bit of skin coverage, which could help you feel a little less awkward about wearing the dress outside. Plus, it’s sure to add some nice visual contrast to your outfit.

Try Changing Only One Element at a Time

When a clothing combination doesn’t quite work out the way you want it to, it can be tempting to completely start from scratch. If you keep doing this, though, you won’t be able to figure out what it was about the outfit that bothered you in the first place.

Instead of throwing all your hard work out the window, choose one clothing item in your ensemble (excluding your base item, of course). Then, try playing around with a specific element of that item. This could be the size, shape, colour, texture, opacity, or even the thickness of the said clothing item.

For example, if you aren’t quite happy with how your jeans look when paired with a belt, try different kinds of belts before concluding that belts, in and of themselves, simply aren’t working for those jeans. Perhaps you have belts of different widths, materials, or colors that you can experiment with. You could even try different belt buckle colours and styles. Though these elements may seem subtle at first, the right combination can go a long way toward creating a more cohesive outfit.

While styling a clothing item you aren’t used to wearing may feel a little strange at first, you’ll find that doing so becomes much easier the more often you do it. It may take you some time to find what works for you, but all your efforts are sure to pay off in the long run. Before you know it, you’ll have found all sorts of new and exciting ways to style clothing items you’ve never given a chance to before. Which of the tips above are you excited to try during your next styling experiment?