[Karla Welch](https://www.masterclass.com/classes/karla-welch-teaches-building-and-owning-your-personal-style) is a Los Angeles–based stylist known for styling celebrities including Justin Bieber, Olivia Wilde, Tracee Ellis Ross, and many more. *The New York Times* and *Hollywood Reporter* have called her one of the world’s “most powerful” stylists. She takes a progressive approach to fashion, employing timeless, effortless looks that favor fit, <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-take-risks' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-take-risks","linkCopy":"take risks","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>take risks</a>, and aren’t bound by fashion trends. 

In addition to styling celebrities, Karla is also the founder of The Period Company, which focuses on providing absorbent, inexpensive, and reusable underwear for people who menstruate. She also partnered with clothing brand Hanes and ThredUP, an online consignment shop.
“[There’s] no hard and fast rules,” Karla says. “Or at least not for me.” When developing your personal style, Karla says to worry less about what’s right and wrong and simply to “have fun, express, enjoy it.” Here are some of Karla’s style tips that she uses in her personal life and with her clients:

__1. Imitate people whose style you like.__
Karla recommends starting your style journey by searching for outfit ideas you love and curating a [mood board](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-fashion-mood-board). “Find people you love on Instagram, on TV shows,” she says. “Tear pictures out of magazines.” 

Fashion bloggers can be a great source of inspiration. Karla also recommends writing down your inspirations: “Keep a journal, write it down. Say, ‘Oh wow, I loved that color combination of red and purple. I would never have thought it.’”

__2. Organize your closet.__
 “A great way to discover your own style and start your own style journey is to clean out your closet and to organize it,” Karla says. She recommends separating your closet into zones based on the type of garment and then breaking it down into categories. “Section everything off,” she says. “And even within those sections, put everything in colors. So your black blazers, your tweed blazers. . . your white button-ups, maybe your blue button-ups.” 

When you [organize your closet](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-organize-your-closet), you’ll start to notice patterns and gaps, and maybe rediscover some gems hiding in the back of your closet.

![How to Dress With Style: 6 Style Tips from Karla Welch ](//images.ctfassets.net/3s5io6mnxfqz/3dLkQn2XGO1WE2miapsfBe/d279c3403dac2db62ba54723ea54f81b/Karla_Welch_organizing_metal_clothing_rack.jpg)

__3. Get thrifty.__
According to Karla, “thrifting is such an amazing way to develop style.” Buying second-hand clothes is a more sustainable way to shop, budget-friendly, and fun. “The key to [thrifting](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-thrift-shop), though,” Karla says, “is being very open to magic, and seeing what you might find. If you think you're going find one specific thing, thrifting is not for you.”

__4. Focus on fit.__
Karla’s not one to harp on fashion rules, but she urges you to wear clothes that fit your body shape properly. “‘Make sure it fits’ is a pretty major rule,” she says. “Does it feel right on your body? If it doesn't feel right,” she says, “and if you feel like you have to ask the question, ‘Am I trying too hard?’ The answer is in the question.” Look for a [good tailor](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-find-a-good-tailor-for-clothing-alterations) who can alter clothes for your body type. 

__5. Pretend it’s a pair of jeans.__
Life is too short to save your favorite clothes for special occasions. “A lot of people have beautiful clothes,” Karla says, “and they’re saving it for another day. Well, don’t save it for another day. You’re alive. Wear it today. It’s as simple as that.” 

Karla’s “hot tip” for “getting outside your comfort zone” is to pretend that special item is a pair of jeans. “We all wear blue jeans,” she says. “It’s the uniform of our generation and of our society. So I say wear it like you wear a pair of blue jeans. Put on a pair of pants that aren’t jeans. Put on a dress. Put it with any kind of shoe you want. And then just [don’t] think about it. Just wear it.”

__6. Rethink the classics.__
Karla recommends curating a [capsule wardrobe](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe) of fashion staples in [neutral colors](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-are-neutral-colors-explained). However, don’t conflate classic with boring. Choose classics that reflect your personal style. Among Karla’s fashion classics are the dress, blazer, blue jeans, trench coat, white T-shirt, and leather jacket. 

![How to Dress With Style: 6 Style Tips from Karla Welch ](//images.ctfassets.net/3s5io6mnxfqz/18AVQMUFYR9Uu3GryosCMw/e5b48df4454fae0e4963a9cacd1cacc7/Karla_Welch_holding_white_t-shirt.jpg)

Developing your fashion taste can go a long way toward building your confidence and helping you feel comfortable in your own skin. Discover Karla Welch’s approach to [becoming a fashion stylist](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-be-a-stylist), building [wardrobe essentials](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wardrobe-essentials), and finding your personal style when you sign up for a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com/homepage).
Looking stylish isn’t about having the most trendy wardrobe. Celebrity stylist Karla Welch’s <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide","linkCopy":"style guide","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>style guide</a> is full of practical <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish","linkCopy":"fashion tips","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>fashion tips</a> that will teach you how to dress with style, whether you’re a minimalist or love to accessorize.

Looking stylish isn’t about having the most trendy wardrobe. Celebrity stylist Karla Welch’s <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide","linkCopy":"style guide","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>style guide</a> is full of practical <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish","linkCopy":"fashion tips","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>fashion tips</a> that will teach you how to dress with style, whether you’re a minimalist or love to accessorize.

Karla Welch on How to Dress With Style

<a href='https://www.masterclass.com/classes/karla-welch-teaches-building-and-owning-your-personal-style' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/classes/karla-welch-teaches-building-and-owning-your-personal-style","linkCopy":"Karla Welch","category":null}'>Karla Welch</a> is a Los Angeles–based stylist known for styling celebrities including Justin Bieber, Olivia Wilde, Tracee Ellis Ross, and many more. The New York Times and Hollywood Reporter have called her one of the world’s “most powerful” stylists. She takes a progressive approach to fashion, employing timeless, effortless looks that favor fit, <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-take-risks' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-take-risks","linkCopy":"take risks","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>take risks</a>, and aren’t bound by fashion trends. In addition to styling celebrities, Karla is also the founder of The Period Company, which focuses on providing absorbent, inexpensive, and reusable underwear for people who menstruate. She also partnered with clothing brand Hanes and ThredUP, an online consignment shop.

About Karla Welch

“[There’s] no hard and fast rules,” Karla says. “Or at least not for me.” When developing your personal style, Karla says to worry less about what’s right and wrong and simply to “have fun, express, enjoy it.” Here are some of Karla’s style tips that she uses in her personal life and with her clients:1. Imitate people whose style you like. Karla recommends starting your style journey by searching for outfit ideas you love and curating a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-fashion-mood-board' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-fashion-mood-board","linkCopy":"mood board","category":null}'>mood board</a>. “Find people you love on Instagram, on TV shows,” she says. “Tear pictures out of magazines.” Fashion bloggers can be a great source of inspiration. Karla also recommends writing down your inspirations: “Keep a journal, write it down. Say, ‘Oh wow, I loved that color combination of red and purple. I would never have thought it.’”2. Organize your closet. “A great way to discover your own style and start your own style journey is to clean out your closet and to organize it,” Karla says. She recommends separating your closet into zones based on the type of garment and then breaking it down into categories. “Section everything off,” she says. “And even within those sections, put everything in colors. So your black blazers, your tweed blazers. . . your white button-ups, maybe your blue button-ups.” When you <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-organize-your-closet' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-organize-your-closet","linkCopy":"organize your closet","category":null}'>organize your closet</a>, you’ll start to notice patterns and gaps, and maybe rediscover some gems hiding in the back of your closet.<img class="mc-mt-8" style='width: 100%;' src="//images.ctfassets.net/3s5io6mnxfqz/3dLkQn2XGO1WE2miapsfBe/d279c3403dac2db62ba54723ea54f81b/Karla_Welch_organizing_metal_clothing_rack.jpg" alt="How to Dress With Style: 6 Style Tips from Karla Welch " />3. Get thrifty. According to Karla, “thrifting is such an amazing way to develop style.” Buying second-hand clothes is a more sustainable way to shop, budget-friendly, and fun. “The key to <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-thrift-shop' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-thrift-shop","linkCopy":"thrifting","category":null}'>thrifting</a>, though,” Karla says, “is being very open to magic, and seeing what you might find. If you think you&#39;re going find one specific thing, thrifting is not for you.”4. Focus on fit. Karla’s not one to harp on fashion rules, but she urges you to wear clothes that fit your body shape properly. “‘Make sure it fits’ is a pretty major rule,” she says. “Does it feel right on your body? If it doesn&#39;t feel right,” she says, “and if you feel like you have to ask the question, ‘Am I trying too hard?’ The answer is in the question.” Look for a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-find-a-good-tailor-for-clothing-alterations' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-find-a-good-tailor-for-clothing-alterations","linkCopy":"good tailor","category":null}'>good tailor</a> who can alter clothes for your body type. 5. Pretend it’s a pair of jeans. Life is too short to save your favorite clothes for special occasions. “A lot of people have beautiful clothes,” Karla says, “and they’re saving it for another day. Well, don’t save it for another day. You’re alive. Wear it today. It’s as simple as that.” Karla’s “hot tip” for “getting outside your comfort zone” is to pretend that special item is a pair of jeans. “We all wear blue jeans,” she says. “It’s the uniform of our generation and of our society. So I say wear it like you wear a pair of blue jeans. Put on a pair of pants that aren’t jeans. Put on a dress. Put it with any kind of shoe you want. And then just [don’t] think about it. Just wear it.”6. Rethink the classics. Karla recommends curating a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-build-a-capsule-wardrobe","linkCopy":"capsule wardrobe","category":null}'>capsule wardrobe</a> of fashion staples in <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-are-neutral-colors-explained' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-are-neutral-colors-explained","linkCopy":"neutral colors","category":null}'>neutral colors</a>. However, don’t conflate classic with boring. Choose classics that reflect your personal style. Among Karla’s fashion classics are the dress, blazer, blue jeans, trench coat, white T-shirt, and leather jacket. <img class="mc-mt-8" style='width: 100%;' src="//images.ctfassets.net/3s5io6mnxfqz/18AVQMUFYR9Uu3GryosCMw/e5b48df4454fae0e4963a9cacd1cacc7/Karla_Welch_holding_white_t-shirt.jpg" alt="How to Dress With Style: 6 Style Tips from Karla Welch " />

How to Dress With Style: 6 Style Tips from Karla Welch

Developing your fashion taste can go a long way toward building your confidence and helping you feel comfortable in your own skin. Discover Karla Welch’s approach to <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-be-a-stylist' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-be-a-stylist","linkCopy":"becoming a fashion stylist","category":null}'>becoming a fashion stylist</a>, building <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wardrobe-essentials' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/wardrobe-essentials","linkCopy":"wardrobe essentials","category":null}'>wardrobe essentials</a>, and finding your personal style when you sign up for a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/homepage' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/homepage","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>.

Hone Your Sense of Style

Looking stylish isn’t about having the most trendy wardrobe. Celebrity stylist Karla Welch’s <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide","linkCopy":"style guide","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>style guide</a> is full of practical <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish","linkCopy":"fashion tips","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>fashion tips</a> that will teach you how to dress with style, whether you’re a minimalist or love to accessorize.

Looking stylish isn’t about having the most trendy wardrobe. Celebrity stylist Karla Welch’s <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-create-a-style-guide","linkCopy":"style guide","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>style guide</a> is full of practical <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/fashion-tips-to-ensure-you-always-look-stylish","linkCopy":"fashion tips","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>fashion tips</a> that will teach you how to dress with style, whether you’re a minimalist or love to accessorize.

Stylist Karla Welch sitting on a wood bench with stacked books in her studio office space

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Karla Welch on How to Dress With Style