Fashion Makeovers: Reinvention Convention

Quick Fashion Fixes

Certain wardrobe dilemmas are universal ("I have nothing to wear!" is every woman’s lament). These three women-Audrey Douglas, Mae Caime and Gladys Rosario-let us tackle their common style problems.

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Audrey Before: Too Casual

Audrey Douglas, 46, always defaults to jeans, sweaters and sneakers. Her challenge is adding the chic to casual chic.

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Audrey After: Casual Chic

The main ingredient in any casual look? Denim. But not just any denim; go for trouser-fit jeans, because they never look sloppy. This shirt’s paisley print adds pop. And her Chanel-inspired jacket is the finishing touch-Coco’s adored tweed is revered in the fashion world for dressing up or dressing down a look.

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The Perfect Jacket

$226; talbots.com

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A Sweet Sweater

$79; talbots.com

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Dressier Denim

$79; talbots.com

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Gladys Before: Party Panic

Gladys Rosario, 62, wore this dress on a recent cruise and realized she’s in sore need of a dress that’s sleek enough to stand up to an any-time-of-day party.

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Gladys After: Ready to Mingle

The Little Black Dress is an idea familiar to every woman-so just give yours an update. This wide waist band is flattering, and the scoop neck frames the face and shows just a hint of skin. The lace is a small yet noticeable detail that’s perfectly on trend.

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Lovely LBD

Cap Sleeve Lace Dress, $198; whitehouseblackmarket.com

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The Heels to Have

Leather Peeptoes, $119; talbots.com

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Mae Before: Office Confusion

Repeat after us: Professional work wear does not mean the same boring black suit, year after year. Mae Caime is a serial suit-wearer and confessed she’s never even tried a dress at work. But if you choose carefully, you’ll find that a dress can yield the same high-profile results as a power suit.

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Mae After: Power Play

A smart, fitted jacket makes this shift dress a close cousin to the work-ready suit. By mixing tweed with checks (a trick she’d done with her home decor but never her wardrobe), there’s a fresh feel to her look. If you’re hesitant about combining prints, listen to our fashion editors’ go-to rules: make sure one is always larger than the other, and stay within the same color scheme.