The timeless fashion icon Coco Chanel once eloquently said, “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
We all want to look put together and make a wonderful first impression. Looking put together doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time, but it does require you to put in a little effort every day.
Once you begin to make these steps a part of your daily routine, it will feel like no effort at all, especially compared to how great you’ll look!\
Cuff your sleeves and half-tuck long shirts
When it comes to looking more stylish and put together, it’s all about the details. Simple things like cuffing your sleeves and tucking in your shirt makes a big difference.
Sometimes button downs can look stuffy. The secret to making them look elevated and effortless is to cuff your sleeves so that your forearms are visible.
Likewise, sometimes long shirts can hide our shape and make our entire outfit look more casual than we’d like. That’s why I recommend tucking in your long shirt into your pants with a half-tuck in the front.
This little adjustment makes a big difference because being able to see your entire pants from waistband to ankles instantly makes your legs look longer. The half-tuck also defines your waist by preventing a shirt from overwhelming your body, thus giving you a slimmer shape.
Clean your shoes
No matter how elegant and stylish your outfit is, having dirty and unkempt shoes will prevent you from looking polished. End of story! You’d be surprised by how many people pay attention to shoes, which is why it’s so important to keep them looking good at all times.
You need to ensure that your personal shoe care is on point. After you wear your shoes, take them off and closely inspect them. Remove visible dirt, scuffs and stains. This habit will prolong the life of your shoes and will ensure that you always look your best.
Match the colour of your handbag to your shoes
Matching your handbag to your shoes ties the entire outfit together and makes it look more polished and elegant. You don’t need to match your handbag to your shoes all the time, but making a coordinated effort to match them for special occasions like formal events makes your entire outfit look more polished and sophisticated.
Kate Middleton follows this style rule a lot. She is always matching her clutch or handbag to her shoes at formal events, and she always looks impeccable as the result.
Invest in a clothing steamer
Having wrinkle-free clothes is so important to overall presentation. Elegance is all in the details, and nothing ruins a good outfit more than a disheveled and wrinkled appearance.
If you’re not a fan of ironing, purchase a clothing steamer instead. Clothing steamers are easy to use and do a fantastic job at keeping clothes wrinkle-free. A clothing steamer gets wrinkles and creases out of clothes faster than an iron and doesn’t require a specific technique to use correctly.
Get a sweater shaver
If you have sweaters that pill, you can remove all the unwanted fuzzy balls with a sweater shaver. Investing in this handy device will keep your sweaters and fabrics looking like new.
Invest in shapewear
Purchasing some great shapewear like Spanx is a great investment in your appearance. The purpose of shapewear is to smooth and support trouble areas so you can slip effortlessly into your attire and not have to worry about pulling, tucking, or rearranging your outfit. Plus, wearing shapewear enhances your curves and gives you a more hourglass shape.
Always keep a pair of nice sunglasses on hand
Late nights, too much wine, and too many carb-on-carb delights can leave our eyes looking… well, not so fresh. A pair of fashionable sunglasses can hide a multitude of sins. Be sure to keep a pair in your handbag at all times.
Invest in quality pieces in neutral colours
A wardrobe built on neutral colours can take you very far because you can mix-and-match your quality pieces to create many different outfits.
If you want to look polished on a budget, invest your money in basic pieces that have nice cuts and fabrics. Instead of spending your money on trendy items or clothing that isn’t built to last, look into purchasing more expensive items that are of better quality.
When you break it down to cost-per-wear, it’s better to have a $150 quality skirt that you can wear 100 times, than a $30 skirt from H&M that you only wear 3 times before it falls apart or goes out of style.
Always be prepared for the unexpected
You never know where your day can take you or what life can throw at you, which is why it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected. My handbag is always equipped with items that can help me in a pinch.
This is what I like to have on hand: a hair brush, some of my core makeup staples (mascara, lipstick and powder compact), hair pins, safety pins and a small travel-sized sewing kit.
