How to look well dressed ?

[Whitesky75]

I’m in jeans and primark men’s T-shirts most of the time. My hair is tied in a bun and not always up to date with hair colour. You get the picture?

I work from home, but my job is very demanding. With 3 kids (2 in primary school), I struggle to
manage most days. My husband can’t do much at home as his work involves long hours and a lot of travel.

Ladies with 2-3 kids and a full time demanding job, can you tell me how you manage to dress well and look good ?

Bump

Wear clean clothes, in good condition, that fit. Organise a capsule wardrobe and find a range of complementary colours that suit you. Get a good haircut regularly.

Perhaps re- post this in Style and Beauty OP? You might get more responses over there.

Unless you are over 5ft 6, less than a size 10 and with small boobs, you will rarely look well dressed.

Why are you specifically wearing a mens Tshirt?
Some basic, neutrals that you can build a capsule wardrobe from is a good place to start, I would spend a but more money on these as they should be good quality to last you years. E.g a well fitting pair of jeans, a trench coat, a white shirt, a blazer, a dress that can be dressed up or down etc

As for a hair, can you get a balyage style so you don't have to get your roots done as often?

Wow!

Rubbish!!

Oh good! Only three posts in and the body shamers have arrived.

Wear clothes that fit you properly and suit your figure. Iron your clothes. Plan your wardrobe in advance if doing anything you want to look nice for. Chuck out anything tatty or worn.

Accessorise with belts, nice bags, jewellery ( doesn’t need to be expensive).

And sort out your hair. If you are short of time go for a low maintenance style and keep it clean and brushed.

NB I have loads of nice clothes but mostly wear jeans, shorts and a top but I think look casual rather than scruffy.

No that's your bias talking. So no-one from certain races can look well dressed? The Queen never looked well dressed?
OP plan a wardrobe, as said. Shoes and bags included. Keep up with hair care. A face scrub/brightener when going out. I have to do a eyebrow dye these days. I like makeup but that's a personal decision. You can't please everyone, so please yourself, because well dressed/looks good is subjective.

What utter nonsense.

I think op it's really down to carving out a bit of time for yourself and figuring out what you can do to make things easier and faster.

So as others have said, a capsule wardrobe of good fitting clothes can be great if you're busy so no matter what you're throwing together, it should look coordinated.

I was struggling to make time to go to the hairdressers so I dyed my hair a colour that I can keep up with at home so I can do it when ds is in bed. I also wash my hair and then tie it up in buns so it looks curled in the morning but i don't need to do anything with it. I have an everything shower once a week. I don't get my nails done as they always chip and I keep nail files in my handbag etc so I can file my nails as they break. I try to paint them when ds is in bed.

Making sure you're washed and clean is key. I cut back my makeup routine so I do less now and focus more on skincare in the morning and at night.

It's also probably more about having a few small seasonal wardrobes that suit you and your shape and skin/ hair colour rather than trying to keep up with fast fashion. Plus helps so much with the laundry.

I think it's also helpful when you lay out clothes the night before so you actually have time to consider what you're going to wear instead of grabbing it in a rush in the morning when you're tired.

I think a good blow dry, decent handbag and then neutral colours with nice jewellery

not that I look well dressed (far from it) but I have invested in a blow dry brush, good quality watch and a navy and black decent bag and I do feel better for it (also lipstick)

OP jeans and a t-shirt is a classic. The cut and fit of your jeans and t-shirt will make all the difference. If you spend a bit of time and possibly money getting them right, you’ll look more put together instantly. Then you only need a decent blazer or jacket for nipping out to the shops.

A good haircut is worth a 100 new outfits as you wear it every day. I do air touch balayage which is super natural and can go 4-5 months between colour appointments as the regrowth blends in.

I overhauled my skincare last year to incorporate vitamin c as my skin always looked old and dull. That’s made a huge difference to how I feel. Now I look like I’ve swallowed a light bulb!

Shoes are important too. They don’t need to be smart just clean and in good condition. Grubby trainers always bring down a cute outfit.

Miaow!

That's bollocks. One of my best friends is a size 14, short with massive boobs and she never looks anything but immaculate. She spends a lot on clothes and beauty and it shows. She's bothered to find out what suits her body and skin and sticks to it. She never wears patterns, I think that helps her look more sophisticated. And she doesn't hide her figure with oversized or androgynous clothes.

I'd be too self-conscious to go to a personal shopper, but I know a lot of people say it's the best thing they've ever done. Is it something you might consider, op?

I prioritise having my hair coloured every 5-6 weeks and nails done every 4 weeks because it makes me feel good. Clothing wise it's a question of knowing what suits you, I generally stick to black and neutral colours and I find that nice jewellery, bag and shoes instantly make me feel more put together.

I do think it's easier to look smart on a smaller budget, if you are slim and don't have big boobs. Not being judgy - I am chubby and booby!
I think Kirstie Allsop looks well put together and she is not a petite woman, but I think her clothes are very expensive, which helps.
I'd avoid patterns - cheaper clothes rarely match the pattern at the seams and it looks cheap. I think darker colours are easier to co ordinate than bright, if there's not a lot of money to spend.
The main thing imo is looking after clothes - repairing worn down heels on boots, a decent bag, not being covered in cat hair like me

For your hair, do you have to have it coloured? I used to dye my hair as the maintenance was a pain, so I dyed back to my own colour so when the dye grew out, it was barely noticeable and now it's so much better to maintain.

Also, a messy bun is fine.

Clothes wise, plenty of good advice above, clothes that fit properly would be better than oversized baggy clothes.

But small steps, don't overwhelm yourself.

When it comes to clothes there are three rules. Fit. It must fit and be cut for your body shape, clothes don't necessary need to be expensive, but they need to fit you. That includes your bra, so many times I see women with 4 breasts, or spilling upwards.
Second. Classic. Buy simple classic clothes. A good blue or black coat. A jacket over a blouse or top. A good simple trouser suit. What looks good on you repeat, buy again. Don't jump on fashions, shoes always look smarter than trainers or boots.
Accessories. A scarf dresses up so many outfits. Bags and shoes that complement each other. A broach. Earrings and a visible necklace.

I get a lot of comments for looking smart. My trick- I buy expensive clothes for a fraction of a cost on charity shops. Channel dress for £8 etc. I know which charity shops pile it high and sell it cheap and which ones are more choosy. I go to both. Little and often as you never know what I am going to find. I can afford to experiment a little- if I buy something I decide I don't like it's only a few pounds wasted. I never buy anything without trying it out first

Buy women’s T-shirts as they will fit better.
Jeans and T-shirts are fine, if they are clean and in colours and shapes that suit you. If that’s your style, get a few different jackets or shirts to go over the top, for when you leave the house.
Does your hair need to be dyed to cover up grey? Because otherwise, dyeing it takes time and money and adversely affects the condition of your hair, so you might be better letting it grow out, maybe get lowlights to break up any roots.
I find keeping my eyebrows darkish, putting on a bit of lipstick or balm and a touch of eyeliner when I get dressed means that I’m going out/ zoom ready.

OP a lot of us have been there.

Simplify.

Haircut/ colour - book the next one before leaving the salon, so there's always one incoming.

If you feel comfortable in jeans and Tshirt. Do the research and buy some good ones that fit well and some fresh well cut T shirts.

Fresh clean trainers. And nice earrings.

Build on that.

Always a decent fitting bra.

A nice jacket. Leather boots for winter.
A pair of black jeans.
A shirt /overshirt
A good belt.

These are all easy building blocks to get gradually. Don't try and change yourself . But try to upgrade what you already feel comfortable in. And if you really like something and it works buy repeats!

I don't know if you wear make up but if you do there are so many easy to apply ones these days. I like the brand Merit.

Get your eyebrows done at least once professionally. Tinted moisturiser . Cream rub on blush. Mascara. Lip tint/lipstick. None of it has to be heavy or overdone. If you're not into make up no worries either.

Cleanliness and fit is everything.

And personally I always like to smell nice. I use my perfume daily and don't just keep for best.

Have a clear out of the clothes that you gravitate to that you know arnt flattering to you but are your comfortable go to's. If they arnt there, they won't be an option.
A minimal, capsule idea could be a good idea - fitted jeans, a couple of jumpers, pretty t's, maybe a few blouses.
I also always try to plan my outfits the night before - even down to accessories, the same way I do for the kids, so when I wake up and need to get going fast, I don't even have to think about it.
Mamma needs to feel her best, to get the most out of the day. Value your own appearance as much as you do your kids when getting them out the door - you're worth the effort too!

I recommend Joyfully Dressed or the StyleDNA app. Both have helped me a lot.

If you wfh, where are you wanting to be smart for? I mean, I don’t think people on my teams calls know if I’ve got a nice handbag or smart trench! They won’t see my nails, and can barely tell I’ve not washed my hair. Is it just to make you feel better? Genuine question.