what would you say is key to looking "polished"?

[lollipoppet]

And can it be done when you don't have buckets of time and money?
And do you have to wear heels??

keep your eyebrows tidy

Stand up straight. Shoulders back, walk with confidence. Won't matter a fig what you wear, although it's hard to look polished in Crocs.

hmm, thanks everyone, you make it sound so easy peasy- just wash your hair! and yet i just do not see myself ever being this polished chic laydee...
perhaps because i hate ironing?

Not Being Me.

Just by managing that one thing, you are off to a good start

Hair, brows, clear, glowing skin, well fitting clothes

India Knight wrote about this. I think she said good skin and neat eyebrows, as well as navy and cream clothes (cheap black looks cheap).

But you know, this is one tiny little thing about my appearance that I don't worry about. I don't think I could ever look polished if I tried. But I see polished women and they don't look all that attractive to me. I'd much rather see a bit of character/ colour/ sense of fun etc.

I should add that I probably don't project a sense of character etc by the way I dress either, but if I was looking for an ideal that would be it.

"India Knight wrote about this"

Bless her, and everything, but "polished" she aint.

I don't actually know who India knight is

I think that is the reason why I will never look polished Laugs, I am just not conservative at all... maybe I'll aim for "reasonably groomed" instead?

yesyes to brow threading, manicure and clean hair. You can get away with many other sins as long as you observe the Holy Trinity of Polish

don't start ironing now if you hate it. I only iron the bare minimum. Most things you can get away without being ironed. Spending hours getting hot and bothered doing a an unnecessary chore you hate will not majorly change your looks, only make you miserable. Rather spend the time in the bath with a face mask or in the shower having a good exfoliating session. :)

I think there is a lot to be said for wearing a really good jacket/coat.

I have never been polished and probably never will be. Despite having 2 showers a day, good skin, nice girly hair etc etc, I always look like I've been dragged through a bush backwards, then had a fight.

I agree that it's easier to look polished with straight hair - I can do without make-up in a rush, but try getting me out of the house without a go of my GhDs and you're on a losing battle.

I have long ago come to the conclusion that you have to be slim to look polished, too.

Slim, simple well-fitting clothes, good shoes and some subtle make-up, and a good handbag.

Posture. Proper good open posture, not just ramrod straightness.

Teeth
Eyebrows
Clean, tidy nails (especially toe-nails!)
Tidy hair (down or clipped back).
Posture.

With all that you can wear jeans and flip flops and look good.

Agree, clean, blow dried hair. Neat nails (can be painted or not but if painted, remove polish at first sign of a chip!).

Gleaming skin - light make up for day, eyeshadow in evening.

Not 'matching' handbag and shoes but tonally working together. I'd never wear black shoes and carry a brown handbag for example.

Ironed clothes. Thinking about the overall outfit, not just chucking on any old baggy t-shirt that should have been binned years ago!

And YY to eyebrows / moustache!! Threading is your friend to keep these buggers under control.

I agree with otcha that you can look polished without painted nails (though not clean, well-shaped ones) and make-up - or at least without obvious make-up, beyond perhaps a little clear lip-balm.

Totally disagree that you 'need' foundation, mascara and blusher if 55 or more. All these can make you look much older, unless very, very subtly done. Which is why I tint my lashes and only use mascara if going out to a 'formal' occasion, don't routinely use blusher, and only use a touch of tinted moisturiser, if that. Though I do spend rather a lot on skin-care ... Not that I'd argue i look particularly polished!

I'm sure we all CAN do polished. I know I can.
Like when I get ready for a party. Everything shaved, nails done, earings, necklace, more make-up than usual, dress,heels. I look in the mirror and think to myslef, oh you don't half scrub up well, for a minger.
And I come down stairs to a wolf whistle from dh, saying darling you look fabulous and then 2 little voices, say oh mummy you look lovely (aged 7 and 2).
But the trouble is, I just can't maintain it. I have this image that italians don't step outside without a bit of lippy. I go to Sainsburys in my sloppy joes.
I just don't get how you maintain the polished look.

Macarro, I have seen some very very polished larger ladies.
Maybe its the average lady like me, who just gets a bit lazy/ complacent ?

for me personally:

hair - no roots and neat

eyebrows - i look awful if they arent plucked and feel ugly when they are bushing out

blusher/ mascara - i look like death without it

nails - well filed to a square tip, neat, no raggy edges and if painted, painted well

on others i'd say neat hair and nails :)

Should have said that India Knight didn't actually describe herself as polished, but gave her observations on others.

I think looking polished is probably like everything else - how much effort you can be bothered to put in.

Like all things I don't quite manage, it requires time and a bit of money. I think Caitlin Moran wrote about this - not polish as such, just generally looking good, talking about Dita von Teese at the time I believe.

She said the difference between such women and herself was that they were grafters, and I know what she means - I know a few women like this, they look immaculate, have lovely houses, without stacks of cash - I think it's just that they're less inclined to collapse on the sofa at the end of the day, or choose 30 mins in bed over plucking/blowdrying/make up ing.

Mmmn, thinking about the polished people I have known...

They tend to be people I have known in the workplace - I have never really encountered anyone be polished and casual. The times I saw these people in an informal situation they were still fairly 'formal'.

Smooth hair or pulled-back hair.

Lovers of the shift dress.

Often wore top and cardigan sets.

Tended to dress in harmonising colours - lots of neutrals.

Liked an expensive piece of chuky costume jewellery.

Bought clothes that were one notch up from the mainstream high street. Hobbs plus, iyswim.

I think they both tended to have polished nails.