Average-looking people, how to look average-but-attractive not average-and-boring?

[AnxiousPanxious]

I'm losing this battle a bit

I would say dress well for your shape. And accessorize. Scarves, earrings, nice bags etc
Good hair cut and blow dry/style regularly
Makeup
Good shoes
Nails

strategic use of colour and accessories - avoid boring clothes/colours

that's what I do, anyway

Definitely work hard on your look. If you are average looking, you cannot get away with boring clothes and grooming.

Start with your hair? Is it boring?

Yes, my hair is boring. It's rather thin and not quite straight, tending towards straggly unless cut very short: am now too old (42) for very short, with my face shape. But yes it can be worked on.
I'm tragic at accessories. Tragic!

Have you tried changing shampoo? Thin hair responds very well to a good volumising shampoo (and appropriate conditioner), used every day.

I don't think short is a problem if the cut is really good and the colour is right.

And how are your eyebrows and eyelashes?

Nice make up every day
White teeth
Keep on top of weight!!
Agree about accessories

I'm terribly terribly average-looking, verging on the downright ugmo some days, so dye my hair paprika red and have a short choppy bob, wear lots of very bright lippy and tons of eyeliner!

If you don't want to spend too much money to 'test' how something suits, have a look in charity shops for neck scarves in bright colours, nice beads etc, just to throw a bit of colour and interest into the mix. Try somewhere like Clare's Accessories for hairbands and flowers.

If you wear glasses, don't play it safe with frames, get something a bit outlandish - I just bought those and don't look at ALL like Su Pollard or Timmy Mallet, oh no... I look COOL.

I can do nice makeup, albeit a bit taupe, and have good teeth.
Eyebrows are good, I like them and feel lucky thought they could be darker but I don't know how to achieve this.

Eyelashes are short and I don't wear mascara. Will this make a difference? People with too much mascara tend to look silly. I don't know what is too much so I avoid.

I mean I can do "nice" makeup but not "interesting" makeup. Hmm.

SMILE

Website here where you put in your measurements and it suggests clothes to buy that will suit your shape.

Dye your eyelashes (Dylash kit in black, at any Boots) - it will make them longer and thicker without the mascara look.

Buy Benefit eyebrow gel and pencil and practice colouring them in a bit - makes a world of difference.

I SMILE A LOT

I'd say good mascara applied well (and sparingly) makes all the difference, it's the one make-up item I wouldn't go without. My eyes are a bit small so it really opens them up and makes them appear bigger.

The smile's a good one.

A friend of mine has naturally smiling lips, even when she's a bit cross, she always looks pleasant, and has no laughter lines at all, presumably because she's already happy-looking.

I am a hatchet-faced bag.

I agree with OP that obvious mascara can often look unflattering - think dying eyelashes is a mch better solution for everyday. I only wear (very natural) mascara for special occasions.

I also have my brows tinted and that makes a real diference in terms of framing face.

I have no interest in fashion or style but people often comment on my hair and clothes. There's no secret to it, I just choose a (very simple) cut that suits my face and (plain, cheap) clothes that fit properly and have a nice colour. I think what makes people look "not right" if they choose styles just for the sake of it rather than checking that those styles actually suit them IYSWIM. Take a good honest look in the mirror at yourself - what sort of face do you have (long/short) are there things you'd like to hide, would a fringe suit you, what are your best and worst body parts?

It's possible to look very stylish in jeans and a plain top as long as they fit well and your hair is in a style that compliments your face.

oh you can never have enough mascara in my book.

So I'm average loking and so downtrodden with 4 small kids that I've totally regressed into Gok case of black top and jeans. It's tragic but once upon a time when I still had a fashion mojo (pre toddlers), I got my colours done with a colour me beautiful lady. I swear it was the best £80 I ever spent. Gave me such colour confidence and affirmed my hair and make up choices (not that I wear load other than mascara ). If you can afford it I'd look into it as it was fab.

My eyebrows and eyelashes are very dark, what colour should I dye them?

I think hair and make up are the most important. I always notice if someone has a nice haircut or wearing nice make up, before noticing their weight or if their clothes are stylish or whatever.

yy to knowing which colours suit you and which to avoid, makes such a big difference.

I stuggle with Accessories too. I love neck scarves, but don't wear them myself.

In terms of nails and lashes. I think the problem is to make fake look as real as possible. I don't find it very attractive when you can see from miles away that they are not real. Much nicer to have shorter well looked after nails imho.

Losers

Good teeth and hair definitely. On makeover shows the participant can have £20k of surgery but it's the haircut that makes it!