How do some women always manage to look so put together and downright gorgeous?

[Beigecurtains]

Is it just 'inbuilt' style that they're born with? If so, I'm incredibly jealous!!

My friend always looks amazing and really stylish but I find it really hard to put my finger on what it is that makes her look special. She's not overly tall, and is slim but not skinny (size 12), and certainly doesn't spend a fortune on beauty treatments/products or clothes, or having her hair done.

Her outfits are usually fairly simple; just jeans with a nice top usually, and she wears accessories such as a necklace or a large scarf. She always wears make up, but again it's fairly simple, nothing garish. And hair in a bun or just down and wavy.

So on paper she doesn't dress particularly differently to probably 90% of other women, but she always manages to stand out.

How do some women do this? I'd love to know the secret so I can stop looking like a bag lady

Thanks sugar Shirts are a disaster on my hourglass figure - they are not cut for big boobs and small waist - they might have been in the 50's but certainly not now. Bursting buttons is not good. I do 50's in a way during the summer fitted top circle skirt and a pair of pumps ...but that's not really tailored.

I like the 50's style but I wouldn't want to wear it all the time....it's just not me. I don't get on with dresses much either, they never fit - I'm too tall and too hourglass....I guess what I'm saying is rules are a bit pointless when it comes to people dressing as we all have our own challenges. Learn to dress for your body and style and to hell with the rules!

Bad Mumsnet for making me spend money again. That's two scarves this week

Snow I think bravissimo do shirts especially for diff bust proportions .

Snowdown

Classic casual look for an hour glass figure with tiny waist is the bootcut jeans with gathered jersey top. Look at the set on the left in the image below.

Thanks sugar, I know bravissimo do shirts but they aren't to my taste, I'd feel like someone 20 years older, they are too formal, too straight laced. I don't think the tailored look is something that works for me on a casual basis - it's too much. We are all different - even us hour glasses can carve out our own style, no need to follow strict rules.

Thanks Snowbells but that's not my idea of casual!! That's very dressed up!

Decent hair cut / care and good skin, with minimal make up and clean single colour plain nail paint

I used to work with a woman who looked stylish and stood out. I still don't know how she did it. She was far far less groomed than many of the women round about her. But with a very plain jumper and jeans, she still syood out. She was good looking, but not stunningly so. Perhaps it is charisma?

Yes, for scarf or accessories yo work the rest of the look has to be quite minimalist.

Snowdown those clothes look very smart, but very work- like, no ?

Yes those clothes look smart and very bright but I don't need a smart wardrobe - just a casual one I'm trying to think of the reaction I'd get if I turned up at the school gates wearing those kind of clothes!

But if I did need a wardrobe like that -there's too much colour, even for me, the tied in the middle peach jacket would not work at all with my shape, tied in the middle never works - Gok Wan was obsessed with it, my waist looked too small and my boobs looked too big, this is not a good look! The purple ruffle shirt is interesting I would assume putting loads of fabric around an area and drawing attention to an area that's already over sized wouldn't work....but I'd need to try it on just to be sure. Bootleg trousers are just a plain no, as are the killer heels.

You shouldn't be worrying too much about what other people think - it's about feeling confident in your own skin and with your choices. A fitted look doesn't have to be formal - it's how you wear it (ie choice of shoes, accessories).

Sunbeam was that comment directed at me? I don't worry about what other people think, if I looked at me dressed in the clothes Snowbell posted I'd think I looked ridiculously over dressed at the school gate or meeting friends for coffee - I wouldn't look put together, I'd look OTT, it's not what I'd call casual but for other people it might be, who knows.

Tbh I don't need fashion advice as such, but ideas are always worth considering, I'm perfectly happy with the way I dress, I know what suits me, I don't know if other people would say I look put together, I'm not a classic dresser, more edgy ...I was just intrigued by snowbell's assertion that all hourglasses should wear structured clothing all the time, I was curious how she would interpret that into a casual wardrobe.

Cool; wasn't attacking in any way. I'm hourglass too - what sorts of looks do you go for? I'm looking for new ideas as feel my shape has changed a bit (as has lifestyle obviously!) since having baby last year

Today I'm wearing boyfriend jeans with brogues - they are long and narrow looking - I like long feet!! A jersey grandad shirt under a slightly slouchy jumper in lime green, green and black - it probably shouldn't work but it does.
I refuse to stick with the rules for big boobs, they are do limiting, so I end up trying on a lot of tops - some work, most don't but I expect that and it's worth the effort. Bottom half tube skirts are good, skinnies are fine, hard to find a good pair - I try on maybe 50 to find the right ones. Recently discovered real straight by gap - lots of finishes, and a great fit but you need to try on the different pairs of the same size same because I find they vary. I like biker jackets - clearly not zipped up. I struggle with cardigans and I really want one but they never deliver. Dresses are a nightmare...I have good shoulders and arms so I can do the slouchy dress, most waisted dresses feel horrible - waist is too high or emphasis my shape more - I don't need that. I do sometimes wear a shirt open over a vest, I like checked flannel with jeans. And after searching high and low for the perfect fitted tailored shirt I have worn it once in 2 years! Don't know if that helps - I find blogs, Pinterest and s&b a great place for inspiration - when I was stuck in my mummy rut - I used to go shopping and expect to be inspired, it doesn't work like that for me, I now know what I like before I shop and it makes the experience so much more enjoyable.

I don't do shirts really although I like the look.
I hate anything too constriction or that creases up too much.
Love thought of soft boyfriend or rolled up jeans with a white shirt of somekind for summer though.
Must seek out jersey options.
I did see a nice one in Fat Face recently.
Doubt that would impress some Mn ers though.

Snowbells I LOVE the yellow skirt in that picture - where is it from?

I am a size 14 hourglass whether I work out 5 times a week (pre children) or never (now). I always get compliments. Was a hopeless dresser before Susannah and Trinny! Their advice worked for me. Well fitting underwear; best haircut/colour/shoes/bag I can afford (doesn't matter if clothes are cheap). I have to work hard at it, though - read fashion columns in newspaper/look at what other people are wearing/find brands that fit well and stick to them. Hope that helps.

watchful I agree, Trinny and Susannah gave good advice. I took their advice as follows :

Keep your wardrobe pared down, get rid of any old stuff, anything stained, anything that you just don't wear.

Don't put colour with black. Wear black with neutrals or on it's own.

Good shoes, good supportive and well fitting underwear, good handbag.

Have really enjoyed this thread.

There's been a few comments about the importance of 'good shoes', what are we talking about here? Not trainers I take it but what else makes a good shoe?

Like others have said, there is a difference between being groomed and being stylish. What is the question here - what is the secret of being groomed? Or being stylish (much harder). Have known many women who are very well groomed (nails, hair, makeup, clothing all very well maintained) but not stylish.

I would add a good coat or jacket to Trinny and Susannah's list, but that is maybe because I live in Scotland and it is always freezing.

I think a good shoe is clean, in good condition, in keeping with the outfit and occasion and most of all well fitted/comfortable. The most fabulous shoe looks bad if the person wearing it shows any sign of discomfort or difficulty walking.

Unfortunately for me the comfortable factor rules out about 99% of shoes, so I can't get the in keeping with the outfit part right except in very casual dress mode.

Painting - a good shoe is usually an expensive shoe. Cheap shoes have the wrong 'ratios' (heel height, heel position in relation to the fall of the shoe, too much shoe covering the toes etc). Look at Christian Louboutins Pigalle 85mm shoes and lkbennett florette and then try and find that shape in a cheaper shoe. It cannot be done.