How to look 'expensive'

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I'm not sure if that's the right word but I was in Sainsbury's today and the woman in the queue in front of me just looked 'expensive'.
She wasn't wearing anything remarkable - a leather jacket with a fur collar, skinny jeans and brown knee length boots but somehow she looked 'done' whereas I looked like a sack of spuds.
How to achieve that expensive look without the budget?

garliccake I love those Joseph tops!

Alright; I've been lurking for 30 pages so time to join in, I think! Thank you for all the tips on here - lots to think about (and I even went to Hobbs yesterday and picked up the most gorgeous scarf in the sale to up my game a bit!).

I tackled my wardrobe back in September and decided I was going to 'do' monochrome, so all the clothes I've bought/worn for the last four months have been black, grey, and occasionally white. I've been brightening it all up with a few accessories (scarves mainly) and have found it so much easier to put an outfit together, so that's been helpful.

However, I feel scruffy. Been wearing mainly black skinny jeans but being 5'2" and on the curvier side, these probably aren't doing me any huge favours. Can anybody recommend some 'cigarette'-style trousers in black or navy that hit the ankle and would suit a woman with hips? I'm probably on the bigger end of a size ten on the bottom, but with bigger hips and thighs than most trousers seem to be cut for.

I also find shoes a nightmare. Nobody wears heels at my office unless they're in upper management, so those are out (am not customer facing so most people look pretty scruffy tbh). In the spring/summer I find good ballet flats look nice, but I must admit that in winter I'm a bit stuck. My feet get cold and wet in anything other than boots or my trusty slip-ons, but the former are a nightmare for me (being short and quite sturdy of calf) and the latter are ultra-casual. Tips please?

Finally: hair. Mine is above the shoulders and a complete mess of curls. It never looks sleek and tidy, so achieving that 'polished' and 'expensive' look feels fairly impossible. Can wild curls ever look 'put together'?

Sundayrose - I have the same problem albeit in a 12/14 for trousers. Just bought a fab pair of cigarette style black ankle hitting trousers from Jack Wills in the sale - However on reading this I will be taking them to be slightly shortened (previously would have just gone with as bought, but will start to pay more attention to detail!!!)

Also on the subject of cardigans - I was a firm anti cardi person, however picked up a round neck black cashmere one in John Lewis and have discovered that if worn with my sale purchase 50% off Thomas Pink white shirt (again will be altered to add a discrete popper at the crucial boob area) but leave the first few buttons of cardigan undone and the shirt neck open it looks almost chic!!!! - I will achieve a polished expensive look this year if it kills me!!!!

Re. hem lengths - I have found a fabulous seamstress near me and now I take all my work clothes to her. Being on the short side of 5ft and with funny proportions, sometimes she has to practically re-make my dresses for me, but the result is SO worth it that I now include the cost of alterations in my clothes budget. I'd rather have fewer items that fit really well.

The Joseph tops are lovely but £££

The real trick is looking expensive without it actually ^being^ expensive

sundayrose I bought a pair of "true straight pants" from GAP recently. The material is quite thick and good quality. Dressed up with some of your new purchases, they would look expensive, I'm sure.

They also do a cropped version.

Great great thread, it has really inspired me and I've really enjoyed reading it. Thank you.

So, in summary I need to be looking at:

Pale/clear manicures
Subtle make up
Understated jewellery
Muted colours
Good fabrics, cut and fit
Swishy/glossy hair

I struggle with shoes though, I have foot issues which means flat, very wide shoes only, not a great finish to any outfit.

I know this sends shudders of horror through MNet but as an older MNetter I have some tendon problems with my feet and need an orthotic and sensible shoes for 90% of the time. Clarks do a quite neat range with removable insoles (for the orthotic), as do Van Dal and some Hotter shoes. You have to pick over some hideous ones but all three makes do the occasional shoe that is almost elegant.

beauforte I had an ankle operation 2 years ago, and for a few months after the op, I found myself in footwear's 'twilight zone' - I'm fully repaired now, but those few months taught me that you can indeed buy stylish sensible shoes, it was quite a revelation! I also came to the conclusion that you can 'get away with' a less stylish pair (if needs must) providing that the rest of your look is spot-on.

Re: Shirts. I remembered that Warehouse always used to have some decent silk tops. Just had a look, and they still have nice shirts including a silk one for £35. They're not going to be as fluid as the £200 ones, but at least they're washable!

This thread has been fascinating.

One thing that stands out is that everyone has their own view on what is and isn't 'expensive looking.'

I think Atlantic Pacific is too try-hard and very done in terms of over-dyed hair, matching items and too much make-up but she's a pretty girl. I also don't think Holly W looks expensive but she is very pretty, as is Amanda Holden. Like others have said, the red nail varnish and gaudy watch ruin Amanda's look and her hair is too long and YouTubeVlogger-like.

The poster who posed in the thrift shop skirt looks amazing.
Michelle Dockery looks great, as does Kate Blanchet. Oliver Palermo looks expensive too. I always thought that the Kennedy women - esp. Carolyn Bassett Kennedy- looked expensive but it could have just been the teeth

Interestingly, I was in Bath once, wandering around the town and saw a woman in gardening gear, sauntering down the street. She looked amazing (tall, slim, blonde and with a casual air about her, like she hadn't a care in the world). So it wasn't about clothes, it was just her countenance/bearing that did it. She wasn't young either.

Oh yes Carolyn Besette absolutely epitomised that wealthy and pared back 1990s Manhattan look.

Page 48 January 2016 edition of Harper's magazine, bottom left hand corner shows a great example of expensive looking basics. Trousers, shirt, shoes, bag and understated jewellery.
Somebody better at technology than me ( everybody!!) might be able to post it on the thread).
Yes they are very expensive but can be substituted.
A palette of black, navy, camel, cream duck egg and pale pink/ peach help give an expensive look. Very little pattern.
Amanda Wakeley has an expensive, polished look.
Many WAGS have the money but don't have an 'expensive' look.
Being slim makes a huge difference and lovely golden skin.

I found myself in the shopping centre today looking at everybody in a whole new light, did they look expensive and how.

I bought an expensive wool coat (£400, reduced to £100 - and I needed a coat). Now all I have to do is not make it look cheap.

Thanks, energy and plum! I went to Jack Wills earlier actually, but although they fit well on the legs, they were too big on the waist. I have a small waist but also a bum and thighs, which don't seem to be a thing that manufacturers think about. I did actually look in Topshop, too - nothing quite right but they seem to be getting a lot more in for their new collection and they had quite a nice selection of understated, slightly cropped cigarette pants, for anybody interested!

No luck so far, then, but I will try GAP! Thanks :).

Carolyn B-K's wedding dress still one of my all time favourites (says the woman who got married in a lacy meringue )

My favourite celeb wedding dress too Smell. She was so slim and the dress just glided over her body. No fulsome norks and jiggly belly to contend with!

Yes! Carolyn Bessette Kennedy...and her mother in law of course. Both stunning, elegant and always stylish.

The gloves were unnecessary though.

My sister always looks expensive even though she usually wears cheap clothing, and much of this is helped by her being slim (size 6, thigh gap, despite gorging on food 24-7) and having naturally clear skin that at 34 needs no makeup (a Good thing considering she never wears it). I'm the big bottomed one standing next to her and no matter how well groomed I am/how expensive my clothes are, I always look like the Kim Kardashion of the family.

Love love this thread ! Thanks for all the lovely tips

Oh that picture! Stunning dress for all the right reasons. They were so of their time and I so wanted to be her back then. she was flawless and effortlessly stylish.

Love her style and that dress. I actually chose a wedding dress that was almost identical. I'm not quite as willowy as she is but still... :-)

Ooh, Goodbetterbest, congrats on the coat!

I think CKB's dress was by Narcisco Rodriguez.
What a tragedy that they ( and her sister ) were killed.
Her poor family losing two daughters and Caroline Kennedy losing her brother so young.