How to look 'expensive'

[INeedSomeHelp]

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?

This thread had been such an inspiration. I'm in the process of clearing out my wardrobe as I've lost some weight and loads doesn't fit anymore.

I've realised that I've always tended to buy colours which I know suit me- coral, teal, turquoise being favourites - but neglected the neutral basics to combine them with.

My aim for this year is to build a workable capsule wardrobe. Now I just need to find good basic skirts, trousers, shirt/tops in neutral colours. I'm going to try and avoid black as it just drains me but will try white, camel, navy and grey perhaps.

boldly if you suit coral and turquoise I would avoid the bright whites, and go for cream or off white instead, esp near face. (Sounds like you might be a textbook HoC Spring, we need warm shades )

Thanks for the tip,Blair. I don't know what I am in HOC. I had my colours analysed by an independent consultant years ago. I don't seem to fit completely in cool or warm colouring. I remember she said that I suite gold better than silver which surprised her.

Sorry, Blair. Bolding fail!

Love this thread! I have been trying to smarten up my look again as now my youngest is 3 and I'm (hopefully) leaving the sticky-fingers years behind!

For me, I stick to a limited colour palette, grey, black, forest green and burgundy, as I know those suit me best (being dark haired with pale skin). I often shop in the sales for the most expensive I can afford while reduced, and aim for classic rather than fashionable so I can re-wear clothes for years rather than a season. And for cheaper clothes, I'm really picky about buying well fitting in nicer looking fabrics. I avoid pattern except on dresses and skirts, and I look for quirky understated details. I don't know if I look expensive, but I get quite a few compliments on my outfits.

After reading this thread I'm now on the lookout for a smart blazer for the spring.

boldly I was a real challenge for my HoC person too - she took ages to decide and I am not sure she got it quite right. It is obvious to me that some of the "star" colours she picked out are brilliant on me (camel, coral, burnt orange, bronze) but less obvious (even to her) that other colours looked actively bad, except for black and burgundy which make me look dead, which unfortunate as I wear black to work every day

Peonies, black makes me look dead too! I'm finding it tricky to get ideas for my capsule wardrobe as so many online are based around black. I'm trying to phase it out of my work clothes. Since my wardrobe clear out, I now have precisely one skirt I can use for work but no trousers!

That's one reason why I never bother with threads about capsule wardrobes: all the stuff about sticking to black, navy and beige - and calling it 'camel' won't make me look any better.

Most of my wardrobe is burgundy, dark green and dark grey.

flo I see camel as a warmer tone than beige. Like burnt beige

I never think of capsule wardrobe as meaning 'wear black and beige'. Surely capsule just means carefully curated (vom) wardrobe of items that you know suit you.

I'm surely people on this thread come in a variety of skin colours and hair colours.

flo and ruby burgundy and dark green with dark neutrals are my favourites too :)
I've been mostly going for neutrals this past year but have realised I need some deeper colours for my colouring - pale skin and dark hair and eyes.

I'd look awful in a camel coat and am more drawn to the bluestocking, tweedy, fair isle kind of vibe than expensive but you can still build a coherent, groomed look around that without needing the usual suspects

Vivienne Files does the capsule thing with just about every colour so worth looking at.

I had house of colour done years ago and was hard too as I tan very easily and have brown eyes but light brown/fair hair. The immediate thoughts were browns/creams/camels autumny shades but they drain me completely.

Navy works better than black but I can do black and white too in fact. Colours are blue/greens, especially emerald and turquise, pinks and anything heathery and soft soft - pale blue and pale pink work well. Grey too and pinky beiges. The beige/pale pink combination works well for me.

I think I may have come out as summer.

DD1 got bumped up to business class travelling alone on a crowded transatlantic flight recently. She said 3 separate airline people looked her up & down at the departure gate before pulling her out (she was beginning to get paranoid )

She is very slim & was wearing short brown leather jacket, brown leather ankle boots (different browns), thick dark tights & mid-thigh dark knitted dress. I believe she has worked out a sort of capsule wardrobe, but no idea where she buys stuff.

She has shoulder-length highlighted blonde hair & understated but effective make-up. (I certainly thought she looked smart, but I'm a baggy scruff-box, so what do I know. I would never get bumped up if I travelled every day.)

I never think of capsule wardrobe as meaning 'wear black and beige'.
I completely agree Mitzy, it shouldn't mean that but open any article and normally that's what it says. Or navy and cream.

I think everyone needs to find their own neutrals.

Camel is just dark beige

stepaway camel looks awful on me too! Love the tweedy look though, think tweed skirts especially can look expensive. Not so keen on fair isle though, it breaks my 'no pattern' rule!

Great book called "How to be Parisian wherever you are" by 4 ladies, Caroline de maigret, Anne Berest, Sophie Mas and Audrey Diwan. As I hit my mid forties I felt a bit lost style wise. Per una freaks me out, some high end high street stores aren't always value for what I need. Read this book and it just makes you really look at style and everything in the way European women do. It's fab. Great thread btw. Think we all feel a bit bleugh with the weather time of year etc. On a plus not I was in M and S today and some of the or new basics/ staples range is looking fab. Stripy tops, tunics etc really impressive.

^note not not

www.amazon.co.uk/How-To-Be-Parisian-Wherever/dp/0091958091

I know that navy and a heathery grey suit me, but those colours were my school uniform ones (two different schools, disliked both) and thus can never wear them again. In my defence, I have tried to but just can't do it. According to a stylist friend, it's a very common problem among British women and he's learned not to fight it.

Luckily, charcoal grey seems to sneak past my traumatic teenage memories. For have just been to pick up these www.uniqlo.com/uk/store/goods/154149-66 and they are flattering (I think) and very, comfortable - the slight elastication at the back is not visible but solves the gaping problem I often have at the back of trousers.

I want to look expensive.

I can't wear black next to my face and avoid camel. I'm also very pale, cool toned with dark hair and green eyes. I like grey as a neutral and wear a lot of deep reds/burgundy too. Suit navy. Black is ok for the bottom half or if it has a different colour around the neck. I also find dark green flattering but it gives me school uniform flashbacks so I avoid.

I read that leopard print can be classed as a neutral if worn in small amounts so on accessories rather than a full on Bet Lynch dress.

I want to look expensive, too.

Green is my uniform flashback colour too!

You really don't have to spend much at all. I'm a bit of a fashion fascist - cashmere, lambswool, leather, italian boots with leather soles, but I don't have many clothes or spend much at all. No one knows (nor cares) if its past season if you avoid the obvious trends that the fashion mags promote. Go and look at the 33 things blog. It shows you how to put a wardrobe together. You do not need much. Stick to neutrals, plus navy and perhaps silver? Leather bags not p.u. Wool or cashmere, not acrylic. Cotton, not polyester. I read the care label on everything. Make sure things fit, get over yourself as regards size labels, if you are going to be tumble drying it and its chainstore, buy a size up to allow for shrinking. Learn labels especially the cool new ones, look on netaporter etc, then when you look on the discount sites you'll know what to look for. I buy all of my shoes and boots on Yoox, I buy black lycra basics from H&M but then I wear with knits and jackets from discount sites/sample sales/TK Maxx. But you have to be patient as there is a lot of crud. Tip: look in the clearance section in mens section in TK Maxx for cashmere thats a bit camp for men (hence it ending up in there), but great for women. If there are brands you love but can't really afford, sign up for their email list. I've nabbed things in the flash sales, for instance I bagged a cashmere shawl for £50 that had been £300.
Look after your clothes, hang them up properly, keep them clean.