A grown up, put together look...am I chasing here?

[honkawonka]

22 tomorrow and feeling a bit down in the dumps about myself. Have a 14 month old so do look a bit weary and am super busy with one thing and another but just want to look put together and a bit more polished ! (And also quite a lot more grown up , sad I know).
I have my hair in a short pixie shape (a bit like Frankie from the Saturdays) and am a size 8 with smallish boobs- I'm looking for a nice mid range watch as I've heard accessories make or break an outfit , as well as super comfy black ankle boots for winter.
Want to get out of the rut of New Balance with jeans that slump around my bottom !!

Also don't really wear make up and want to get into that more
Thanks

I am older than you but like shops like Cos or Other Stories that have a slightly different 'look' and sell simple and funky but classy accessories and shoes. Worth a look. You are young though and can try lots of different looks!

I've decided to get myself a really nice watch which will help me feel more put together

Happy birthday and I'm sorry you've been down in the dumps My baby years were a long time ago so I'm not going to try and give a lot of style advice but hopefully there will be some young mums along soon.

A watch sounds a great idea - funky and stylish but no washing or ironing! I also think well fitting clothes - no matter what style - make a huge difference to your look and your mood.

The baby stage plays havoc with your body and your head so don't be too hard on yourself. When my son was that age, I once got into work and realised I was still wearing my pyjama top . I got my mojo back and I'm sure you will too.

Little things like a nice watch can make a big difference - I saw one I liked randomly, bought it, and I like putting it with outfits and feeling a bit more put together.

You're young and slim! You can wear anything!

Calvin Klein do lovely watches, but I think they are quite pricey.

If you want to start wearing makeup, can I suggest going to a counter and asking for help? I did this recently and it has completely changed my makeup. They sold me stuff that fits the look into described and they showed me how to apply it.

Depending on your budget I would go for a Daniel Wellington or Kate spade watch. They really are lovely and look "polished" in my opinion.
I was 21 when I had my first baby and I must say I didn't really start looking what I would consider my "best" til 24. From then I started to understand more about what make up suited me, what my style was etc. Now I'm in my 30s and I wouldn't go back to my 20a if you paid me!!
Sorry to hear you're down in the dumps a bit

By the way, at 22 I wouldn't bother going for a grown up look just yet! Sounds like you have a great figure and can therefore get away with (and are young enough for) lots of styles!
Give us an idea of what kind of style you like, celebrity wise?

I'm going watch shopping later , been looking at a few rose gold Rolex's , or is rose gold quite tacky?

I don't really follow celebrities :O

Ooh ok so the budget is quite healthy then . In that sort of price bracket I think a Cartier Ballon Bleu is very classy and timeless

Excuse the hairy arms!!

I love it , but need to get insurance for it. DP doesn't have insurance on his Rolex but it's about 5 years old

'Nice mid range watch' ?

Well not exactly mid range but I didn't get anything physical for my 21st so I'd like a really special item for me to keep forever

So you are 22, have £15k+ to drop on a watch but spend your life in new balance and scruffy jeans ? Ok.

It's not anywhere near £15k but ok...

My dp first got one at 17 so it doesn't mean anything regarding age.

I would've thought a really decent watch would be a start towards making myself look really "together"

What an odd thread.

Right the revised brief is a really gorgeous watch which I will treasure forever and also wear on a daily basis , as well as a smartish day to day outfit for a SAHM who also freelances so is out and about without a baby too.

Ok..I'll play. We need more info re budget for watch/clothes and also your taste and lifestyle. What type of look are you drawn to when you say 'grown up'? That is a beautiful watch but it is pretty fancy. But given your age and the info you've provided so far about yourself, I would say that most people would think that it is either a) a fake and/or your mum's. I'd be looking for something simpler and (slightly sportier/casual) and classic.

No more than 10k maximum on watch.
Luckily if they think it's a fake they're less likely to nick it haha, although obviously I will have insurance.

Happy to spend up to £60 on some decent heeled boots , or more expensive ones if they come down in the sales.

I'm wanting a Rolex because of its timelessness and also the value which hopefully won't massively depreciate.

I work in watches and a Rolex is a Rolex however there is far better value out there for what you're actually getting.

Daniel Wellington Kate Spade Micheal Kira et al are fashion items and don't have quality components/ won't stand the test of time.

Have a look at:
Christopher Ward (Malvern or Trident)
Nomos (Tangente or Lux)
Cartier.(Tank or Ballon Bleu)

Happy shopping! :)

At 22, you either have much, much better things to spend £10k on than a watch, or you're so loaded you can go and get help from a proper personal stylist rather than ask a bunch of strangers online. If it's the former, ffs save up for a deposit on a house, or buy a car or something, and get a nice watch for £100. I'm not normally one to tell other people how to spend their money, but honestly.

Tbh I'd go for a datejust, beautiful, classic, great for every day. Rose gold is pretty but I think will look dated at some point.

Then I'd put more £ towards clothes right now, not necessarily ££££ but you won't get great boots for £60 and no watch will make £60 boots and cheap staple items of clothing look expensive. And we still need more of a steer re type of boots...