Can we have a new how to look expensive thread?

[honeylou42]

For me it's Eyebrows well groomed, and ironed clothing. Tidy shoes and a beautiful handbag 👜

Less is more

Eyebrows, tinted eyelashes and manicured nails.
Even in trackys and a messy bun no make up. If you have them little things done you still like you've got it together

Good haircut
Well fitting bra
Eyebrows threaded
Excess facial hair removed
Avoid high fashion & wear classic cuts that flatter your figure

I've been making a real effort to keep my nails done and it makes a big different to how I feel, other than that and thinks PPs taste already mentioned

• Well moisturised skin, face and body. I have very dry skin and I look so much better if I make an effort to keep moisturising
• Smelling nice

I join these threads every time they appear. I still don't think I've cracked it!

I think re Caucasian skin you have to either have absolutely immaculate fake tan (or be lucky enough to delicately bronze all over naturally) - perfect colour, no streaks or patchy bits, no orange or yellow tones and very subtle, not too dark, or perfect porcelain skin. Anything in between doesn't look expensive.

You're born with it. You're all describing groomed, not expensive. It's thick naturally glamorous hair, fabulous teeth (but not over-done bought ones) and just a certain something about your face and features. Money can help but money can also make you just look groomed (WAGS for instance - often beautifully groomed but never ever expensive/posh looking).

Totally trucking, I think so much of it is about genetically amazing hair (the Middletons for example, although I wouldn't like to dress like them really). My best friend has beautiful hair like that and always looks much more expensive than I could hope to on my most groomed day.

Yes I forgot nails, I always notice if they are Raggy and varnish is Chipped.

And posture.... stand tall, relax your shoulders, tummy in, sashay across the room. And smile.

A good bag and sunnies always make me feel more classy-looking.

I disagree with the hair thing. Glossy coiffed hair can often look really naff. People like Caroline de maigret and Emmanuelle alt look expensive but not with the bouffed up hair.

Being slim helps. Clothes are made for slim women.

I agree with Trucking, although not about it being something you're born with. This look isn't really my thing but I sometimes follow the threads anyway because I'm quite interested in how it's achieved, and I don't think grooming is central. Put it this way, expensive does not always look groomed and groomed most certainly does not always look expensive.

I think it's far more to do with confidence, or even arrogance, which might sound like a criticism but isn't. Secondly, as liz says, I think posture plays a massive part as it can help you look confident when you're not feeling it.

If I was trying to achieve this look, I'd forget about nails and eyebrows - in fact I'd even forget about clothes and instead I'd check out ballet, Pilates, Alexander Technique or something similar.

I didn't say glossy coiffed hair. I agree, that can look too done and try-hard. It's just something about a certain kind of hair and mostly you're born with it and sometimes you can buy it, with £400 highlights. Some of the poshest, richest people have something of a bedraggled look going on but you can still tell!! Standing tall and polished nails won't fool anyone.

Skinny white jeans on slim legs, with a blue shirt and navy blazer, young, beautiful, clear glossy tanned skin, good teeth and thick long blonde hair with a natural wave through it can look pretty expensive if it's done well.

Nice nails do go a long way to helping. Since I started a new job a few months ago, I've made a decision to have nice nails so I do manage to eek it out to 3 weeks between and a couple of months between for toe nails but the main thing is I feel so much better and so much more together!

I'm lucky with my hair, I have a good cut and it just works well for a couple of months.

Now to tackle the weight....

Ok trucking am definitely following this thread then!
If it isn't the rubbish New York/bad Chelsea look then great!

Some of the seriously richest people I know are the most scruffiest.

Watching with interest

Understated jewellery - simple chains with tiny (if any) pendants, especially for day wear. Or a single statement piece made from non or semi precious materials.

You can tell so much from jewellery. My last job was in sales, and I got very good at judging wealth by what people chose to wear (it sounds snobbish, but it's a required part of the job so you can determine someone's budget and pitch accordingly). I remember one nicely dressed middle-aged lady who wore an armful of silver bangles and bracelets. It looked fab, but I saw them and just knew she would have no discretionary spending money - which proved exactly true when we combed through her income and expenditure.

Other things - monied people tend to wear flats for day wear, and hair in a plain ponytail or bun. If someone came in with heels and/or straightened hair I knew to pitch lower. oooh actually the biggest tip-off of all was anything with the Louis Vuitton monogram pattern. When we saw someone with that my colleagues and I would just do a mini-pitch, because invariably these women had zero money.

I found the post about judging people in order to tailor your "sales pitch" thing a bit hmmm.

Properly connected people are not afraid to be individuals.

They will usually wear classic and understated clothes.
They like tweed jackets.
They do not wear trashy stilettos.
They do not do ghastly matchy matchy.
Their jewellery is understated - they totally get less is more.
They might have an Alexa Chung vibe.
Etc etc

Oh and they would never wear the jelly blingy nails. Nails are usually natural - which is the coolest way to have them.

I agree that it's about getting the basics right. Personally I would start with:

• Clean, well groomed hair (either natural or with well maintained colour or highlights)

• Natural or nicely manicured nails (gel nails and nail varnish are OK sometimes but not permanently, and generally not in garish colours for daytime)

• A good handbag (definitely no logos and not flashy, a discreet designer bag that only people "in the know" will recognise is perfect but equally a well made, non-designer leather bag can look lovely too)

• Agree with flats for daytime. I think it looks a bit sad when I see women struggling to walk down the street and wobbling in heels. If you are confident and have an interesting life to live then you care about getting on with living your life rather than trying too hard and disabling yourself with towering heels on a daily basis.

• Clothes and bras that fit. Often that means admitting to yourself you need to go up a size rather than squeezing into the clothes you wore 10 years ago.

• Also agree with nice watch and jewellery. I think statement costume jewellery can be great for the evening but generally more discreet pieces for daytime.

• One investment jacket or coat to pull together the look. Ideally bought on sale for slightly more than you would normally pay!

• Not too much makeup. No fake eyelashes, perfectly matching foundation, and not too much blusher or contouring. Definitely doesn't need to be expensive makeup. However, for me it's worth investing in a really good concealer because if you don't have naturally perfect skin you need to fake it even in the daytime.

• I don't think you need to be particularly slim or gym toned, but you need to look healthy.

• Try not to wear an outfit that somebody else will be wearing. So avoid the latest Zara dress or jacket that is appearing in every magazine. No generic and instantly recognisable Jack Wills / Boden etc. IMHO creating an individual sense of style (even if that is something simple) makes you look more "expensive" and stylish than trying to look like everyone else.

Having said all of that, most of the truly stylish people I know also understand that rules are made to be broken. Colour can look just as expensive as neutrals. Sometimes it can be fun to wear statement jewellery in the daytime. Sometimes you'll feel like cheering yourself up with a colourful gel nail. So I don't think these are all rules not to be deviated from occasionally if that's what you feel like doing!

I have an Issey Miyake Bao Bao bag my friends who love labels just don't get it. Though a few people have stopped me on the street to admire. The richest people I know are very low key and don't spend an excessive amount on clothes or grooming they look pretty ordinary.

I hate shop assistants who judge on what you are wearing because often they get it so wrong.