How to Look Expensive (in the summer)

[diamondsandrose]

Please can we resurrect my favourite EVER thread, but with a summer twist?

I think I'm pretty stylish in cooler weather but struggle in the heat.

I know the usual drill ..natural fabrics, linen cotton silk in neutral colours. Light tan courtesy of gradual tanner. Tan real leather sandals. Straw or heavy cotton beach bag. No gaudy colours or prints. No bra strap showing under vests.

But I still feel I don't look as good as I could if I tried a bit harder! I get freckly and I think that stops me looking expensive!

Please tell me your tips and stories of fab expensive looking stylish people you've seen on holiday

@ThenCameTheFools Fidji was the first ever perfume I was bought as a teenager back in the 80s. I still love it and usually find it in duty free shops in Spain. It's a lovely summer fragrance. I've been wearing it in the hot weather recently and it always lifts my spirits.

I also like Chanel no 19 in summer.

I'm loving this thread - it inspired me to have a huge clear out today of all the summer clothes I've collected but don't love and don't wear. Mainly bright colours and patterns which aren't me. I'm aiming for a simpler summer look after reading all these ideas.

I love these threads as without a bit of guidance I have terrible dress sense!

However, I cant help thinking that the people I know who are 'expensive' or even 'posh', seem to wear whatever the bliddy 'el they want. For example I know a woman with all the breeding and education etc, beautiful looking, who will wear gaudy colours, cheap prints, a lot of things advised to avoid on here and has a very 'don't care' vibe about her. I guess a lot of it is down to being comfortable in what you wear and being confident.

@Tatapie I like the first ones best. They're really nice.

Thanks. Have ordered black, Hope they fit!

I can recommend these for wide strap vest tops. Look more expensive than they are, I have several in all colours for under suits, cardies and on hot days, they are very slightly swing so hide tummies or can tuck in and only £3 each so can’t go wrong. direct.asda.com/george/womens/tops/v-neck-swing-vest-top-black/GEM550105,default,pd.html

chloechloe sorry just realised I replied to the wrong person. Hope the 10 fits okay! They wash in a 15 mins cold wash and dry in about an hour as well so good for holidays.

I don’t much care about looking ‘expensive’ but I do tend towards a clean, minimal, Scandinavia sort of style which in some ways merged with many of the preferences on this thread .

So, what about hair?

It’s easy enough today ‘as natural as possible, make sure it’s glossy, etc’
But what if your natural state is one of frizzines? ..and if curly by nature gloss often doesn’t come with the package!

At the moment my hair is same length to shoulders, natural blonde and soft curls. I have never worn it curly due to frizz and hassle, so I blow dry and sometimes straighten with irons.
I always feel that my hair lets me down even when rest of me looks great. It’s a lovely colour, but it makes me feel so drab!

What do you think is best to do here? I’m sure many of us have natural frizz and puzzle over this.
And fringes, I never notice fringes on those who have the ‘look’ this thread describes - nor on my Scandi-minimal types!😁

Please excuse typos I loathe this iPad.

Anyone looking for nice sandals, these come in navy or gold, not quite flat, lovely soft leather, I've been wearing the navy with jeans for the past couple of weeks
www.aspiga.com/moli-low-wedge-espadrille-navy.html

I have been thinking about what someone upthread said about polyester looking cheap. However, I don't necessarily agree. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. It's such a versatile fabric and comes in many guises, that when I look in my own wardrobe I don't necessarily think my polyester clothes look cheap. I would much rather have a well made and well cut polyester pair of trousers than a cheap cotton pair. Also, polyester doesn't tend to crease easily, fade or lose it's shape. I went to Tesco's today; the rails were full of cheap cotton and linen summer clothes and to be honest I couldn't find a single thing that looked remotely expensive! Unless you can afford really expensive clothes, then polyester can be a good choice if you choose wisely.

Those sandals look nice Cuthbert

@fresta I agree. I was out recently. I got so many compliments in the one evening and my outfit was heavily polyester (jacket and cami from primark!!)! One person even commented on how expensive the outfit looked! I think I’d just managed to put it together well (for a change!!)

Agree, a heavy polyester that's not too shiny can hang beautifully.

I’ve actually got a polyester suit - an expensive well cut one.
I’m reluctant to buy another wool one after the moths got my last one

Great thread! But I've just ordered 200 quids worth of sandals from next because of it!

It needed doing. I've got high wedges and strappy heels and I've got cheapy flip flops. I'm rarely in the mood for tottering on heels and agree the flip flop is a bit too casual for every day. I've got a pair of navy suede closed in toe low wedges from TU sainsbury which i bought early last year and wear to death! But they're not that airy and cool when it's really warm. I need something classy and comfy and cool!

So today these are coming:
www.next.co.uk/style/st250910#584191
www.next.co.uk/style/st250909#582712?o=84
www.next.co.uk/xt8202s2#169703?o=68
www.next.co.uk/g76202s14#153066?o=69

I can't afford to keep them all, I'll have a try on and see. I'm thinking the last ones might just be a bit too flat to be properly comfy and be much more than a flip flop. I know they look lovely on though because i've seen them on someone else recently.

I'm hoping the FitFlop look nice. I really like the Ugg ones but they're a posh flip flop again basically! Arrggh.

I'll update when i've tried them.

The fitflops are very nice. And they will be really comfortable.

I agree about polyester. Just bought a gorgeous summer dress in polyester. Hangs well, silky to the touch and doesn't crease as easily as cotton or colour-fade.

I am not in UK, but have loved reading this thread.

I live in a hot country to summer wear is what we wear mostly, apart from the 3 or so months of jackets and boots.

I have never and still don't possess a pair of tan sandals. I have never thought them as a must have item. I have a ridiculous amount of sandals, all sorts of colours, but those I wear the most are the silver and gold ones. They aren't blingy at all, just subtle. So between them, they match whatever outfit. Linen isn't really a favourite either. They aren't a wash and wear item. I have white linen trousers, do not wear them that often (but then again I can never stay clean wearing white, is that just me??) and then there is always the problem with them having to be the perfect length as if they just so much as touch the ground, they end up marked.

I have a lot of maxi dresses. None of the strapless type as I wear them to work. They are just so easy to wear, cool and comfortable. I get a lot of comments, even when I have just thrown one on in the morning, and it is years old. But I like to buy decent quality ones, so they do last well, and I frankly don't care if someone knows it was from a range a few years back, they cost more than the cheapy just for one summer range, and keep their shape well.

And then I wear a lot of jeans and tshirts, or summer flowing trousers and tshirts (I don't show my legs... ever). T-shirts, I buy new white ones every summer, as they do tend to go yellowish and no matter what you do, there is inevitable an underarm mark from deo etc. So a couple of new white shirts each year is non negotiable. Having to cut back a lot due to circumstances so I haven't really bought a lot this year.

Toenails are always painted. I don't even go for manis or pedis just do it myself. You cannot wear a pair of sandals if your toenails aren't looking that good. That is rule number 1. Feet must be in good condition. If your heels are rough and tatty, don't wear sandals.

I certainly couldn't be faffing around with a big hat all day though. I will wear one if going to be out to prevent burning, but for every day, no, its just not really practical.

I have been lurking on this thread since the start, so many great tips and links, thank you!

Can I just ask for recommendations for a beach-bag to use when on holiday? A lot of bags seem to be quite garish and I'd prefer something simple (but stylish) I'm quite small myself and a lot of the bags I've seen are huge I'd prefer a tote-style bag rather than a backpack as I worry about theft!

I agree with the majority opinion that the expensive look is one that is simple and works best on tall skinny people! I am neither, and to add to that I'm financially-challenged too, which I think is another part of looking expensive - you need to buy expensive pieces!! It's so easy to get it wrong (for me, anyway) so I'm welcoming all the ideas on here.

Beachbag-Longchamp.

My Uniqlo supima t shirts arrived today, they're fine and I shall keep them, but they aren't a patch on the M&S supima cotton ones. The shape isn't as nice and neither is the fabric. These will be worn around the house or for the beach, but the M&S will be worn for work as well.

second Longchamp for beach bag, I want one of their rucksacks next.

@thencamethefools

I'm going to have to order a couple of the m&s t shirts as I keep hearing how good they are - could you tell me if these are the right ones please, and also how are they for sizing? I have found m&s tops quite voluminous before! Thanks

On holiday in Spain, the markets always have "longchamp" bags for a couple of euro, all sizes and colours

I have a real one and these ones are not that dissimilar

Yes, Flump, those are the ones. They are sort of boxy but fluid iyswim?
I am dreadfully busty, more so post-menopause, and have a 16 because I don't want bra straps and flaps and rolls visible anywhere.

these also from M&S are also amazing- don't be put off at all by the viscose/polyester thing, they wash beautifully and keep their shape and, at least, to me, don't feel unnatural fibrey at all, more like a very soft cotton. The shape of these is great, they sort of drape. I might just have ordered another 4!

OK - the 4 pairs of sandals arrived this morning and here's the verdict:

The cheapest ones at £20 www.next.co.uk/g76202s14#153066?o=69 looked nice on but the soles were quite thin and it felt like my foot might easily slip outside the sandal a little bit. Probably fine for sloping round the house or a short walk out. I do have quite narrow feet which tend to 'rattle about' in footwear which isn't narrow enough. I did like them. The 5.5 was a perfect fit which most 5.5's are on me.

The Ugg leather flip flops for 40 quid www.next.co.uk/xt8202s2#169703?o=68 were a bit on the small side in the size 5 i ordered and were just like the pic but looked decidedly average on. Not 40 quids worth IMO.

Now the FitFlops at £70 a pop: tan - www.next.co.uk/style/st250910#584191, and black - www.next.co.uk/style/st250909#582712?o=84 ...

Well, i love them! SO COMFY! 5 was perfect. I struggled to chose between the colours. I wore one of each in front of the mirror and had to get DD3 (19) to model them for me as well. She loved them too! We both decided the tan was just a little less ''comfy shoe'' looking. If they'd been black straps on a simple tan base i'd have probably gone for black. So now i have my tan leather sandals! (Why couldn't my feet have chosen the £20 ones?!)

I wore them out with french manicure on my toes and skinny blue jeans and they look lovely :)