Looking polished on a low income. How?

[ghostmous3]

I read with interest the thread on looking wealthy and polished and i dont think it's something I'll ever be able to achieve on minimum wage 🤣

Is it however something you can achieve on a much lower wage. I dont particularly want to look wealthy so much just polished and as I can only afford to shop high street and I'm really thinking primark, TU, Asda sainsbos new look and the like.

I'm 43 now and after all my life being obese and in horrible relationships I'm finally down to my target weight of 11.5 stone and I'm five foot 7 and I also look after my eyebrows these days, something i never did. You could see my eyebrows coming round the corner first they were that bushy 😄

My hair is home dyed, it's very dark purple and its boob length and I love it but it does need a cut I think.

So is it possible to look half decent and polished on a low income and wearing stuff from the high street?

I'm not saying I do this myself but looking after clothes makes a big difference. The people I know who look good treat their clothes with reverence. They always hang them up, brush them down, iron religiously and use spray starch to keep things looking crisp. They also use dry cleaners frequently, clean their shoes, empty & sort their handbags, get their shoes reheeled or throw thew out when worn down ... The list goes on. So although they might not have much spending money for clothes they make up for lack of cash by lavishing time & care on what they have. They also keep their wardrobe tidy, with clothes stored as outfits. I'm more of a chuck it on a chair person & iron if it's likely to matter. I can't be precious enough to do all that faffing with clothes but it does make a big difference to their appearance if you can be bothered.

As others have said patterns are obvious cheap giveaways. Get yourself some cheap plain coloured essentials like trousers, tops, blouses etc. Then focus your money on a higher end blazer or two that can be worn with multiple other items and bring the whole outfit up a level. Always having clean and neat nails with clear polish and having neat and tidy hair and maintained brows will also benefit massively. Also keep your eyes peeled for secondhand bargains.

I wear acrylic and it doesn't have to be nasty. Usually M&S for jumpers and cardigans.

You are better getting staples white/black tshirt, nice blazer etc. They go with everything and could be from anywhere :)

If your hair is dyed (Particularly if it’s an unnatural colour), make sure it’s properly dyed, not patchy, no split ends, no roots.

Clean and tidy is always the main thing.

A smart coat in classic cut and navy or camel colour that you can put over anything is good.

Avoid clothes that feel “trendy” or have mad embellishments like diamanté’s, rips, weird cut out panels etc. They don’t ever look classy, no matter how much they cost.

Plain good quality basics are your friend- H&M can be good for thick cotton t shirts etc. and no more expensive than Sainsbury’s.

If you’re paying Sainsbury’s prices, then I’d recommend saving your money and waiting for sales, charity shopping or TK Maxxing and buying higher end clothes at similar prices.

Good quality, “polished” clothes brands that don’t cost the earth IMO include
Uniqlo - basics inc thermal wear, coats etc
Gap- regularly have 70% off sales - great knitwear, jeans and t shirts.
H&M- for the Conscious cotton basics
TK Maxx- gold label sales can have office wear gems
M&S - for tights, underwear, occassionally the clothes have some gems.
Debenhams- sales are good for party wear - you have to sift through a lot of grannyish cruise wear but they have some brilliant collaborations with high fashion designers now and then that look great properly styled.

Well done on coming so far

I also disagree that supermarket clothes can't look polished. Clothes need to fit well and flatter your shape. A £20 that flatters your shape is always going to look better tan something that's £200 but does nothing for you!

I love tesco clothes lol. I think not wearing too many bright colours etc is best.. Neutral minimal but stylish is best and looks expensive I think.
Makeup wise.. Dewy skin.. So never use too much powder and pop an illuminator under your foundation.. These are cheap to buy. Copper toned eyeshadow looks expensive I think also. The less is more but actually where you have made alot of effort is key I think 😂

My natural hair colour is now grey 🤣 no chance I'm going that colour

I'm happy with my purple hair. I do love it to be fair so that will be staying but in loving g everything else that's been suggested. Thank you all so much

silentpool how do you buy professional hair colour?

@silentpool sorry for rubbish tagging above. How do you buy professional hair colour?

Charity shops and Ebay are the way to go, places like John Lewis, who stock a massive range with up to 75/80% off in the sales.

I think being confident in what you wear is key. I have lots of high end high street and designer items but my current favourite outfit is a tie dyed maxi tube skirt in shades of green/white, a white linen tshirt and a next khaki utility jacket. The three pieces cost me £3 from a local charity shop where everything is £1 .

Every time I wear it I get complements, which is more than I get when I wear my £600 Pucci trousers! I don't think that the outfit cost me £3 when I wear it, I wear it as though it cost me £600, I know it looks good and have confidence in that.

Quality fabrics and cut always show and I would rather wear a £15 Jaeger cashmere sweater from a charity shop than a new £15 acrylic sweater from Primark.

A good leather handbag is a must and keep your jewellery, especially earrings understated.

For me it's about building a good capsule wardrobe of staple items that are timeless and fit and flatter well then swapping in cheaper items and finding my signature look. Today's outfit is a timeless pair of good fitting straight leg blue Jean's (hugo boss 4yrs old) natural linen shirt (from asda) black birkenstocks (couple of years old) black/leopard leather cross body bag (next sale) and Alex monroe gold bee necklace (had for years) so it's a mix of high street and pricier bits (too me) that have lasted years. Yesterday we went out for a birthday meal and I wore an all black spot chiffon double layered maxi dress with 3/4 lenght sleeves picked up for £7 in asda sale and worn with a more feminine pair of biker boots from Coach which were pricey but will last years and a bright yellow umbrella (rainy Northumberland) I recieved quite a few compliments and shock it was a £7 dress. I really do enjoy mixing supermarket/high street with better quality staples that I can pull out each season. If I find a classic style I like I wait and save rather than buying say the primark version as it will last for years and does look that bit better.

Ps Big CONGRATULATIONS on your recent achievements.x

As someone who is shocking about looking after her own nails, I think having neat well kept nails is key. And is easily done at home with basic equipment and cheap nail polish (so why I'm not better about doing it, I couldn't tell you). Clean, shiny hair styled appropriately is a huge one. I don't think make up constantly is needed, but if you do like wearing make up, a good foundation, some mascara and lip gloss can do wonders.

Agree re dressing for your shape. I look best in dresses but find it hard to buy ones that fit well on the cheaper end. But there's do doubt that when I do, I feel better all round. And buy clothes that fit. I think the single thing that makes e think people don't look well groomed is clothes that are clearly way too big or too small.

I also agree, clean well cut shiny hair, not being ott with make up, looking after your skin with a simple routine and spf and clean nails (no fake ott coffin shaped nails etc) is a massive help. I also agree dressing for your shape and your age and not feeling the need to follow fashion religiously. It took me till my late 30s to find my style and what suits me.

I also have a limited budget. I do buy some of my clothes from supermarkets and Tesco jeans, Sainsburys tops can be very stylish. I try very hard not to make style mistakes because a purchase you decide you don't like a month or so down the line is a waste of money. I had two black stretch skirts from Sainsburys which were a great success with more expensive tops.
Second hand and ebay is, for me, the way to go. i work with two very elegant ladies who buy most of their clothes from the charity shop in a local upmarket town. I find it hard to spot the bargains but I have a large number of ebay purchases in my wardrobe. Vintage cashmere is much better quality than new, I have Jaeger and Max Mara pieces which cost less than a Tesco jumper. I tend to search by type, not brand, so "Blue Linen Dress12 will throw up some really interesting dresses you might miss if you just search for Hobbs, for example.
Sales are also great, I earmark items when they are new in and keep an eye out for them when they are reduced. I've had lovely boots from Brora which are often reduced from over £200 to about £60.
If you buy better brands new in the sale or on ebay if you look after them you can sell them on when you are tired of them and get some of your money back. I usually do a big ebay sale in around October and then I have some money for the sales after Christmas.
It is worth getting natural fibres if you can find them. No one ever looked upmarket in an acrylic cardi!

Charity shops are what you need definitely. You can find amazing labels in them . I would go for natural fabrics every time in neutral colours . Navy Charcoal and some of the beiges provided you suit beige . If in doubt navy suits more people than beige . Buy clothes that fit well and look after them . You can pick up great quality leather bags and shoes in charity shops and on eBay or other selling sites too . Then spend what you do have on a good haircut and maintain it . Soft underdone make up which doesn't need to cost the earth either and you're good to go .

@Oopsadaisydoddle I think gel polish can look classy, you need short nails, muted colours and no glitter or designs on them though.

Work out your body shape and google ideas.

Work out your tones - are you autumn, winter, spring etc. Kettlewell Colours is a great site.

Have a base of neutrals and add splashes of colour.

Look after leather shoes - polish once a week. Take some time to find a capsule wardrobe, so everything works together. It's worth buying leather boots and a decent fitted wool coat for winter. Also a well fitted classic white shirt. I had one from Asda for ages.

For ages my winter look has been George knee high leather riding boot. In the sale its between 30-50. My rationale was that most people would have no idea that you didn't spend 200 on boots from Russell and Bromley or Carvela. It's my wallet that is happier 😊

When you know what fits you, look for brands on Ebay and charity shop designer bargains (go to charity shops in 'posh' towns). Outlets are good sometimes if you can face it.

I never find good stuff in charity shops. Maybe I don’t look hard enough or live in a dodgy area but it’s usually washed out primark selling at the same price it would cost new.
Ditto bags - always smell of fags to me. I once saw a very old and practically ruined mulberry that was on sale for £200!

I get great things in charity shops. Got a big leather tote bag in great condition for £3, someone had bought it in a sale for £50. Went back a few days later and got a new with tags shirt dress (£85 on website) for £5. On both occasions I was dropping donations off and just had a browse.

I live in a rough area, and it is my nearest shop.

@slipperyeel

Same..charity shops near me are full of faded primark crap for more than it costs new! I prefer ebay.