To find it nearly impossible to look polished

[Ceci03]

So I have been making a big effort with my hair and makeup and doing my nails and fake tan on my legs. Just trying to look a bit more polished.

Was at a work meeting with some colleagues I hadn't met before and couldn't stop admiring the woman beside me. Her hair was beautifully highlighted and smooth. He nails were perfect. I nearly felt embarrassed when I looked at my efforts. Her clothes were beautifully cut. Sparkly white teeth. Lovely jewellry.

I came away feeling very scruffy and wondering if I will ever get the look I want of being put together and I suppose polished. I guess it takes money too to look that good. I highlighted my hair at home and it looks nice but not as good as a hairdressers colour. My nails were scruffy round the edges. I dunno I just felt a bit shabby.

Any tips for looking more polished on a budget!

For work I have developed a uniform
Of navy/ black and cream/ beige/ white. It's dull but smart and as everything does together I buy good quality but less of it. Dressed, tailored trousers, blazers.
My issue is my curly hair always adds a touch of the wilderness but I cba to straighten it every day

Did this lady have dc? I looked polished until dc arrived.

My per theory is that it is ALL down to hair 🤣

no matter what I do with my hair (and I’ve tried everything) it is frizzy, wavy, curly and generally wild. The only thing that works is a professional blow dry which I love, but can’t afford apart from gif special occasions.

when I think of ‘polished’ I think eg of the Middleton women who are all VERY tidy of hair. Carole, for example, is the epitome of a ‘polished’ older woman, with that sleek, tidy hair. I’m not saying I want to look like her (attractive woman though she is) at ALL, it just always occurs to me that even if I wanted to, I never could, because I have totally the wrong hair!

Over the years I’ve gradually given up on looking polished. If helps that I work in a creative industry where there is a range of more bohemian looks. I totally understand OP that it might have got you down to feel under polished in a more corporate setting.

In place of polished I aim for glamorous (when going out) which is more achievable when you have wild hair! At least, there is a certain TYPE of glamour I can achieve. Polished… regrettably never!

Honestly OP I bet you look terrific x

Me and polished will never go together. I do try and look tidy for work. I really do. I even iron stuff! But I dont do nails,fake tan, blow drying hair etc. Its just not me.
I'm happiest in summer at home when my go to look is long shorts,one of ds cast off t shirts,bare feet, grimy knees and hands from the garden and a sun browned face. There will probably be shells in my pockets or caterpillars in my hair!
I would love to be groomed and elegant but...its just not me.

Stick to two colours, max 3.
Not overly embellished or fussy details.
Structured, tailored clothes in good fabrics can help pull you together.
I love red lipstick to complement a white shirt, or navy blazer.

Oh and it’s interesting that the pp who describe themselves as polished have said they have sharp bobs… gorgeous look on those with the ‘right’ hair but a bob on thick, curly, wavy, frizzy hair is mushroom central 🤣 and just looks horrendous on me… I need longer hair to weight it all down.

I mean, even the idea of the word 'edgy' is a bit cringe.

And frizz a fucking lifestyle, yo!
It's a thing.
my chums are a mix of artists and musicians, and no little head bouncing around in the orchestra gives a damn about frizz. We are wild and in love!
It's all about parting you from your money

Yup - very wavy hair, but also fine so, if I so much as wave styling balm or - god forbid - wax in its direction, it is instantly lank and greasy.

I'm going to have to wait for my next incarnation for polished.

This is completely fair! So I guess it's finding out what works for your hair type and then committing to regular haircuts to keep it in shape. Anything other than short and sharp on me looks bedraggled and thin.

Which moisturiser pls?

Trouble is bostonchamps that there are certain hair types (mine is one) that TRULY no hair cut can make look neat or polished… I have a fabulous hairdresser who I see every 6ish weeks but my hair ONLY looks polished when he’s blow-dried it… even then tbf it’s not ‘tidy’ 🤣 If I style it myself I have the choice of straight but bushy (if I use tools) or naturally curly/wild (if I don’t)

I guess what I’m saying is it’s not so much the bob that makes people look polished as the fact that if you have the hair type that looks good in a bob you’re way more likely to look polished no matter what specific style your hair is cut into? If that makes sense? Some hair types just lend themselves to polish and some, no matter what you do with them, never will 😬

Gosh thank you for all the tips. It's definitely nothing to do with being fat or thin. I think hair is probably key! I like the idea of being glamourous rather than polished????!!! I think I look really boring and possibly like a nun when I dress purely in neutral colours so I often end up putting on a bright scarf or bracelet or something . I think I have a kinda boring face that isn't classic or elegant lol. I could be mistaken for a nun if I keep it too classic lol. Hair is a biggie. What's the plumper you use. I wasn't jealous of the other woman I was admiring I was just looking at her kinda curious trying to work out how she managed to look effortlessly elegant and I guess polished!

@ScreenPrinting I understand what you're saying. I don't take my hair type for granted I promise!

@Worriedmama82 if that was directed at me I'm using the Garnier superfood body one. £5 in Boots at the moment as well, and feels a lot like the Laura Mercier honey one for 1/5th of the price!

I don’t look polished at all but I came on to say that I think Victoria Beckham is my idea of polished . Not always been a fan of her looks over the years but do like her look now and I think her long glossy brown hair really suits her . Shows you with time ,money and inclination you could look better than you did in your youth !

I don’t think it’s the elephant in the room - it’s regularly acknowledged on S&B.

There are exceptions of course, but by and large to look polished you need to be very thin and toned.

I think a good French manicure instantly makes anyone look more polished. It's classy and timeless.

Why do y’all wanna look like beige carbon copies? I’m with Araminta on this one!

I have wild curly/wavy hair too and bobs are a complete no. When I get it cut and blow-dried it does look sleek and bouncy but it takes my stylist 40 mins so there’s no way I am doing that myself (I have tried the BBH and the Revlon and both leave it frizzy). To be honest I don’t feel like me with it that way either. The best thing for me has been growing it long enough (bra-strap length) to put it up easily and quickly. I spray my hairbrush with hairspray then smooth the crown with it and put the rest in a low bun (it holds better if I don’t brush it out first). I hardly every wear it down especially in summer.

Nails short, cuticles taken care of and Essie Hard to Resist clear/pink polish once a week. Simple jewellery, brow pencil and mascara. Clean shoes, belt. Also I have started yoga and my posture is improving, I think that makes a big difference.

In YOUR opinion

I push back and trim my cuticles once a week at home and keep a cuticle oil brush pen by my bedside table. Makes a huge difference !
Hair brush at work and use every time toj go to the loo. Get a trim fairly regularly. Leave in conditioner spray.

Clothes - neutral colours and natural fabrics.

I never manage to look polished, even pre DC, but I always always look better when I've had some decent sleep! One thing that has helped me look less dishevelled though is tubing mascara, as I no longer have panda eyes within two hours. Also having eyebrows regularly tinted and shaped! And I've always been slim/skinny - really doesn't help with looking polished in my experience.

@ScreenPrinting I have hair like you describe and I have an undercut all the way round to combat the mushroom look. It can't be tied back as it's a bob so no-one sees it. My hair is thick enough that you wouldn't know.

No one:

Absolutely agree. I have the thickest wiriest hair in the world. It looks stunning when done by a pro (even some pros can't cope with it though) but 90% of the time I look a bag of shit. Even if I get it straight it looks thick beyond belief like my head is SpongeBob SquarePants or something.

I went out on Saturday night thinking I looked good. In 2 hours it had gone to frizz and looked awful.