Has how to look expensive / polished changed?

[Newpeople]

Inspired by the Chanel bag thread which is a great read.

The many previous threads on here describe (to me) what seems like a very dated look. Even a bouncy blow dry now seems old fashioned.

Anyone fancy discussing what makes someone looked polished / expensive these days? In my experience (people I know and have met) it’s vastly different and much more casual these days.

She also takes much greater fashion risks so people who don't like pushing fashion boundaries at all don't get it

When? I've never seen any photos of Megan Markle when she wasn't safely and blandly dressed.

How on earth can anyone say Meghan Markle doesn't look polished?

On second thoughts, don't bother.

Sounds like a sapeur

I wear my hair long and had a chunk cut off and I look so much more polished (even though hair is air dried and make up is rare). So straggly hair at the ends is a No no!

(not talking about length per se just keeping it not limp and past it, hair was below nipples, now just above so still longer than traditionally deemed appropriate for mid 40s)

To me Meghan Markle is the epitome of polished, every part of her

Note to Self:

Keep your hair washed! (no you won't get another day out it luv).
Nail polish, even neutral shades. (clean the last lot off before it gets chipped)
Good shoes. (try to have a choice of more than one pair)
Make-up everyday unless you have alabaster skin. (yeah five minutes wasted putting on foundation when I could be on MN)
A 'nice' coat for events like funerals, people's house for coffee etc. (and p.s. your black puffa coat needs a wash it's seen one too many winters)

Really? She often looks amazing and is extremely polished. Who do you think is good enough?!

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle she wore wide legged pants before it was common place. Kate for example was still wearing skinnies. Now she wears wide legged. MM wore oversized blazers before late adopters did. She wore asymmetric necklines, boat necks, off shoulder and was criticised. Once it became more familiar late adopters like Kate started doing the same. She wore interesting heels in contractors full LK Bennett wedges and heels. Now Kate does. In fact after decades she finally ditched the nude LK Bennett shoes. Meghan has constantly pushed the fashion boundaries. Just a little. Perfectly so.

Totally agree. I think she looks exactly what I think of when thinking about being polished, glossy hair, glowing skin, perfect but not weird teeth.

Its funny because I always thought of the PoW as quite frumpy in comparison. She wears clothes well because she’s tall and slim but her hair and heavy makeup often look old fashioned. Although, I saw a clip of that interview Mike Tinddall and Princes Anne. When the camera focuses on PoW she looks surprisingly polished and her hair and skin/makeup look great.

Meghan Markle often wears clothes that need tailoring and better underwear. FWIW I agree that she is less frumpy than Catherine, though Catherine has grown into her style a lot lately, but Catherine is way more polished.

Sienna Miller in Anatomy of a Scandal

The white and blue floral thing is a monstrosity, that's fair enough. I do think it's hard to wear those clothes and still move. They look better when you're standing still I think. And the press are a bit motivated to take unflattering photos

Sorry but on what planet do over sized asymmetric necklines and boat necks push fashion boundaries?

Megan dressed safely and blandly. She might be "polished" but there's nothing interesting about her style.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle it's all about context. In the context she was pushing boundaries. Whilst others wore boring and dated coat dresses and nude heels, Meghan was wearing off the shoulder dresses with fab heels. She's not a freak she was hardly going to go to a state dinner in a dress made of palm leaves.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle
See here. Bland is the plain heeled shoes and coat dress. Meghan went for a tonal outfit with boots. Just cooler.

Bland is the puff skeeves. Meghan went for a subtle off the shoulder.

Meghan's caped dress at the funeral was outstanding and way more fashion forward than everyone else was wearing whilst still being appropriate

They're Royals. They are all expensive and polished. The clothes are expensive and they have teams of people at their disposal to 'polish' (dress their hair etc).

I've never seen her in say Issy Miyake or Dries van Noten or Cecilie Bahnsen or Ann Demeulemeester or Molly Goddard or even Vivienne Westwood or Eponine.

That pink Bardot dress is dreadful. It's a horrible colour and about as original as, well any other Bardot top.

I thought she looked ridiculous and "ooh look at me" at the funeral. It's actually a solitary example of an attempt at pushing boundaries - at the least appropriate occasion.

Agreed. Markle is "polished" but suggesting she pushes boundaries is ridiculous.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle I've never seen her in say Issy Miyake or Dries van Noten or Cecilie Bahnsen or Ann Demeulemeester or Molly Goddard or even Vivienne Westwood or Eponine.

You have a very suburban and pedestrian view of fashion

Oh ha ha. That's as funny as saying Markle is "pushing boundaries" in that awful pink outfit.

She's"polished certainly", but there's nothing original or interesting in what she wears.

I’m booked in for my Christmas nails appointment on Thursday, I will be avoiding nail-art but would a deep purple shade look both polished AND festive?

I like a lot of Megan’s clothes but I often feel that they don’t fit properly around the bust. She looks like she needs a good bra fitting or bet tailoring.

I don’t understand the need to look ‘polished’

I prefer to look like I’m actually living my life!

There’s no ‘need’ at all, @TrailingFig! It’s a choice like any other. And completely antithetical to several of the strongest and most influential styles in recent (20th / 21st century) history.

Ok 🙄
I can’t understand wanting to look polished.