How to look “polished”

[Turdissimo]

Some folk seem to look good all the time. Why is this? Do you think they always feel good too or would they look good even on a bad day?

Do you have to be thin (or at least not v overweight) for the look (whatever the look is) to work?

Can you wear cheap clothes / accessories if they are classic styles etc?

Can you be casual and polished at the same time?

PS would add I have tried to copy styling gurus etc on YouTube and just ended up buying items which didn’t suit me or feel like me.

Bemused. I want to look more put together..

I have a very old friend who has always looked polished. She puts a lot of effort into her hair in particular. Her nails are always painted. The only time I’ve ever seen her look less polished was on holiday when she told me that she goes into ‘cat mode’ and completely relaxes. She looks lovely with no make up on, too.

So, I think hair and nails. And probably knowing what colours suit you well.

I'm afraid I do think being thinner makes a difference. I've lost 4.5 stone on Mounjaro and it's so much easier to look more polished.

Having a regular haircut makes a huge difference, as does blow drying your hair.

Following some sort of cleansing and moisturising routine also makes a big difference.

I do think if you shower early in the morning and blow dry your hair and put on a bit of make up and dress for the day then you look and feel a lot more polished than if you don't do all those things. I'm pretty new to this but do find it makes a huge difference.

I agree that hair makes a big difference - when I put effort into styling my hair properly I look way more put together.

My first thought was ‘hair’ too. A good cut/colour.
Clothes that are well kept - clean, pressed, de-bobbled etc. And thought put into each outfit - not too many colours at once etc.
Shoes - appropriate for the outfit (very easy to ruin an outfit with the wrong heel height, especially with trousers).
Accessories go a long way - a pair of stylish sunglasses can do wonders for example.

Hair being coloured and cut well always looks polished.

some make up and nails look polished.

im currently 2.5 stone overweight (working on it) and i never feel polished even when i do my hair and nails to be honest.

well shaped brows also look polished

Hair, nails, accessories and ironing.

You need to look after your hair, nails and skin. Some minimal make up (to get the polished look). Shoes need to be clean (polished if leather), not very scuffed. Not scuffed handbag / wallet. Clothes need to be neat, classic colours and styles help and decent quality helps but you can wear cheap clothes if they are pressed, not bobbing, not losing their shape.

Hair
Nails
Good skin or makeup that looks like good skin
Clothes in excellent condition that suit you and fit very well
Good accessories

I think being thin means clothes fit and hang so much better. It should be possible at most weights with a good tailor.

I manage everything but the clothes and friends say I look polished - I am often wearing a good wool coat over the badly fitting unironed clothes!

Can anyone get mounjaro or do you have to be a certain BMI?

I get told my look is “polished”, DD describes it as Rich housewife. I’m neither 🤣

I nearly always blow dry my hair and wear makeup. When I don’t, I don’t get compliments. my hair is expensively highlighted and swishy and my make up is classic full face but looks natural.

most of my daywear is natural fabrics and all my handbags are leather, which I think helps.

I get my nails painted every week and I chuck stuff when it’s getting tired.

i think the least important part of looking put together is cost but I do think things need to be clean, in good condition, ironed and fit well - My clothes are always always always ironed.

and yes being thin undoubtedly helps tiresome as that is.

This is an excellent question.
I was out at the weekend and saw some women who just looked 'expensive' and classy, my thoughts on the subject are as follows:
Great skin
Nice tan
Good make up which is not overdone (an expensive lipstick shows)
Painted well manicured nails
Well fitting clothes in good fabrics (sorry but I don't think cheap clothes cut it)
Tasteful accessories
Nice jewellery
Leather handbag
Leather boots
An air of confidence
Good posture
Speaking nicely

I think it takes time and energy and looking like you care about how you look to be polished.

I think its lots of the things mentioned already but there's also some indefinable innate stylish gene that some people just have

They have a knack for putting an elegant style together & that doesn't always equate to money.

My Aunt on my father's side just had 'it' - she didn't have a lot of money but had a real eye for choosing clothes & a flair for wearing them. She always looked v well put together & polished.

My mother, on the other hand, had significantly more means & way more expensive clothes & zero natural style. She can make an expensive outfit look like something from a bargain basement! It's quite faacinating really

I always feel more put together when I've just done my hair with my airwrap.
Even my daughter's friends say I'm like a Chelsea housewife (we live in a northern village).
You don't need an airwrap to have great hair though, dry it to add volume and give it some bounce or "swish".

Nails such as simple nude pink, appropriate shoes for the occasion and outfit, a scarf or simple, unfussy but interesting jewellery all go a long way.

I also agree being slim helps..... I'm another that has lost many stones on Mounjaro and clothes now hang so much more nicely on me. To answer your question OP you need a BMI of over 30 to get it prescribed privately. Or I think 27 if you have certain other health issues.

In addition to hair, nails and accessories I would say lack of pattern. It may just be me but I feel so much more put together in block colours than clothes with a print.

It’s the weight. I’m at a good weight for roughly six months every ten years, and in those months I feel fantastic, even in a pair of jeans and a jumper.

The rest of the time I feel presentable at best.

Mine are

Hair (my hairdresser taught me how to give myself a bouncy blow dry using a round brush and one hair roller pinned on top, but I’m going to look at the airwrap suggested above) @Noshadelamp
I do have a babyliss big hair hot air styler but I found it was damaging my hair.
I also straighten my hair using a steampod, but I think it makes my hair too flat, so I prefer the bounce

Well fitting clothes
Brows
Eyeliner
Clear lipgloss
Good shoes
I like a gel polish, but only treat myself to it a couple of times a year
Teeth

Buy a debobbler and use it religiously. Never ever have bobbly clothes.

Buy a steamer and use that religiously too (or iron if you can be bothered, but steaming is usually enough). Never be creased.

One colour dressing, with an accent. All the grooming advice above will help.

But really, you have to like clothes and assembling looks, and think about it. My friend sometimes says (exasperatedly), Susan, you're the best-dressed woman in Lidl! I am (invariably) wearing jeans and a sweater with trainers or boots, and have just come from walking the dog in the woods.

Being wealthy makes the difference - having lots of time and money to spend on self care shows in every aspect of your appearance. Weight doesn't come into it if you have the money to dress well.

@2026IsMyYear i think you’ve nailed it- there must be a “gene”.

I agree being wealthy helps - and confidence.

When I’ve had more money and less anxiety I do seem to look better (maybe I feel better and think I look better; maybe I feel better so do look actually better because I am less worried / haggard etc) - but I know some wealthy people who might look flashy or loaded with labels - but I would not necessarily say they look particularly expensive or polished.

Lots of good tips here which apply to polished people- but some of them can also be worn by a person who is not polished- (blow dry/ done nails/ leather bag / brows etc) and in fact looks quite tacky. It is a puzzle.

Be rich and spend a lot of money on your appearance.

This exactly describes my polished friend.

As others have said
hair including colour (whether grey or dyed) - I use Clairol
nails - I do my own
unfussy clothes eg simple navy trousers with a simple jumper eg merino crew neck and maybe a tied silk scarf (most of my clothes are M&S, Uniqlo and increasingly, Vinted). I’ve realised I have a uniform of this and swap trousers for bias cut skirts in warmer weather. Nothing too “fashionable”.
simple jewellery
polished shoes
lipstick and mascara or lip gloss for casual
I’m 62 and regularly am complimented by my younger colleagues about looking put together, which is nice, especially as I do it in a budget.

Lots of people have mentioned nails.
I don’t really like the long polished nail look personally, and I find long nails very awkward too, but I’d like a step-up from my short unpolished nails. I could (and have) used clear varnish, but find it ends up damaging my nails (tendency towards allergies and sensitivities unfortunately). Is there anything natural that can be used to make them look a bit better and more groomed. Buffing, wax, oils? I’m very bad at all this still in my mid-50s but want to improve so thank you very much for the thread OP. I’m finding it helpful too.

Nice hair colour. I do mine myself. Layered bob cut. Shower and hair wash every day. Full make up but not OTT. Smart coat or jacket. Minimal jewellery. Gold huggie earrings. This might sound odd, but walk briskly when out and about.