Need to look expensive! Size 22- work

[Fruitbatdancer]

Please help, apple shape, 5’ 4, feel happier in a dress than a suite, need to look ‘expensive’ in a ‘dont you know who I am, I’m a powerful career woman now’ at an old work do 😂 please mumsnetters help. I’m happy to show cleavage and arms. Budget up
to 250.

What sort of industry?

Good hair and shoes and good make-up.

Go for a dress in an expensive looking fabric. (It doesn't have to actually be expensive. It just need to look it.)
Make sure the jewellery is classy.

A sales assistant in Louis Vuitton told us that to look expensive you need a good quality coat, bag & shoes (quality, not necessarily designer) & classy jewellery. To that I would personally add a belt.

The rest can be cheap but in good condition.

I like this Chesca blue and would add a swing coat and much neater suede boots to it, along with some real jewellery and a great blow dry.

Thanks all, financial services. I have good shoes, smart (fake!) watch, I feel like a black dress but ones I buy (high street mostly) don’t look/ feel luxe

I am not plus size so not tried personally, but Marina Rinaldi appears good?

oo I like the look of Chesca

I like the idea of a cape dress (like Ralph Lauren one) but worried I’ll look like a kid playing super hero with a bin bag cape!

Agree on Marina Rinaldi too

Marina Rinaldi black

I guess I’d say that the dress itself should only have one Big Thing about it, so as long as it doesn’t have lots more going on than the cape, it sounds good. But I’m not really that stylish - it’s just that I’ve always been ‘too big’ for the prevailing average so I’ve made up my own rules

that's the issue 'smart " fake" watch'.
These things are never faked well. You are best with an apple watch if you don't have a proper smart watch. or don't wear one at all.

Looking expensive is mostly achieved through accessories. They can be minimal. Jewlerry, scarf, shoes, bag. You don't have to have all of them. you don't need to wear/use all of them if you don't have them.

Also makeup adds to the polished look.
think 'less is more' too. You don't need to be pristine either. Expensive can have some old elements included.

Spend the money on a blow dry and a manicure

a £££ dress looks rubbish with ratty hair and nails

I agree about a blow dry. On the fence about a manicure unless it’s a nude / pale pink - no coffin shaped acrylics!

Flat shoes.

Marina Rinaldi is certainly worth trying, though quality is variable.

Perennially cool:

https://uk.isseymiyake.com/collections/pleatsplease?srsltid=AfmBOoqoFHPfnenvSvJs18pn05KCcxR1C7fB-HaZnyU3MDPz8ObjQ20D

I think eyebrow shaping makes a huge difference - I say that but have never actually had it done myself, too nervous that someone will overdo it.

I’ve had a look at the Ralph Lauren cape dress, I think they’re pretty fab. But in financial services I’d look at either buying or hiring the original.

I’ve totally missed the bag thing, I simply don’t get it, so I’d probably just get an Italian black clutch without a big label. Or else I’d wait for more bag-knowledgable posts.

So eyebrows are now shaped and I went to monsoon today and huge surprise bought 3 coats all my size, all the only ones left (must have been returns! All 70% off! Now have super smart coat options just need an ideally black or blue dress for under them (I have a lot of bags, mostly Kate spade) dress help please! Preferably v neck