Secrets of Looking (really) Good

[Princeonthemove]

Do you ever have days where you feel like you are looking pretty good then venture out and see someone else who just looks fab...but you can't work out exactly what they have done to achieve it? My sister in law always looks really polished, whether casual or dressed up and I try and secretly study her to work out why...maybe it is hair/eyebrows/always wears very neutral things?...

I realy try and I think(hope)I am generally quite smart and dress well, but I know I never quite hit the mark. The more I think of it, the people who always look super dooper to me do spend time/effort on their hair...
Any opinions?

eyebrows groomed

neat nails

regular haircut

you don't need to be matchy matchy or to wear neutrals, confidence is key

walk tall, shoulders back and chin up

mmm...i know the difference,some people spend time on it.real time...time that i dont!

i learned that even when i do make an effort,because i touch my hair and face alot while im talking ,thinking etc i look dishevelled within twenty mins anyway!

dishevelled but hot you understand

agree with boysarelikedogs

a good blow dry works wonders. And a bit of bronzer..

clean clothes that fit/suit you ( not necc high fashion)
ACCESSORIES

I do spend time on it though...I love clothes and always wear make-up, hate being scruffy or dowdy, and plan (in theory) to be a well dressed mum...but I never seem to look quite as 'finished' as I want. Think it is all about the hair..and maybe upgrading to slightly better shops. Sil tends to go to better shops and buy less.
Does anyone have any 'rules' they sort of stick to?
Or I could just give up and go with the dishevelled look!

Highlighter along cheekbones and just under the brow - takes seconds to apply and you look all gleamy and fresh.

Agree with the hair thing - i have below shoulder length thin crappy hair - I went in the bathroom today and hacked off six inches and layered it all round my face and cut a fringe - for the first time in 8 months I managed to go out with my hair down without putting it into a clip - can't believe the difference it made.

for some reason I believe it has to do with eyebrows and nails

a thousand more compliments when I do my eyebrows and manicured nails (I mean looked after with even a buff or clear polish) make a massive difference

also colour and accessories
Women who know how to use colour are a mile ahead of those who don't or are frightened of it
accessorising ditto

Ah...accesories. You could be right. Totally scared of them. I try and wear jewellery and think it looks bizarre. Crap at buying belts etc...do woollen scarves sometimes..

Any accesories tips? Thanks!

Yes agree HoorayHenry and Ronaldinhio, it is wearing clothes that suit your shape as well as colours and eyes are one of the first things we notice when we look at a face and so if your eyebrows help to enhance that it's great. The people I'v admired have also been clever with textures as well as colour. I met Teresa Hale (of the Hale Clinic) once and she looked amazing, it was daytime but she was wearing pinks and purples ( well before they were in fashion and widely available), but they were all in different tones and textures and she had great boots on too. What stuck me was that she also carried it all with an air of confidence, so maybe that's also got something to do with it. I mean there are some people who can throw on jeans and a plain top, roughly scrape their hair back and still glow!I'm not sure about hair though as the people I'm thinking off don't do alot to their hair. It's cool to be looking "so good and you haven't even brushed your hair"...oh well that's a personal philosophy what I've been following!LOL. I always use a great accessory as a distraction!

I have a view that there is not much point trying to - not copy - but emulate someone elses's style. Because one things look look on one person, crap on another. So even if your SIL does always look polished and you don't think you do, maybe polished is not what you are going to be. You never know, your SIL may be envious of you, thinking you don't have to be as 'try hard' to look good.

Personally, I keep my nails short and shaped, sometimes with clear varnish, sometimes with dark red. And eyebrows always good. I comb my hair once a day and the rest of the day I move it around with my hands, and flick my fringe around.

These are the things I stick to:

-do not wear black near face, unless it is a jacket or coat (and with said items I wear a bright scarf to add warmth to my face - I am 31)

-Be adventurous when trying on clothes. I try stuff I think is a bit and quite alot of the time realise I can wear lots more shapes/colours/trends than I think

-You do not have to have everything just so to look fabulous

-buy fashion magazines for advice on what to wear with what

-do not go with the crowd - find your own style

This is helpful. The general concensus seems to agree nails, eyebrows and hair at least? Maybe thats why those who have got these right can have that -in pyjamas-still look great-thing going on.

Black- I definitely wear too much. I don't think I could be too adventurous without having someone with me; I'm too scared of making mistakes!

I sometimes think my wardrobe is too capsule so maybe I'll try and branch out. I am stuck in a boot cut jeans/polo neck/trench rut which is beginning to look just a little bit 1998 and dull....

prince remove bootcut jeans and change to skinny, buy a new trench coat with a full skirt or puffball (yes really) and definately ditch the polo neck - go for long sleeved fitted plain top, feminine blouse over and scarf (the practicle but pretty way to be warm)

Shopping-wise, you have to get your own style first, deciding what you like. So, maybe be best to have someone along who will not try and push their style onto you, and will only tell you if something looks a)crap or b)good

Jewels
That is great advice, thank you. That is what I was looking for; I know I am just 'off' a bit and needed to put my finger on it.

I'm going to tackle my stuff tomorrow. I may be back!

I loathe polo necks.

This is something a work colleague and i were talking about last week. I work in a language department and we decided that none of us were very polished and were all a little scruffy/hippyish/unpolished. I think it is to do with hair and nails but also yes, some people just have that thing of knowing what to wear and what colours suit them. Saying that i don't think i am one of those people but i do like the way i dress - usually.

I would agree with Jewel, you will only find out what suits you (and look polished) when you find your own style and that means you need to experiment.

I used to live in bootcut jeans and boots but for the last couple of years I've practically only worn dresses. They just make you feel immediately smarter. I wear sweater dresses with boots or patterned with pumps and thick tights for a more casual look.

I feel so much more confident and feminine and never have to worry about whether my bum looks big or the hipster jeans are giving me a muffin top!

Good luck!

I just googled sweaterdresses (didn't know what it was) and I am going to have to get me some of those....how smart and lovely!

Can't belive that nobody commented on Laurie cutting and completely restyling her own hair in the bathroom

Or do you all do that???

Ha! I wondered whether Laurie was just a devil-may-care hair stylist!

I think I loathe polo necks too. I might have only just realised.

Agree on the dress front. I love dresses and find them so easy.

Another thing to add to the list...again probably obvious: wearing things over and over again. I looked at my holiday photos for the past few years and find some of them hard to distinguish because I am in the same clothes!