Want to look like you have your sh*t together even when you don’t?
Sorry, ladies and gents, I am in no position to tell anybody how to get their life together (if, however, you’d like to give me a little advice on how I can get my own life together, call me, beep me…).
I am, however, extraordinarily skilled in the art of looking like I rolled out of the right side of the bed this morning. I can’t balance a checkbook or budget my finances for more than a week at a time (often with months in between), however I can match my blush with my necklace and garner compliments I didn’t even know existed.
If you’re looking for that little extra oomph, here’s a few quick tricks to get you there.
Tailor your clothes:
If you are lucky enough to have disposable income, I highly suggest you get your work clothes tailored to suit your body. It gives you that crisp, finished look that makes people say things like, “I can’t put my finger on it, but you look fantastic. Did you do something new?”
The secret you aren’t about to divulge is that your clothes were made to fit your body exclusively.
If you cannot afford to have the majority of your clothes tailored, pick one regular statement piece. I suggest a single jacket that you wear frequently or perhaps a coat that you’ll be donning everyday this Winter. Tailoring gives you that chic, just-came-from-the-salon look, but for your body.
Coordinate your colors:
The best tip I can give for looking finished is buying clothes that keep with patterns of colors. Stick to a specific color scheme and all your clothes will match really well. For example, I like to stick with green-blues and coral pinks. The two colors are complimentary (they are opposite each other on the color wheel), so they go well together.
Often, I wear a coral shirt, which creates a pop of color, and I try to neutralize that color with a pair of dark jeans. I then accent the outfit with a teal necklace and watch. Find out which two colors work for you and try to stick with that scheme.
Notice, for example, how Taylor Swift (or possibly her stylists), coordinates complimentary colors:
Likewise, find your neutral base:
Going along with the previous idea, find a neutral color that works for you and stick with it. We often find ourselves tempted to buy brown, black, gray, and beige everything with little thought about what it matches.
You then end up with a pair of brown boots and a black coat that would create the perfect outfit if one just matched the other.
Why, God, why is my life so hard right now!?!?!
Relax, breathe, and think about the poor Syrian refugees that don’t have a place to call home right now. Assess how bad your problems really are, cry me a river, possibly donate to this organization, build a bridge, and get over it.
In the future, stick to one color. If you like brown, make sure the items you purchase have a brown base. This will neutralize your basic color palette and allow you to coordinate your outfits like a boss.
Lastly, it has nothing to do with the clothes:
We all know the clothes only make the man to a certain degree. You can have the best wardrobe in the world, but without a decent personality, you won’t get far in life. It’s all about being able to rock the attitude that makes the style.
Create your style, learn how you want to flaunt what you got, and accept that you are a brilliant, unique snowflake of individuality (or something like that).
[Featured Image Credit: Playbuzz]