Looking good no matter if a item is cheap or expensive.....

gillianna

O.G.
Dec 27, 2005
8,288
2,182
It seems there are so many threads about wardrobes and buying clothing in different price ranges along with wanting to look good. One thing I think helps is presentation of yourself.

Of course having clean clothes is a must but I have found adding something simple like ironing your clothing before wearing it gives you that extra polished look. Even a cheap old T shirt looks better when this way. Add conditioning and polishing shoes along with getting the heels repaired when needed. My daughter has some beautiful Frye boots, hubby polishes them every 2-3 months for her and they look like new. As they age they look better bug are still well conditioned with beautiful leather versus scuffs and damage. She also gets the heels redone once a year at a local shoe repair place which only costs $25.00 a pair. If one inspects their shoes you can see how the heels can wear down and become uneven. While one can own nice items they may require some maintnance to keep them looking good.

We have all seen people dressed up in expensive clothing only to add a sad looking handbag and pair of shoes that can ruin the look. I do a handbag spa on my bags at least once a month to clean and condition them. None of my friends do this and think it is a waste of time but just a few minutes of care and bring a item back to looking like new. And I do believe it is the little details that can pull a whole outfit together.

Just like personal appearance. Being well groomed and put together can be as simple as clear polish on hands and toes along with a few drops of hair oil to add some gloss to your hair. I have friends who never pamper themselves because they say it takes too long but will spend hours on their phones. Some even feel removing makeup at night before bed is a waste of time since they will wash their face in the morning. So to me it is not all all about wardrobe but having everything come together to make one lol and feel good.
 
And and are you asking us to add more tips...?
I feel like we’ve had a number of these threads before...including very recently
https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/how-to-stay-impeccably-dressed-all-the-time.840389/

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/looking-classy-ideally-on-a-budget.995931/

Edit and another one https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/how-to-look-more-sophisticated.970294/

I feel like all the advice can be summed up as: have a good haircut, keep your nails tidy, shine your shoes, find a good dry cleaner. Fin.
 
I always take the time to condition my leather boots. I do it twice a year. Once midway through winter to maintain them and then right before I store everything away come spring. With new leather shoes I always spray the recommended two layer of protection before wearing them out. I also look at the heels at the end of the year to see if I need to take them to the cobbler. It just makes sense and extends the life of my favourite boots. I’m less consistent with my leather handbags and jackets but I try to condition them once a year.

I used to iron a lot but that’s fallen to the wayside since having kids. I find it’s mostly the cotton stuff that requires ironing
 
Concentrating on the cheap/expensive conundrum some of my tips would be:

Shop vintage (clothes were made better 30 + years ago) and pre-loved for classic styles and/or 'spice'. Most people look better with just one clearly vintage piece as a statement.

Comb bobbles out of cashmere (Brora do good cashmere combs). Go gently.

Brush mohair/angora/alpaca with a baby's brush

Sew any repairs ASAP. A stitch in time saves 9.

Try not to wear anything that needs repairing.

Try not to wear colours that don't really suit you or you don't feel comfortable in

Don't wear uncomfortable anything, that includes things that don't stay put so you have to yank them around.

Iron inside out or under a sheet/towel. not everything is supposed to be shiny.

Try underwear under the clothes you intend to wear with them in the changing room before you buy. Check silhouette and texture. One of my family was a (female) master tailor, when she went shopping for underwear she took a suit case of clothes with her (we don't have to do that, we have online shopping now and can try at home) YKWIM.

Be brave and enjoy your clothes.
 
I spend on things which need spending on.
Then fluff & rummage for rest.
Clothing must perform properly during my activities.
I have no interest in wobbling around on stiletto heels or dry cleaning/ironing anything.

Imo, most trends & clothing advice on this forum are for some type of fantasy life--conjured by those who stare into phone screens all day.
Not for actual walking-around-outdoors life.
But, meh.:shrugs: Could be wrong.
Here's my approach:
20190108_085132.jpgboots=north face
coat=eddie bauer
gloves=seirus
bag=pacsafe