5 Ways to look classy on a budget

”Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; Dress impeccably and they remember the woman”.

Coco Chanel

One of my guilty pleasures is reading fashion magazines, not just for the clothes but for the whole aesthetic of the set, the creative imagery, the way that it looks put together so effortlessly. Of course, this isn’t the truth, many hours have been spent with various experts ensuring every detail for that one picture is perfect.

I recall working with someone who had the most fabulous fashion sense, she also had the money to spend on expensive clothes, however, often when I would comment on where she had bought an item from it certainly wasn’t Prada or Louboutin more often it was a high street store and certainly on a few occasions that included Primark.

It’s totally true that the way you put your look together is more important than the cost and ensuring your grooming is always on point automatically makes you look more classy and effortless in any situation. Not everyone has access to an unlimited budget and a team of makeup artists but there are a couple of simple things that will immediately make you look well put together.

Ensure everything fits well

Being classy is all about looking polished, confident and clean, you can make an Armani suit look sloppy if it’s wrinkled or not the right fit. Likewise, you can make a Primark dress look twice the price you paid for if it’s styled well, clean and a great fit. One of the biggest mistakes that can be made is buying an outfit that is the wrong size. It’s well known that sizing on the high street is not consistent, a size 10 in Top Shop is likely to be different to a size 10 in Marks & Spencer and therefore the trick is not to let this concern you. (Easier said than done, I know!) Take in items that are your ‘normal’ size, but look at it before taking it in to the changing room, does it look big / small and if so take another size in with you.

Shop strategically

Sounds complicated, it’s not! Investing in a couple of well-fitted, staple pieces for your wardrobe and mixing them with budget friendly, trend driven items is a smart way to get more out of your budget. For example, a little black dress that can be styled a hundred different ways, a good quality leather jacket that can be worn to make a work outfit more edgy, jeans that make you look amazing and well-fitting underwear is the foundation for making any outfit look good.

Always wear lipstick

I love my makeup and any excuse to get glammed up is very welcome. However, if I’m being really honest, I don’t have time to spend hours on my makeup on a day to day basis, but you don’t need a full face of makeup to look classy and you don’t need to be a professional makeup artist, (save that for the nights out!). A minimal makeup look needn’t take longer than 15 minutes in the morning and at the very least a slick of lipstick is something that most of us can manage.

Explore dress agencies and charity shops

There are some incredible charity shops that have some amazing finds, some items still have the original tickets on. Generally, stores that are in more exclusive areas will often have more high-end items that have been worn once to an event and are no longer of use. Whatever you buy, ensure that it fits well, any repairs that are needed are straightforward hems or a new button and always check how the item needs to be cleaned.

Get your nails done

Like lipstick, getting your nails done doesn’t need to mean having an expensive gel manicure every week, but painting them at home and ensuring they are never chipped is an easy way to make you look pulled together and it can be as expensive or as cheap as you wish to make it.

Whatever you are wearing, wear it with confidence and enjoy it. For further information on how we can help then call us on 07742081487 for a no obligation discussion.

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