Luxurious. Elegant. Sophisticated. These are words I focus on when planning outfits but they conjure up another word too: expensive.
Certainly in the past I have bought designer goods on credit but if you read last week’s post about Living Luxuriously on a Budget, you’ll know that’s behind me. I am being better with money while enjoying my life, which means saving up before buying luxury.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I can live life with a rich girl mindset without breaking the bank. How can I look expensive without being expensive?
This is my beginner’s guide to looking chic because these 7 tips are accessible to everyone, no matter your budget.
1. Look after your skin and your skin will look after you.
I have dry skin, a blessing and a curse. If I don’t stick to my skincare routine, my skin gets painfully flaky, so I ALWAYS stick to my skincare routine. As a result, my skin usually looks pretty good.
I’ve searched far and wide and skincare products from premium brands like Clinique are best for my skin. However, if your skin doesn’t irritate so easily, you don’t need to spend a fortune. The Ordinary is a brand beloved by many, BeautyPie gives you access to premium skincare at a discounted price and there is one miracle product you’ll be pleased to know you likely already own…
My Everyday Skincare Routine:
Clinique liquid facial soap in extra mild. Clinique is my favourite skincare brand because they cater for very dry skin, which is what I have. Not many brands do this.
Neal’s Yard Remedies Rehydrating Rose Toner. I was sceptical when I first heard that rose is good for dry and sensitive skin, because in my experience, any scented product will mess up my face. But so far, all the rose products I’ve used have worked.
Clinique dramatically different+ moisturising lotion. I’ve tried SO many moisturisers and this is the best of the best.
Sudocrem. This is the miracle product hiding in your bathroom cabinet! To prevent spots on my body, I use the amazingly-priced Sudocrem. I also use it on the areas of my face where I get the odd spot to keep them away (though be wary of using it on your face as your skin is different from mine - try it in miniscule amounts at first).
Kiehl’s buttermask for lips. For some reason, most chapsticks don’t work for me so as usual, I’ve had to go for the higher-priced option, but for most of you, any lip balm used daily will leave your mouth soft and kissable! Kiehl’s are a great skincare brand because all of their products are designed for sensitive skin.
You don't need an expensive skincare routine - just having a routine full stop will make you look more polished and put together. Your makeup will sit better and you will feel more confident.
If you love the look of expensive skincare, you can always buy a cheaper product and decant it into an empty, prettier bottle.
2. Use hand cream every time you wash your hands.
Our hands go through a lot but we forget them. I have two cute pink dispensers from Etsy on my bathroom sink: one for antibacterial hand gel and one for hand cream, to moisturise my hands after washing. I have made it a habit to use the hand cream after every wash.
Be your own beautician - use your thumb to massage products into your hands. It feels highly luxurious and pampering.
3. Find your signature makeup look.
Back in the day, I loved experimenting with different makeup looks but these days, I have a grand total of two looks: a sultry smoky eye or a bold red lip. (And never the twain shall meet!)
I started paring down my makeup collection after reading Jennifer L. Scott’s Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris. In it, she talks about how French women mostly wear very natural makeup, never anything gaudy. Living in Britain, I have seen enough crazy highlighter and dramatic eyeshadows to last me a lifetime and I am all about that natural life now.
A word I love more than any other is effortless. Your signature makeup look should not take you all day and it certainly shouldn’t look fiddly. You want that just-rolled-out-of-bed-looking-utterly-fabulous vibe.
4. Take sunglasses everywhere.
There is no accessory that elevates an outfit as instantly as a pair of sunglasses. Often, I head to Pinterest or Instagram to analyse photos of fashionable women and try to work out what it is about them that looks so expensive. Almost always, they are wearing sunglasses.
I own one tortoiseshell pair and one black pair which is enough for anyone’s wardrobe. Of course, if you are a sunglasses addict you’re welcome to buy more, but if you strive for a capsule wardrobe, these are all you need.
To look extra chic, try putting your hair up in a sleek bun and wearing small gold hoop earrings with your sunglasses. It looks so timeless and elegant.
5. Never wear more than 3 colours at once.
This fashion tip revolutionised my style. If you are having trouble putting outfits together, or feel like there’s something not quite right, try sticking to the 3-colour rule. Wearing no more than 3 colours at once ensures you always look your best.
Some of my favourite colour combinations include:
Ecru, tan and orange
Black and white
Cream, grey and blush pink
Dark green and black
Burgundy and blush pink
If you can wear a total of just 2 colours, even better. One colour from head to toe? Magnifique! You just achieved ultimate chicness.
6. Always carry a prop.
When I went into the office last week, I felt very chic. I had been reading an ebook about la bella figura and I was strutting along as if it were an upscale shopping street in Milan, not a concrete side street in Nottingham.
I think part of the reason for this, apart from the inspiration I had taken from the book, was the fact that I had a croissant in one hand! If both my arms are swinging by my sides, I feel ungainly. If both my hands are in my pockets, I feel slovenly and like I’m trying to hide. But if I have one hand in my pocket and the other carrying a ‘prop’, I stand taller and everything feels much more relaxed and natural!
It’s a silly thing, but try it - it helps if the prop is fashionable so grab yourself a lovely phone case or a beautiful top-handle bag.
7. Work to live, don’t live to work.
Please, if you remember nothing else from my blog, remember this: YOU WERE NOT PUT ON THIS PLANET TO PAY BILLS AND DIE.
I’ve always found it funny when people talk about dream jobs because I have never dreamed of a job. Sure, when I was unemployed and getting rejected by everyone from Canary Wharf to McDonalds (yes, really) I wanted a job, but that was because I needed money, independence and self-respect. My career goal is to win the lottery and never have to work again.
We all need jobs. There’s no denying it. (Except for those people who won the lottery and never had to work again… lucky wotsits.) But we don’t need to work 24/7.
If you are in a work WhatsApp chat, mute and archive it, or leave it if you’re allowed. If you are constantly working over your agreed hours, log those hours and claim them back. After the odd half-hearted attempt to climb the corporate ladder, I settled for a boring, low-stress job where I can leave my work at work and relax every evening without having to think about a massive to-do list.
You may be wondering what’s chic about this, but darling, think about it. If you are constantly worried about work, you will be wound up all the time, which is not chic and causes frown lines.
Think of the French and the Italians - they are renowned for working to live and not the other way around. The French take 2-hour lunch breaks! There is a reason we all want to emulate that je ne sais quois - it’s the relaxed, confident vibe of someone not weighed down by work.
In fact I hope all these tips will relieve some stress and anxiety for you. Whether it’s work, wages or wardrobes, we all have areas of our lives wearing us down. If you want to be more chic, working on a more relaxed mindset is the best place to start.
Comentários