I’m a big fan of the phrase “Look good, feel good”. I’ve noticed that on the days that I really put effort into my appearance, I can physically feel a difference in how good I feel. There are some days when I feel like doing my full make-up, curling my hair, and picking out a super cute outfit with some heels. But more often than not, I actually don’t want to change out of my sweatpants or leave our apartment. BUT since it’s necessary most of the time, here are 10 simple ways I’ve found that always make me look put together (even when I’m not feeling it!) because you only get one change to make a first impression.
Style your hair.
You don’t have to wear it down every day, but put some effort into making it look good. Your hair does a lot for your appearance and if you’ve having a bad hair day, it gives your whole outfit a disheveled look. Invest in some dry shampoo (this also smells fantastic). I always keep some in my purse because it makes a huge difference. On work days when I don’t feel like wearing my hair down, I wear it up in a clip instead of a bun or ponytail as it looks more clean and professional. I will also sometimes wear it braided to one side if I want something different.
Steam your clothes.
This is HUGE!! And makes a huge difference in how you look and feel. Typically, I will steam my clothes when I hang them up from the laundry so they’re ready to go when I want to wear them. I am way self-conscious if I’m in wrinkled clothing because it makes me feel unkempt. Do it ahead of time so you can throw something on and head out if needed. Plus, steaming one thing takes less than 2 minutes and is well worth it. Let’s be real.
Wear white.
White always give a clean appearance and goes with anything. Make sure it’s not stained or discolored, as that’ll have the opposite effect. I have probably 6 styles of white shirts that I rotate through because they go with anything and they always look great. White is fantastic because you can bleach it and give it that brightness back. I also feel pretty amazing when I wear white jeans. I don’t know what it is, but it makes a difference. And I always get compliments on those outfits!
Fill in your brows.
You’d be amazed at how this one simple can make such a difference. It shocked me the first time I just did my eyebrows with no other make-up. It’s quick and easy, and your eyebrows frame your face so this will add a nice balance to your look. I use this brow pencil and I absolutely love it because it has the brush at the end and it goes on so smoothly.
Wear clothes that fit you.
Ignore the size on the tag and go for comfort and fit. I tailor the vast majority of my clothes because it makes a huge difference in how they look and hang on me. It’s not as expensive as you think to get things tailored, and it is WELL worth the investment. If you’re on a budget, aim to get one thing tailored per paycheck. Eventually everything will be done and you’ll look fabulous!
Concealer and Mascara.
If you’re like me and feel like you never have enough hours in the day, you probably get dark circles under your eyes like I do. Concealer is an absolute must for me. It brightens your eyes so you don’t have to look tired even if you could totally fall asleep standing up. It also is my savior when my skin is acting up (which is often y’all, I have terrible skin). Mascara is my next best friend because even with no other eye make-up on, it makes my eyes pop. If you don’t want to do a full face of foundation, use some tinted moisturizer to even our your skin (I promise this brand is worth it!). Add this to your eyebrow touch up and you’re good to go.
Wear Dark Wash Skinny Demin.
Dark skinny jeans look great on everyone. They look more chic and polished than light demin, which tends to look more casual. I also recommend skinny jeans over bootcut or flare just because look a bit more professional and they’re easy to match with pretty much any kind of shoe you want. I highly suggest investing in a great pair of jeans because I can’t stress enough the difference you feel wearing great quality denim like Paige. They seriously feel like butter. Check out eBay or therealreal.com to shop them at a discount. I’ve gotten all of mine at Nordstrom Rack for more than 50% off.
Invest in Quality Staple Pieces.
It’s important to have a handful of really good quality staple pieces to mix and match with. I recommend having a few blazers, cardigans, shirts and sweaters that are your go-to pieces. Try and get them in neutral colors like black, navy, ivory, grey, white or camel because you’ll get SO much more use out of them.
Add a Touch of Your Own Style.
It’s really easy to throw your own flare on an outfit with cute accessories or a touch of detail. Add a statement necklace to a plain top, cuff the bottom on your jeans, and give your shirt a front tuck to easily add some *free* stylish touches to your look. Another fun way to spice up office wear is shoes. Wearing a fun pair of shoes will take any outfit to the next level.
Throw on some lipgloss.
I personally don’t really like lipstick because of the texture, but I do love lipgloss and tinted chapstick. I absolutely love this gloss because it’s a great color and it smells AMAZING. And this tinted chapstick is moisturizing and adds a subtle rosy tint. Adding a small pop of color brightens your face!
BONUS: To FEEL great as well as look great all the time…
Hair, Skin and Nails
On top of styling your hair, you have to take care of it! I take this multivitamin and it is fantastic because it contains all of the goodies that make your hair and nails grow. My nails used to be super brittle and I could bend them with hardly any pressure. Since I started taking this about 2 years ago it’s very rare that my nails break. My skin has never been very cooperative, so the vitamins help that, too. The biggest thing that helps your skin is what you eat. I LOVE and swear by this smoothie. When I go without drinking it for a few days, I can literally tell a difference and will break out. It’s insane. And you don’t need to keep your nails done 24/7 if that isn’t your thing, but I find that having a manicure really helps me feel more put together and it’s nice to have that time to treat myself every other Saturday. At the very least, use some cuticle oil and moisturizer to make sure your hands stay smooth and you don’t get dreaded hangnails.
What is your go-to trick for looking put together??
