For the past few years working as a stylist I ‘ve met a lot of people from the high end of the scale, who’s budget for clothes is called “ no budget” who’s wardrobe size is larger than my whole flat and they can afford anything they want, whenever they want. Would they be bothered to buy a skirt for a couple of thousand pounds? No, would they want the same skirt with a high street brand tag , and the price 10 times lower? maybe. It took me a while to persuade some, that you can look like a million dollars without going to dior every single time you see something in the magazine and you can look like you’ve just stepped out from the fashion catwalk mixing high street brand and designer brand and still nobody notice you saved yourself big chunk of money. There are priceless and timeless pieces of clothing everybody wants to have and should have in their wardrobe like chanel bag, laboutin heels, hermes printed scarfs, prada sunglasses or a tiffany ring. If you can afford you should have it all why not. However I don’t see why buying a couple thousand pounds bikini that says valentino on it is any better from a marks and spencer one that looks like valentino if you didn’t check the back of it…
You can buy a high street brand dress and mix with your designer bag, you will look expensive , you can mix your blazer and trousers you just got from zara, with yout labouting shoes and go to the posh party , everybody will compliment you, and want to know where you got your clothes from
The same with brands of a smaller calibre like hm,zara or gap. You can mix both and I can promise you look really expensive too. It’s a matter of what you mixing , not how much you spending.
I love zara chain print collection this year which is inspired by Versace one of the biggest labels out there. I got some of the pieces from the collection for both myself and the clients. They will be wearing them with their designer shoes bags and accessories,and look like a million dollars, I will stick to my old cardigans, last season winter boots, and yes,my good old prada bag I got myself few years ago and hardly ever worn, and still look enough expensive for me to walk tall and proud.
The drill to look expensive lays in mixing something that you like with something that perhaps is more out of your comfort zone that gives you the wow factor like a beautiful chandelier earrings or a large hat, a fur vest, a cardigan with frills, embroidery, tassels ect with a bag that is enough unique to draw people’s attention or the boots that has something attached to them or have a pattern everyone will look at or they just in a unique colour. I love patterns colours, fabrics that are different , that has shine to it, weird textures , oversized, comfy, colourful, over the top but without the high price tag, this is what most of the time draws people attention.
When you put different with different together, when you experiment.
then you are unique, different, eye catching and people immediately think “that must have cost a lot of money”
If you wear a black dress with black shoes and grey bag and go out, would you draw enough attention as wearing a black dress, sequin cardigan, emerald earrings and pineapple clutch bag? Be a Christmas tree when comes to dressing up, just a tasteful one…
Experiment with clothes, start with something small if you not comfortable or unsure, buy a top that you really really like, with a unique colour, pattern fabric, go home and see what you can mix that with, add some shoes, trousers, skirt, earrings, put the make up on, find a bag that can go with it, think of you going to the best party of your life, there is no excuses for looking great every day , except your excuses. You only get on life.
Anyone can look expensive, for any type of budget.
The other thing is the accessories. More accessories you have better, that doesn’t mean you have to dress yourself with everything you see in your wardrobe, without any thought put into it, it means, the accessories, can really make you look expensive not so much what you wearing as your main piece. When recently attended interview, saw many people wearing nice set of blazer, trousers, dresses with a bag that looked worn, old, ugly and two sizes bigger than it should be only coz is practical I would think to throw everything in it when you out and about. Take that bag if you need to, but when you enter the interview room, leave it behind you. That’s of course a metaphor as you don’t want your belongings to be lost. I always take a bag with me that has everything thrown into it and then a pretty piece than matches my outfit. Of course if you are going shopping for a day you’r not gonna take a clutch bag with you unless you live around the corner from Harrods. But be more thoughtful when comes to accessories they really put the whole outfit together. Investing in a new bag that your clothes can shine through will make a bigger impact that shopping for another few pair of trousers you probably already have in your wardrobe.
make up is another big thing when dressing up and as important as the clothes. if your face look radiant, happy,and colourful then the rest of its a history. make sure you plan your outfit and then the make up, not other way round, the same with the accessories, first you want to choose your main piece, then accessories then make up. ive been using one eye shadow palette for years, yes its expensive but it last forever.invest in a good eyeshadow, the right mascara and foundation which will make look your face like a porcelain cup,with a blush that adds your face a colour, i absolutely loves my blush that not only gives me sparkle but also conotour my cheekbones so well, sometimes thats the only thing i have it on. lipstick is one of the things that really, and i mean really you can wear without anything else and still look good. im absolutely obsessed with lipsticks and have tones of them, i just think there is nothing better to cheer you up than a red or pink lips in a rainy day.
fashion 