It takes only a few seconds for someone to form their first impression of you. Unfair, but that’s just how it is- people will judge you based on how you look. Do you show up as confident, interesting and worth knowing? That you honour yourself? In which case everyone will treat you accordingly- like the elegant high class woman you are. There’s so much power in being well presented. It quietly communicates self respect and goes before you long before a word is spoken.
Here aree some easy yet effective points to incorporate into your daily self care routine. A to-do list that keeps on giving…
A well dressed woman, even though her purse is painfully empty can conquer the world.
Louise brooks
How to look elegant and classy everyday
- Practice good posture. Be confident and walk tall; chin up, head held high. Your body language and how you carry yourself speaks volumes… If you don’t feel the least bit confident, fake it. Until it becomes your reality. How else do you keep your crown from slipping off?
- Always make sure your hair is clean and neat. If in doubt about re hairstyle to go for, a bun or any way you can hold your hair together or keep everything in place is always a good idea.
- Beautifully well manicured nails (if on a budget, learn to do your own nails). For a refined look, avoid bright neon colours and opt for natural, subtle shades. Also stay clear of nail art (crystals and other stick-ons, animal prints, cartoon characters…).
- Make clear beautiful skin a priority. If you have bad acne invest in a visit to a dermatologist rather than trying to cover up with layers of makeup. Besides, the better your skin is, the more flawless your makeup will look.
- Moisturize your skin– head to toe! Ashy skin never looked good on anyone, and it sticks out like a sore thumb.
- Shave/ get rid of body hair. Remove that moustache, tame the unibrow, shave those beautiful legs…
- Use makeup to enhance/ highlight your most beautiful features. Aim for natural looking makeup and avoid using too many colours and face paintings. Cakey makeup doesn’t look pleasant- less is more.
- Smell good. Practice good hygiene and invest in a beautiful smelling perfume.
Clothing
- Wear well fitting comfortable, natural material seamless underwear.
- When buying clothes, invest in good quality classic pieces rather than buying fast, plastic material fashion. Good quality clothing made of natural material, is well tailored, and fits your body as if it was specially made for you. This will instantly give you an elevated look. Investment pieces will also last you for many seasons. Think “timeless”, rather than chasing and chaning with the latest fashion trends.
- Wear clothes that fit you well- not too tight and not too loose. Make friends with your local tailor and have them tailor anything that isn’t perfectly fitted to your body.
- Your shoes should always be clean. The size should be a perfect fit and they must be comfortable for you to walk in.
- Wear dainty accessories- it makes you look classy and feminine. If you must wear chunky pieces then aim for balance and keep it to a minimum.
- Wear neutral and natural colours- browns, whites, black, blue, grey, maroon… They always look elegant and effortless. Of course, wear bright colours if its your thing, but do it well so you don’t look like a box of crayons. Colour blocking is fun, but don’t overdo it.
- When in doubt, monochrome always looks effortlessly classy.
- Match all your hardware eg watch, earrings, neckpiece etc should ideally be all gold or silver …
- Invest in a good quality structured bag.
- Do not wear clothes that are creased.
- Learn what clothes work for your body shape, size and height.
- Shop strategically- when doing your shopping buy colours that compliment what you already have in your closet. That way it’s easy for you to match pieces together.
There you have it- simple ways on how you can look elegant and classy everyday. Dressing well doesn’t ever have to mean buying expensive things or that you need to be rich. You do however need to be strategic and get creative and invest your money wisely. Always aim for quality over quantity. Elegance is about simplicity.
So, by making some minor yet impactful changes, you can easily attain a more polished look, which will cause a ripple effect in your life… Because when you look good you feel good, and when you feel good confidence comes easily. When you’re confident and show your worth you attract the most beautiful things into your life…
Remember to always show up looking your best no matter the occasion. At the end of the day and when all’s said and done, you only get one body to live in and you need to take care of it and love it. Nourish your body by eating good clean food (but on occasion have some ice cream of course), go easy on yourself (stress is not good for you), smell good, put a smile on your face and never forget Humility, Kindness and Empathy. Your body will thank you and life will reward you for it.
Remember; good manners and good wine are timeless. Cheers to a life well-lived,
Makgoadi Ngoasheng
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