How to be Effortlessly Stylish

🕤 6 min read

What is the key to effortless style? With so many new trends popping up every season, it seems like a full-time job trying to keep up with them. But style and trends are two very different things. Trends are forgotten (or regretted) but style is personal, memorable, and unique to every individual. Think Audrey Hepburn and Harry Styles, they certainly didn’t sport the same trends, however, the clothes they adorned have and will continue to inspire generations for years to come.

So, if keeping up with the latest trends isn’t the key to looking fantastic, how is it that there is always that one friend who looks chic day in, day out? Well, they might not be willing to expose their secrets, but we are! Here are a few of our favourite tips on how to look like a fashionista every day, without spending hours on end outfit planning or spending a fortune!

Own Your Personal Style

First things first, this is the one to remember out of all our tips! When it comes to fashion, there are no rules. Fashion is one of the most fun ways to express ourselves and personal style is unique to every individual. Don’t care what the fashion police say, and you wear that polka-dot blouse with those stripy culottes! 

Wearing what you love will make you feel more confident and full of energy, and if the haters gon’ hate, just know that they are probably just jealous that they are dressing according to a rule book. So, now that we have that cleared up, let’s dive into some of our top tips on how to look effortlessly stylish. Tips, not rules!

Embrace Your Shape

The second most important tip is to love your unique and beautiful body! We are each an ever-changing work of art, but it can seem difficult to adapt new trends and different styles to our own body shapes. We should all feel fantastic in the clothes we wear and if you want to show the world how much you love your gorgeous figure, it is important to learn about your body type and find the clothes that highlight your favourite parts. 

Remember, never use clothes to hide, wear clothes that accentuate and show off how beautiful you are!

Accessorise!

Even the plainest outfit can be made to look like you have stepped straight off the catwalk with some thoughtful accessorising, and I think the ultimate accessory is a printed scarf! I love raiding the local charity shops for beautifully printed vintage scarves and often find them at the bargain price of £1! Wear them as a headscarf, a hair bow, a dainty little knot over the top of a plain tee, a colourful alternative to a belt, a fashionable alternative to a face-covering… the options are endlessly chic! 

Choose your accessories carefully and you can elevate any look with one simple addition. Layered jewellery, statement earrings, embellished shoes or a brightly coloured handbag will give your outfit that perfect finishing touch. Our ‘Highbury’ handbag in Cashmere Blue is a gorgeous addition to any spring and summer wardrobe, adding a subtle touch of colour that is as versatile as it is stylish.

Step Away from the Sales

I will be the first person to admit that I love a good bargain, but sale items aren’t always the most economical purchases in the long run. The lower price tag makes us think that we are getting a great deal, but more often than not, we would have never thought about buying the piece if it was full price. Treat sale items as if they were full-price and think carefully before you buy them. Sale items are usually on the sale rack for a reason, whether they are dated styles or ill-fitting, these are often factors that will affect their overall wearability. 

Instead of hitting the sale rail, consider charity shops or other second-hand outlets. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and you will often find vintage gems at shockingly low prices!

Create a Capsule Wardrobe

I spoke about capsule wardrobes in “Our Guide to Sustainable Fashion”, but not only is a capsule wardrobe sustainable, it is also a great way to look chic every day! By having a limited number of items in your wardrobe, you are less likely to go through the morning kerfuffle of trying to put an outfit together before you head out of the door.

Choose items that you love, that flatter your figure and that look great when mixed and matched! This isn’t to say you are bound to these items for eternity! Treat yourself to something you love every season to add a little fresh touch to your wardrobe.

Age Really is Just a Number!

Don’t listen to anyone who says you cannot wear this or that past a certain age. Wear what you are comfortable in and express yourself through clothes, as we said, there are no rules! The older we get, the more confident we become and the comfortable we feel in our own skin. We don’t feel the need to use clothes to express our confidence, we exude it ourselves and there is nothing more elegant than that.

We now know what we like and what we don’t, what makes us happy and what makes us comfortable, so dress for yourself and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

Do a Little DIY

Learning a few simple sewing techniques can elevate your wardrobe and make your clothes stand out from the crowds. Love a blazer but hate the buttons? Switch them up for some that you do like, it is a simple trick to making your clothes look a little more expensive too.

Adjusting the hems, taking in the seams or adding a little lace or embellishment here and there can take your wardrobe from drab to fab in a flash!

Plan and Pin!

You know those organised people who meal prep on a Sunday evening and enjoy delicious, varied meals all through the week? I am not one of those. I am the girl who is on first-name terms with the baker at Greggs. I do, however, plan my outfits for the week ahead! Never have another “I have nothing to wear!” moment again, with a little preparation and Pinspiration! 

I look through Pinterest for fashion inspiration, find similar items in my wardrobe and put these outfits together for the week ahead. It saves me so much time in the morning, keeps my outfits fresh and means I never run out of ideas! We have our own Pure Luxuries Pinterest too, featuring tons of fashion inspo!

What are your tips on how to be effortlessly stylish? We would love to hear them, so join the conversation over on our Instagram!