(Day 3 of W Attitude Style Week)
Welcome to #WAttitude #StyleWeek! This is part 3 in a 5-day series where we talk about classy styling for beginners.
Understanding what clothing pieces to invest and wear is like skincare and understanding how to take care of your skin. Because how we dress affects how others perceive us. It gives the first impression and has a lot to say about you, your character and who you are.
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#1 Invest in Quality
All classy and sophisticated women follow this rule: to only invest in quality. When it comes to dressing in style, quality always trumps quantity. You would be better off with a few quality pieces than a whole wardrobe of clothes made of compromised, or synthetic materials. Pieces that may be a little pricier (but not necessarily depending on when and where you buy), but it is of quality material and it fits you fantastically and going to last the test of time.
How do you look for quality? One thing I have do is to check the label on each garment just like I would check the ingredients before buying any skincare products. There is a tag in each garment which tells you what it is made of. Starting paying attention to the fabrics is the first step to building a classy wardrobe.
We want to avoid anything made of polyester. Polyester pieces may be more affordable or it may look great in photos or on the hanger but it is never going to stand the test of time. Look for natural fabrics such as cotton, wool, linen, cashmere, etc.
#2 Natural colours
When you look for quality pieces, another thing you should take note of apart from the fabrics is the colour. Quality garment made of quality materials seldom come with sharp pink or bright green. This is because a lot of those natural fabrics are coming from the earth like cotton and linen or they’re coming from an animal such as wool. So these natural materials would be mostly in natural colours.
These neutral fabrics and natural colours have stood the test of time because thousands of years ago, human already started making a garment out of them. And they come with a classier impression and look, not to mention that they are usually more comfortable to wear.
What is more, natural colours are very versatile and they pair easily with any skin tone. Basically, everyone looks good in natural colors. It is hard not to look good in natural colors. And when it comes to classy fashion, less is more.
#3 Know your colours
Although I said that natural colours are the best and most versatile, can you imagine only wearing neutral colours all over every day? So we would need some pieces of other colours that fit your skin tone and make you look radiant in it. If you have pale skin, white may not be your best colour. The easiest way to find out is to bring a friend and try different colours on or just take a photo of yourself wearing different colours — see which one make you look better.
#4 Matching accessory
Having an accessory that matches you up and complements the way you dress will just take your classy style to the next level. They should look seamless and not a lot of places. For example, if you have the element of gold in your clothing, wearing a gold accessory will give that extra taste to your whole outfit.
When it comes to accessories, the same principle applies so quality is always more important than quantity. I personally like some bold and loud statement jewelry but it really comes down to how it can complement and match your clothes rather than competing. The quality garment should be the main character and we do not want the accessories creaming out and fighting for attention. It just would not look classy if everything on you is attracting the eyeball.
In fact, it would look overwhelming and defecting the whole purpose of dressing in a classy way which is to make you stand out and express who you are and your character. You want to be the one standing out when you walk into a room and everyone is turning their heads thinking that “oh this is an elegant, classy woman that I want to connect with” but you do not want people to think that “oh this one is showing off the diamond or a designer jewel”. You also do not want people to think that “oh she could not make up her mind what to wear today and so randomly put on anything she gets her hand on”.
#5 Patterns
I noticed the leopard pattern trend is returning since the last few seasons. I do not have anything against it per se, but some bigger leopard patterns can be really distracting. Think of pattern like a lightbulb, you can put one or at most two lightbulb on you to light things up but you would not put a string of light-blub on like a Christmas tree, right? By the same token, it could be overwhelming to put big patterns on simply because they are attention-grabbing. If you really like these patterns, my advice is the same: less is more, smaller is better. Try to go with smaller patterns, smaller prints if you can. We want the outfit that you are wearing to compliment and look good you as a whole.
#6 Dress for the Occasion
I know it sounds too simple but I see a lot of mistake of women going to an event and wanting to be the center of attention so they pull together an outfit that is out of norm and so unique that it becomes mind-boggling. You would not look classy and put together when you dress out of place. Being classy is more about fitting into the environment and having that right aura, quality and style that makes you stand out, not your outfit. So when you are going to an event, you want to take note of the dress code and the people who you are going to meet with at the event, you would want to use your wardrobe to dress appropriately for that occasion. Whether it is going to an interview, cocktail, wedding or funeral, dressing appropriately is being classy. And as long as you have a quality garment and it fits you, you would look good without purposefully standing out.
#7 Size that fit
To dress in a classy way is to dress in clothes that fit! That’s almost as important as the quality of the materials, the colors, and everything else. Because too loose or too tight would not look good regardless of how good or bad your body looks, regardless of whether you are overweight or underweight. It just does not matter if your clothes do not fit, it would not look good. That is why traditionally, affluent and successful people have their own tailored made clothes. Because they understand the importance of having pieces that fit.
Nowadays, tailor-made clothes become more affordable and there are also more sizes to choose from in all the brands and stores, so we have no excuse not to find clothes that fit. And again, going back to the basic fundamental comment that classy has nothing to do with price — even if a piece is hugely discounted and made of great natural fabric, if it does not offer your size, it should not concern you. This is another example that pricing is always the last concern when we pick our classy pieces.
I would always make sure that I try the size on because different brands and different regions across the globe has their own sizing standard. I wear size S of one brand and size XS of another brand. If you like to shop online like me, make sure to check the return and exchange policy in case the size does not fit before ordering.
I would also suggest that you invest the time to find a good tailor who understands what you are looking for and has good skills that can produce a garment of great quality that fit you perfectly. These pieces are going to last a long time so even if they may seem a little pricy at the beginning, if you stretch the dollar by the years this piece will serve you, you will find that you are actually getting a better return on your investment than buying a bunch of clothes that do not complement your body shape.
And deep within, it just shows your body a lot of respect and appreciation when you choose the clothes that fit your body instead of adjusting your body to fit the clothes. I know it sounds illogical but really I have known friends who have been trying to change their body to match their clothes while classy women would adjust and change their clothes to fit their body.
#8 Personal hygiene
When a person does not take care of their skin, their hair, nails, teeth, it would not give an overall feeling of polish and well put together regardless what kind of clothes he or she wears. You need to look healthy and clean to begin with. This again goes back to the principle that we are wearing the clothes, not the clothes wearing us. Having good personal hygiene, good skin is like wearing a quality garment. Yes our skin is our clothes 24/7. So while we invest in the external clothing pieces, we should also invest time and money to take care of our skin and personal hygiene.
#9 A classy personality
Having a classy style makes no difference without having a classy personality of how you treat others how you care for others, whether you’re compassionate and considerate. If you only take away one thing from here, let it be that you can be classy when you behave in a classy manner. It is your behavior that is really going to make the outfit works for you and people wanting to connect with you more. Taking the time to listen and care for others rather than doing your own thing will allow you to go further in life. A classy woman is a woman who is compassionate and kind but she is not defined by the clothes she wears, but the clothes and style she chooses consciously would be an expression of her character and who she is.
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