Mix neutral tones
When we think about luxury looks we think about Chanel and those timeless style muses like Olivia Palermo. And what unites them is their use of controlled colour palettes.
Neutral tones go well together always and we have learned to accustom restrained looks with high value. There’s a reason why you are encouraged to invest in neutral tones when investing in luxury pieces. You can mix them with anything.
Another reason why neutral colours are a brilliant way to upstyle your clothes is their earthiness. The colours reflect the ones often found in nature, are calming, and thus lift your outfit to the next level.
What are neutral tones then? They’re the tones that don’t have the warmth or coolness about them as “proper” colours do. Tones like different shades of beige, brown and gray, white and black, as well as neutral greens and light pastels. Colours that don’t jump at you, like red or yellow might.
You can’t go wrong with mixing a pair of black trousers with an organic white cotton T-shirt or a deliciously brown blouse. Just try and see!
Go monochrome
A step further from mixing neutral tones is to go completely monochrome. This means wearing the exact same colour from top to bottom. The difficulty with this style is, though, that the colours of the top and the bottom must be an exact match. Otherwise the look loses it’s valuable vibe.
But as opposed to neutral colours, if you want to upstyle your clothes with monochrome style, you should go for the brightest colours you can find in your wardrobe.
The best monochrome looks are suits with wide leg trousers and an over-seized blazer or a pencil skirt with a tucked in blouse. All in the exact same tone, of course.
Tuck loose blouses in
There’s nothing quite so scruffy as a man whose shirt is not tucked in their trousers. Of course, if you want to go for a more relaxed look, this will work just fine.
But if your aim is to upstyle your clothes make sure to always tuck especially loose blouses in. Because here’s the thing: if you tuck in a fitting shirt, the end result will be more secretary than upstyled.
Loose blouses settle on you nicely and create a contrast against the (often) tighter bottom half, like a pencil skirt or fitted jeans. Try upstyling your basic everyday jeans by pairing them with your prettiest loose blouse.
Layering
As someone who absolutely hates layering (up North it’s more of a necessity than a style thang), I can’t ignore its power in upstyling your clothes. When you do it right, the end result is always chic af.
If you don’t already have one, I would suggest investing in one classic high quality blazer. It should be neutral in colour (black or beige are the safest options) and big enough to fit even a thicker jumper underneath it.
Over-sized blazers are one of every wardrobe’s corner stones, they never go out of trend. And when you pop a turtleneck pullover under and leave the blazer open, hello Parisian chic!
Pay attention to accessories
Here’s the thing: a pair of basic stilettos can transform even a pajama into a night out worthy outfit. I know most people prefer trainers and other more comfortable shoe options, but even they can’t deny the effect a pair of heels has on the overall look.
So, the easiest way to ustyle any look is to pop a basic pair of heels on it. Heels give your legs better structure, and they always look feminine. But heels aren’t the only accessory that can lift an outfit to the next level.
The thing to remember when accessorizing to upstyle is to focus on quality, quality, quality. Particularly in jewellery, less is more as long as that less looks top notch. No faded silver earrings, no rings with couple diamantés missing. Even if the accessories aren’t expensive, they should look valuable.
Same goes for bags. To upstyle a look, prefer big, good-looking tote bags or simple and chic clutch bags. The leather (whether real or synthetic) should be intact, no tears or worn out fabric should be visible.
The thing is, looking expensive doesn’t require an empty wallet. Instead, we all have plenty of pieces in our wardrobes already that can make us pass for the Parisian chic without costing the Earth.
If you’ve wanted to upgrade your style, here’s what you should do today: go through your wardrobe and locate your wardrobe classics. A pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, a blazer, a basic bag that is in good condition, and a loose blouse and/or a turtleneck.
And there you have it, your tool box for a more expensive look. When I was a jobless graduate I made sure to always wear my best looks when I left the house. Because let’s face it, appearances do matter, no matter what we do. You do know how it ends if you go to a job interview looking like shite, right?
Upstyling your clothes isn’t just a way to fool your fellow humans about your income level. It’s also a way to boost your confidence! Just try it.
