Looking sharp isn’t necessarily about what you wear, but about how you wear it. Here are 3 easy tips to look sharp.
1. Press to Impress
Make ironing and steaming your garments ‘a thing’. A well-pressed collared shirt or pair of trousers will look completely different to an unironed outfit. A sheer silk dress or kaftan is going to look far more fabulous if it’s un-creased.
2. Fitted Out
Wear clothes that fit you. Some clothing is intended to be loose or relaxed fitting, but this doesn’t mean wearing oversized clothing that is too big for you. For example, sleeves hanging past the wrists can look untidy. If the rest of the item fits perfectly e.g. pants that are just a bit too long but otherwise perfect on the hips and derriere, then get them hemmed. Anything too small and/or so tight that breathing is difficult also needs to be moved on.
3. Buttons and holes and stains, oh my!
The rule of thumb here is ‘mend it or move it on’.
If an item is missing a button, and you’ve long since lost that tiny little zip lock baggie that contained the spare button, or if the garment didn’t come with a spare, and the button itself isn’t generic and easily substituted with something similar, you’ll have to consider replacing all the buttons.
Same for broken zippers. An alterations place can replace the zipper mechanism for you if you wish to preserve a favourite.
Unintentional holes are a big no-no! You’ll note I’ve specified unintentional holes. Obviously some clothing is designed to be ripped or full of holes (I’m looking at you ripped jeans!) However, such clothing can be a highly polarising fashion choice, so if you’re dressing for an interview or something else requiring you to look unquestionably sharp, leave the ‘holey-moley’ clothing in your wardrobe.
As for stains, whether it’s a minor or major stain, do something to remove the stain or move the item on.
Pilling – small balls of fluff on the surface of fabric – is a tiresome phenomenon that often befalls beloved cardigans and knitwear, trackies and hoodies. Get yourself a lint remover device and fix up your favourite pieces. If you think that is going to take far too long and you really can’t be bothered, chances are it’s not a favourite item for you anyway so maybe just move it on.
A frayed knot? I’m afraid knot! Frayed ties look really sloppy. Similarly, over-long pant legs bunching up at the ankles or dragging on the floor and getting frayed look messy. Fraying hems can make a dress or skirt sit awkwardly. Again, get it mended or move it on.
You might think you can get away with just wearing the imperfect item of clothing under a sweater, but the day may come when the office heating is on the fritz or Bruce from accounts accidentally spills coffee on you and you need to remove that covering layer. This might sound like silly advice along the lines of our grandmothers telling us as children to always wear clean underwear in case we get hit by a bus. I never really understood this advice and I still don’t – surely if I got hit by a bus and was a bleeding mess of innards, the state of my underwear would be the least of my or the paramedics’ concerns? I’m not sure what my point was in sharing this harrowing eventuality, but in any case, only keep clean clothing that’s in good condition in your wardrobe.
If you have a hobby or interest like gardening or pottery or something else that regularly requires you to get dirty, by all means keep some outfits dedicated to that activity.
Generally speaking though, I recommend only wearing clothing that is in good condition. Wearing clothes that have stains, holes, missing buttons, broken zippers, or are otherwise shabby can sometimes make a person feel less confident and less on top of things.
There you have it – time to go forth like an echidna and be on point!
Feel fabulous,
Billie
