Simple Ways to Look Put Together

Before I get into this post, I first wanted to quickly apologize for being MIA the past couple of weeks. I believe that consistency is important for anything you are trying to accomplish, and I haven’t been doing a good job of that. With that said, I am going to rededicate myself to try to resume a relatively set uploading schedule. Full disclosure, I want to be honest with you: I hadn’t been feeling the best, and am only now starting to feel more like myself. My skin seemed like it has been getting worse with more breakouts of my face, and this previous Monday, I woke up and I felt like it was at an all-time worst. Particularly around my chin and forehead I was really breaking out, and my face looked particularly red and blotchy in general. I have never been one to want to use foundation on a daily basis because to me it would feel as if I was trying to hide my face, and that’s not the way I want to feel about my skin. (for people who do like to use foundation, go for it, this is just my opinion!) That morning I was not looking forward to going to school, and all day I constantly wanted to hide my face, so people wouldn’t see how I was having some problems with my skin. This is a toxic mindset, because instead of enjoying life (particularly at such a happy time of year), I was constantly obsessing over my own appearance! It may seem silly to be so derailed by something as trivial as spots on your face, but it’s something I have always been self-conscious of.

It can be extremely hard to be your best when you aren't feeling your best, so I thought I would put together a couple of my tips for looking and feeling put together. Sometimes you may breakout, or have a bad hair day, or just feel kind of gross; you can’t control that! I think if you are confident in how you look it does reflect how you feel, so embrace the things you can control.

1. Maintain good hygiene. I know that this is an obvious one, but I think it's also the most important. Bathe regularly, keep your hair clean and not too greasy, and don't leave the house in the morning without brushing your teeth and hair. Further, it goes a long way if you take the time to moisturize regularly--especially as we enter the months of cold and drying weather--including your face, body, and lips.

2. Take care of your nails. This may not be extremely important for everyone, but it is a big one for me. While strangers on the street may not see your nails, at school or work it is more noticeable. Having strong, trimmed, and possibly varnished nails will give the impression that you take care of yourself and will therefor make you look polished.

3. Define your eyebrows. This only really applies to females (for the most part at least), but even if you are not wearing make-up, having nice eyebrows will frame your face. Further this takes almost no time! If I am in a rush, I will typically fill in my eyes brows minimally, put on mascara, and apply some blush or bronzer (depending on which I think I need more!) It may not seem like much, but it can make a big difference.

4. Smell nice. I can deal with no make-up and a simple messy bun in my hair on days where I am extremely late, but I hate not smelling nice. I also absolutely love when I am with someone, and I can just subtly smell a lovely fragrance on them. To keep smelling nice always wear deodorant, along with a fragrant lotion or perfume. Additionally, this is something that can be fun: fragrance is such an individual thing, so choose a sent that you really love! Fragrance is definitely something I think requires some refreshing throughout the day, so I would recommend having a mini perfume bottle or roller in your bag to take on the go.

5. Wear a watch. Not everyone may agree with this, but I believe that watches can have a substantial impact on your outfit and overall appearance. A classy looking watch always makes me think someone looks a little more put together, and even more sharp and stylish. The watch I am currently wearing everyday is a globe watch from Urban Outfitters (here), but I have had my eye on a Daniel Wellington watch for the past couple of months (and might ask for it for Christmas), which is a great brand if you're wanting to invest.

6. Wear colors that will compliment you. I am a firm believer that we should know which colors look best with our skin/hair/eyes. For example, while I love white, during the winter I wear it less and less because it washes out my already pale skin. Instead I love going for dark greens and purples, because they compliment my blonde hair and blue eyes. In the past I have looked up what colors look best on different skin tones, but honestly I think it's just a personal preference; wear what you think you look good in.

7. ... if in doubt, wear black!! Black will never fail, and I don't think you can have too much black in your wardrobe. On days where I want to feel good about how I look, but don't want to take a lot of time, I will wear black skinny jeans, a black over-sized tee, black booties, and simple jewelry: this look has never failed me yet!

Whether I am going into the city for a day or am just doing some errands, I like to look at least moderately put together. It is commonly believed that it takes about seven seconds to make a first judgement about someone. This judgment is in no way accurate or permanent to a persons character, but regardless I think that you should take pride in your appearance, and spend the time to let it showcase your personality. By consistently looking polished and together whenever you're out will lead to others having a high opinion of you, particularly in work or school settings.

xx

Erin