Finishing an Outfit

Good day, dear reader!

This is a crazy week here in lovely Augusta, GA, so in the same of sanity, I am falling back and sharing a post from last July with a few tweaks. Please forgive me!

“How can I make a casual outfit look not sloppy?”

“Do you mean casual, but intentionally so?”

“YES! That’s exactly what I mean! How do I do that?”

This conversation, or a variation of it, happens almost weekly! So many women with very casual lifestyles go through their day feeling messy and not put together. I hear “hot mess” a lot! Three is a lucky number for me, so here are three tips to help you get that casual-but-intentionally-so vibe.

1. Grooming

Even if you are having a jeans and tee shirt day, take a moment to check your grooming. I’m not suggesting makeup for the opera, but make sure your teeth are clean, and your hair is brushed. I am sure you are doing this anyway, but somethings are worth hearing again. A little mascara, and some tinted lip balm can take your face from naked to defined. If you, like me, are loving your grey hair, making sure your brows are defined can make a world of difference! One sure route to looking intentional is a quick swipe of bold lipstick. Red, pink, plum, whatever you love. As long as it’s bold, it can stand alone.

2. Shoes

If you want to feel more put together, put on a pair of shoes. By this, I mean (very loosely) what my mother used to call “real shoes.” Not shoes you would wear to the beach, or in a locker room shower. Not bedroom slippers. Not gym shoes. I don’t mean you have to wear heels, but a shoe that would not be at home in the gym or at the beach looks more like you meant to get dressed that morning, and less like you just threw on yesterday’s clothes that were hanging on the chair… If you want to wear gym shoes, than go all out and rock them with a skirt or dress, street style!

3. The Power of Three (3)

No higher math required! Just think in threes. Odd numbers are interesting to the human eye. Research shows that even wee little babies will look longer at odd numbered groups of objects than at even numbered groups. Use this inherent trait and add a third piece to an outfit, like a vest or a jacket over a top and bottom. If that is too warm for you or your climate, then use three pieces that relate. The three could be related by color (as in this example), or by theme. Maybe you love flowers; then wear floral Keds, a silver floral pendant, and a hair elastic topped with a flower! Look through your accessories and find groupings that make you happy, then throw them on like you mean it!

How about you? What’s your favorite way to get that casual-but-intentionally-so” vibe? Please share yours in the comments below! I love a good conversation…

Stylishly yours,