There is a fine line between looking chic, polished, and neat and looking scruffy. While no one actively seeks to be scruffy, sometimes women give in to the scruffy factor simply because they give up: they’re tired of trying, they’re too busy, or they just have no idea what to wear and how it should look.
While it may seem difficult to create a perfectly flattering outfit, it doesn’t have to be as hard as you might think.
In fact, sometimes it only takes one or two small changes to take your look from fabulous to scruffy, and I want to enlighten you on some of those changes so you can look stylish every day and get away from the scruffy zone:
1. Hemlines – Take a look at the illustrated skirts. The first style is mainly for young women with great legs. My best recommendation for skirt and dress hems is somewhere between the top and bottom of the kneecap. Once the skirt length begins to float around the mid-calf area, that’s when it ventures into the scruffy zone. The same goes for shorts, so be careful! This look will make your legs appear shorter and heavier towards the lengths that end at the thinnest part of your leg and you will see how fabulous you look!
2. Fit – Swap out your big, baggy tops and opt for something that skims the body and shows off your shape. Yes, I say this all the time, but it’s so true. Big and baggy can be comfortable, but skimming the body can be just as comfortable without visually adding pounds or creating a sloppy look.
3. Neatness – Take a look at your outfit and determine how neat it is. Does your shirt need to be ironed? Are there holes in your sweatpants? Has your shoes or jacket seen better days? All of this adds up to work against you and keep you in the scruffy zone.
4. Unfinished business: If you throw on a top and pants and walk out the door, your look probably isn’t finished, which means you’ve left off the finishing touches. What accessories could you add to give shine? Sometimes all it takes is a belt, a watch and a pair of earrings to transform your look from scruffy to fabulous.
5. Go the extra mile – what else could you add to your appearance to enhance it? Try on a chic trench coat, cute cardigan or scarf to give her that third layer that sends the message that you are confident as well as stylish and you know how to look fabulous!
Your homework: When you get dressed, have a checklist using the tips above. If your appearance doesn’t pass the test, take steps to improve it and you’ll see not only your image boost, but your confidence as well.
