How to look older / more sophisticated?

[libertyjaen]

i think there definitely are set ways to look "sophisticated" if thats all youre trying to achieve

i collect 1950s-now beauty books and they are filled with "rules" on how to look stylish and sophisticated, and theyre completely relevant to now because its not about fashion really, but style, and how to look clean and graceful and elegant and pulled together. i read them and love them but i am at heart completely unsophisticated and a slave to wild fashions and trends and unflattering clothing just because i like it, so it never works for me. but you should check out some style books, even new ones, because they give so many good tips on where your skirt should hit your leg for your body shape, and what kind of colours you should wear for your skin type, and how to do sophisticated nails, makeup and hair, and even how to stand around, sit and chat elegantly.

 

[Iris2]

^ It would be great if you mentioned some of those "rules" in this thread!

 

[Street_a_Licious]

Try a pair of dark jeans, with a slight flare at the legs.

A white shirt on top, buttons around the chest area open.

High heels, skinny heels if possible.

A long string of pearls. Wrapped around your neck either once or twice.

A classic looking purse.

Black sunglasses.

An A4 clipboard, thin map, or one of those hard portfolio maps.

Hair blown out, either straight or slightly wavy.

Seriously, I've yet to meet a women who doesn't look "sophisticated" with that combo.

 

[cambry]

you didn't mention height, but the way you describe your build sounds quite like my cousin. she's fairly short, i don't know about you, but i will tell you what works for her:

if you're short, i would actually advise against pencil skirts and anything that hits the knee, you should go longer (with heels) or shorter, because anything that my cousin wears that hits the knee - including capris - just makes her look shorter. she also wears a lot of two-piece outfits. because she's got generously sized legs and is flat-chested like you describe yourself, it's kind of hard for her to find a dress that flatters her entire body and when she does wear a dress, she always slings a belt to finish it off and give the look more definition. i've also noticed that she never wears her dresses or her skirts with flats, as they make her look sort of... stumpy. she does wear flats with her pants, though!

dark jeans are very classy and flattering, in my opinion. i would suggest dark trousers also, but i don't know your coloring. but really, i think, fit is the most important thing. when something fits perfectly, you'll look great in it regardless. color is very important too, have you ever looked up one of those archaic "seasonal" charts? they always seemed like a really stupid concept to me, but when i actually glanced at one, the colors they said would fit me were actually all the colors that look best on me by my own standards and are most prominent in my wardrobe.

 

[Tushka_BeLLa]

I must emphasise the importance of wearing well-fitted clothing and shoes. Makes anything look more sophisticated.

 

[Aaliah326]

hey liberty, i was wondering wats the name of your style books or recommend a place where I can buy one. I have the same problem of not looking sophisticated. I am 22 and people constantly mistake me for being 16 y.o. (and I am being serious) Too many times I have been asked if my parents are with me lol.

 

[keroppi]

I feel neck scarfs are very sophisticated. Wear printed ones with outfits that are not too bright preferably black, dark red or navy together with high heels or ankle boots

 

[WheresMyUmbrella]

- muted or dark colors
- lipstick
- silver jewelry
- pearls
- scarves
- perfect fit
- real fabrics (wool, silk, etc)
- heels that aren't too high, shoes that aren't too cheap, skirts that aren't too short

 

[mousquerader]

I'm going to turn 18 in a few months, and I really want to begin dressing with a more sophisticated style. I want to look sharp and well put-together, but not enough that I look like I'm trying too hard. But even after reading all these tips I still find it difficult to transition from awkward and immature to refined. It's not easy finding great quality items at affordable prices. When I go to the mall, the stores are filled with the latest trends and offer styles unsuitable to whatever personal style I have. I've tried shopping at Marshalls and while I did manage to snag the most perfect, form-fitting tan/beige pants marked down from $64 to $14 (yea, I have to gloat about this... hehe), it's rare to come by anything truly worthwhile. I'm a pragmatist, so I go for the "quality over quantity" philosophy, but most of the time I just can't find anything I like that's of acceptable quality. Especially when it comes to shoes, which are an absolutely nightmare for me. I don't know what to wear that's versatile, comfortable, and appropriate for different occasions. I've got the hair, the posture, the nails, and the confidence parts down, but I'm having trouble with the wardrobe. How can I look smart and stylish on a budget?

 

[Lovin_It]

neck scarves
real fabrics and
glasses (not everyone can pull this off though) - I am thinking......

http://www.sagafurs.com

 

[fashionista-ta]

I'm going to turn 18 in a few months, and I really want to begin dressing with a more sophisticated style. I want to look sharp and well put-together, but not enough that I look like I'm trying too hard. But even after reading all these tips I still find it difficult to transition from awkward and immature to refined. It's not easy finding great quality items at affordable prices. When I go to the mall, the stores are filled with the latest trends and offer styles unsuitable to whatever personal style I have. I've tried shopping at Marshalls and while I did manage to snag the most perfect, form-fitting tan/beige pants marked down from $64 to $14 (yea, I have to gloat about this... hehe), it's rare to come by anything truly worthwhile. I'm a pragmatist, so I go for the "quality over quantity" philosophy, but most of the time I just can't find anything I like that's of acceptable quality. Especially when it comes to shoes, which are an absolutely nightmare for me. I don't know what to wear that's versatile, comfortable, and appropriate for different occasions. I've got the hair, the posture, the nails, and the confidence parts down, but I'm having trouble with the wardrobe. How can I look smart and stylish on a budget?

You may want to start a separate shopping thread on this One thing I did back in the day was check out consignment & thrift shops. With enough patience, you can find nice things. I still remember a really gorgeous Calvin Klein wool gabardine wrap skirt I had ...

 

[Bambam]

Less is more, rich colors that aren't too crazy (in other words, a lovely rust or green isn't boring but is more neutral than say... magenta!), VERY well-made clothing, well-tailored, beautiful rich fabrics.

It is better to take your time in finding beautiful pieces than buying a lot at once. Be selective, don't be afraid to pay for quality... and buy little by little.

 

[mousquerader]

You may want to start a separate shopping thread on this One thing I did back in the day was check out consignment & thrift shops. With enough patience, you can find nice things. I still remember a really gorgeous Calvin Klein wool gabardine wrap skirt I had ...

Heh, I almost forgot about this thread! I actually looked into local consignment shops before I read your response. I visited one last weekend and they had a few cool things, but I left empty-handed as the items there weren't really my style, and I have such a hard time incorporating things, making it work with what I already have because nothing usually goes together. Maybe next time, or I'll look into other thrift/consignment shops.

My sister mentioned that some of her friends always look really well put-together and stylish (I've seen them, so I agree), and they never buy anything too expensive--they mainly shop at places like Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx. Good for them, but it seems that whenever I go to those places I rarely ever find anything suitable for me.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Yes, I can see how it would really help to know how to put things together ... but I think that's true no matter where you shop, yes? We have a thread called something like "How to start the fashion thing" that might be helpful ...

 

[missophisticated]

i would say cute blouses, cardigans, tailored pants, pencil skirts

 

[eppmaria]

i think that black sunglasses always make you look more sophisticated

 

[fashionista-ta]

bump for merging

 

[Ianastar]

For hair, I would wear it in a french twist/chignon instead of down or in a pony.

Wear simple jewelery that looks rich - diamond stud earrings, pearl necklaces. No bracelets unless its one simple and elegant one.

Wear a suit/blazer in a neutral/muted color with a lighter collared, button up dress shirt underneath (think men's business shirt style). An A-line or pencil skirt that hits at the knees (no shorter and no longer) that matches your blazer. Do a nude leg with nude heels that have a point (this will elongate your legs and give you the apperance of being taller)

I would wear a nice elegant watch too. It's weird but something as simple as a watch will let an interviewer know that you take time seriously and are probably always on time. (interviewers do look for these subtle clues about your personality)

Also, have a notebook and pen even if you dont use them. Again its a gesture that you are taking the interview and the job seriously.

 

[genevica]

Dressing older than you are - what's appropriate?

'Personal style' is about what the person wants to wear, unaffected by expectations of other people or fear of being ridiculed... right

Under expectations of other people comes expectations and restrictions, if you like, of what is appropriate and inappropriate for someone to wear based on their age.

Do you believe that there is a line between edgy and inappropriate when it comes to age and personal style and that this line is one that we should try not to cross, or do you think that to "dress one's age" is a suppression of someone's personal style?


When I first thought about this, my issue was more with young people/kids dressing like adults rather than adults/elderly wearing things similar to what my high school friends wear to parties. And the example that springs to mind of a kid who imo dresses older than her age is Taylor Momsen.
I'm 17 and I think YES: there is a line between edgy and inappropriate when it comes to age and personal style, especially with kids dressing inappropriately. I'm pretty tolerant when it comes to personal style and I embrace a lot of peoples' ideas. There are heaps of under-18 style bloggers, models, celebrities who have amazing and edgy styles, but an outfit starts to cross the line when it ventures into '$lutty'...

Just my opinion, but I'd like to hear what you think about it. Discuss!

 

[fashionista-ta]

I think wearing tailored clothing that fits you well is a good idea ...