5 Extremely Effective Ways to Always Look and Feel More Put Together: at Home and Out On the Town

Together with a wish to look effortlessly chic, the one to look and feel more put together more often is one I hear from a lot of the women around me.

Which is why today I wanted to share my own methods for achieving this elusive goal of our modern lifestyle.

Note that I mention the importance of feeling more put together. And that’s because I wholeheartedly believe that the purpose of what we wear is to elevate how we feel about ourselves, in addition to just how we look.

Know the power of accessories

The fabulously quirky Iris Apfel said that:

“If there was a choice on spending a lot of money on accessories or dress, I always chose accessories. I think jewelry can change an outfit more than anything else”.

And while I would personally still choose to spend more on clothing than any other style-related item, I can definitely appreciate the power of accessories.

They have the ability to take a look from run-of-the-mill to imaginative, expressive, and most importantly…. personal!

I am partial to mixing the old with the new- so a pair of modern earrings for example, will play beautifully with a vintage brooch. And together, they will make an already architectural dress amply stand out.

But even at home, accessories can play an important part in feeling more put together.

Like slipping a set of fine necklaces from someone you love underneath a soft sweater might help you feel more at ease on a grey Monday morning.

Or belting a comfy, loose linen dress would encourage you to stand up straighter during work calls. Or keeping your feet warm in a pair of polka dot socks will make you smile every time you catch sight of them.

Because accessories aren’t only for others to see and admire. They are first and foremost for you to touch, enjoy and play with to your own liking.

When in doubt- lipstick out

This is one of my go-to moves whenever I’m feeling a bit “bleugh”. A lipstick that’s at once richly pigmented and luxuriously comfortable to wear is capable of uplifting my mood in one swipe.

Now, I’ve written about lipstick many a times because it’s one of those beauty staples I feel we can wear anytime, anywhere.

For going out, a shiny red, metallic plum, velvety rose or powdery mocha lipstick will dot the i’s and cross the t’s for any of my looks. And for work, a matte neutral always makes me feel more put together and in control.

But even at home, a nourishing lippie is a must-use for me. If it has a hint of colour, even better! Because a kissable pout is never not welcome, especially when staying home more with your love 

Outfit: clean, steamed, fitted

This is something I often struggle with as well. Not so much the clean part, but the not-wrinkled part… oouf!

Still, I can’t deny that a nicely pressed outfit looks 1000 times better than one that seems to have just picked up from under a bus. And it’s a surefire way to look and feel more put together, although it does entail some effort.

So, looking for an easier solution than the clothing iron + board, I found the PurSteam Fabric Steamer. I wrote about it before, so I won’t insist again on it here. But safe to say that 90% of my old-school ironing days are gone!

Finally, it’s my strong belief that any garment, as beautiful and well-maintained as it may be, can only look more striking with proper tailoring.

This is one of the keys to giving an item with a general style your own spin on style. Proper tailoring can change even the most basic piece into a perceived high-value one. And the contrary is also true!

Details, details, details

In very close conjunction with the previous point, an easy way to look and feel more put together is minding the small details.

Maybe you’re not always in the mood to cook-up some complicated OOTD. Especially when, these days, it might just stay between you and the bathroom mirror.

But something like a nicely maintained manicure, loungewear that has no holes or snags, skin treated with a luxurious moisturizer- these are all details that help you feel more in control of your self-image.

And on days when you are going out, focusing on these small details will also help you slowly get back into your rhythm.

Because I know it too:

As much as we want to, it can be jarring to go from staying indoors 24/7, back to attempting to look and act like a fully-functioning adult.

Spritz your favorite scent

Last but definitely not least, wearing perfume is something I used to do a lot back in the days of work at the office. Because I truly felt like a spritz or two of my favorite fragrance tied my whole look- and mood- together.

But since wfh took over, I’ve been turning to those pretty little bottles much more rarely.

However, this is something I have been trying to change in myself. Because I feel like scents and perfumes can have a positive impact on the way we feel, wherever we are.

And there are many ways to enjoy them, even while at home.

Such as in the form of essential oils. Which are, as far as I could read in studies, better for our lungs’ health than artificially scented candles. Not to mention, they can also be used for beauty and wellness purposes.

But we can also very well wear beautifully (and naturally) scented body lotions or hair oils. Which have the added benefit of moisturizing as well as perfuming.

And finally… on days when we have the luxury of time to ourselves, who’s to stop us from lounging in a silk robe and a few drops of a maddeningly intricate fragrance?

In the hopes of having helped you look and feel more put together, more easily- whether at home or out on the town- I’d like to thank you for reading the whole piece!

And if you have any suggestions of your own, either on this subject, or related to themes you’d like me to cover in my articles, please let me know in the comments.