How to Be Stylish

Co-authored by Sheila A. Anderson and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 21, 2022 References Approved

If shopping for new clothes and putting together stylish outfits always feels like a struggle, you’re definitely not alone. Being fashionable can feel so complicated sometimes, but it doesn’t have to be! There are actually some simple, basic steps you can take to transform your wardrobe and personal style so you look effortlessly stylish every day. Check out the tips we’ve put together below to learn how you can get started.

1

Wear clothes that flatter your body type.

When your clothes fit well, you'll instantly look put-together.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Sheila A. Anderson
Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
Expert Interview. 9 August 2021.} The first thing to do to look effortlessly stylish is to make sure that you’re wearing clothes that you feel are good for your body type. Since effortless style is supposed to be subtle, you’ll need well fitting clothes in order to get the elegant, expensive, stylish look from your clothing. You may want garments that make you look thinner and the perfect height, with everything in proportion.^{[2]
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2

Stick to classic cuts.

Effortless style is mainly based around classic looks. Dressing for current trends just shows that you put way too much thought into that outfit and that you’ve been following fashion news like a broker watching stocks. Choose classic styles in classic cuts for a more effortless look that looks good for years.^{[3]
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- This means women should beware of floor length casual dresses in favor of knee-length, for example, while men should shy away from skinny-legged suit trousers in favor of something more loose-fitting.
- Trends should only take up about 20% of your wardrobe. Your primary investment should be buying the best quality you can afford.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Sheila A. Anderson
  Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
  Expert Interview. 9 August 2021.}

3

Choose muted, neutral colors and bold accents.

Neutral colors pretty much never go out of style.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Sheila A. Anderson
Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
Expert Interview. 9 August 2021.} What colors are popular and what colors are considered absolutely hideous is very dependent on time and place. Just look at your mom’s clothes from the 1970s, for example. In order to look effortlessly stylish, you’re going to want a more timeless look, which means sticking to more muted and neutral colors. This can, however, be broken up with bold accent colors, especially on accessories.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Alice Wu
Image Consultant
Expert Interview. 12 June 2020}
- Muted colors include tan, black, white, denim/navy blue, and gray.
- Good accent colors include most shades of red, many shades of blue, plum/eggplant purple, golden yellow (like rubber ducks or tulips), and emerald green.
- Be careful of certain colors. Be wary of other greens and yellows, and generally avoid oranges, as these colors are very prone to going in and out of fashion, but, if you think they are stylish, go for it.

4

Avoid busy prints and textures.

Busy prints and textures can quickly make an outfit look dated and unstylish. Trends like fuzzy/fluffy/feathered fabric tend to be in fashion only for a season or a year at most. Next year it will be another pattern, so why bother? Look effortlessly stylish by keeping your clothes in style across decades, not months.

5

Buy strategically.

To look really stylish, you want your clothes to look expensive. You can make cheap clothes look expensive but investing in some actually expensive items might be a good idea.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Sheila A. Anderson
Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
Expert Interview. 9 August 2021.} A few choice pieces of hard-to-fake luxury items, such as a nice sweater or wool coat, can really take your wardrobe up a notch.^{[8]
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Alice Wu
Image Consultant
Expert Interview. 12 June 2020} Having a limited number of nicer items is preferable to having a large number of very cheap-looking items.^{[9]
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6

Create an interchangeable collection.

A mix-and-match wardrobe gives you plenty of outfit options. If you really want to put the effortless into effortless style, you’ll want a wardrobe where nearly all of the pieces match with each other. This will let you get dressed based on comfort, style preference, or weather conditions, instead of being limited by color or style combinations.
- Use a single clothing style (vintage, modern, etc.) and the use a single color palette (this should be helped if you followed our advice to use muted colors with limited bold accents).

7

Take care of your clothes.

Looking stylish means having clothes that look well maintained.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Sheila A. Anderson
Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
Expert Interview. 9 August 2021.} No stains, no holes, no loose threads, no wrinkles. If you want your clothes to look maintained, then the best way to do that is to maintain them! Keep your clothes clean, fold and store them correctly, and do other basic maintenance as the needs arise (e.g. sewing minor holes).

8

Get items tailored.

Part of the reason models and famous people look so stylish is because their clothes fit their bodies perfectly. How do you get clothes to fit perfectly? Get them tailored, of course! Find a reliable tailor in your area to alter your clothes so that they are perfect for your body. Even some department stores will do this for you.
- It’s not as expensive as it sounds. Tailoring a shirt often costs as little as $10-20, pants around $30-40.
- It may seem like a silly added expense, but having clothes tailored once and keeping them maintained will help you look amazing for the next ten years. It’s a worthy investment.

9

Keep it simple

Effortless style is all about looking like you put in no effort. Use a limited number of clothing and accessory pieces. This is especially important when it comes to accessories.^{[11]
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- For example, don’t wear a scarf and bangles and big earrings and a hat. Try to limit yourself to two noticeable/accent accessories.

10

Choose an outfit appropriate for the occasion.

You'll look like you fit right in when you dress for the occasion. Over-dressing is a sure sign that you put way too much thought and effort into how you’re dressed. Don’t wear a fancy dress for grocery shopping, and don’t wear a long gown when a cocktail dress will do, for example.

11

Emphasize the accessories.

Accessories add personality and visual interest to spice up an outfit.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Sheila A. Anderson
Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
Expert Interview. 9 August 2021.} Since your clothes themselves should generally be in muted, neutral colors, you’ll want to make your accessories your accent pieces. These should draw attention and look extra cool. It is easier to have accessories that conform to the latest fashions and trends, so don’t worry about that as much (in this area, it’s usually okay).^{[13]
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- For example, you could pair a floppy hat and patterned fashion scarf with a brown jacket, blue tee, white skinny jeans, and brown boots.
- Another example would be to wear a black dress and pair it with red earrings and a bracelet.
- Just make sure you keep your color palette across the whole outfit. Accent accessories colors should generally be the same or compliment each other.

12

Don’t neglect the hair.

You’ll want your hair to be stylish too. Keep it in a simple style or carefully created “tousled” look, but make sure that you are in fact creating the look. Your hair should look nice, even if it doesn’t look like you spent an hour getting it just right.
- Avoid products to achieve a more natural look associated with effortless style. This means no gel or hairspray!
- It is best to consider updating your hairstyle annually. The hairstyle change can be as simple as switching up the part to something more drastic, like completely changing the hair color or haircut. ^{[14]
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  Expert Source
  
  Sheila A. Anderson
  Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
  Expert Interview. 9 August 2021.}

13

Use minimal makeup.

For timeless style, try a toned-down makeup look. Go for natural-looking colors so you don't distract from the fabulous outfit you put together. You want to, of course, emphasize your best features.
- Lips are an area of exception, as these can be a great way to add a little extra bang to an outfit by introducing bright colors, like a classic red.
- If loud makeup's more your style, go for it! Being stylish is all about showing off your personality and individuality.

14

Keep lines and texture to a minimum.

Mixing patterns well is incredibly difficult. Throwing the wrong patterns together can make you look more chaotic and less elegant. It’s okay to have one item in your outfit have a pattern or texture, but keep it limited to one.

15

Go for clean silhouettes and minimal bulk.

Keep layers to a minimum and avoid chunky items or other items that add a lot of bulk. These will make you appear chubbier and less streamlined and stylish. Oversized sweaters have a time and place, but tend to go in and out of fashion to a certain extent, so be careful.

16

Add your favorite fragrance.

While it may not be visually apparent, scent can go a long way towards developing how people perceive you. Smell nice by keeping yourself and your clothes clean, but also consider adding a perfume or cologne to your fashion line-up. Avoid young scents like fruity smells in favor of something more mature for a really classy touch.

17

Have a signature style.

Keep your clothes in a theme in order give yourself a signature style. This is a look that people will associate with you and will make you seem more stylish, even if they don’t necessarily like your clothes.^{[15]
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18

Fit your look to you.

The style you create for yourself should match who you are as a person.^{[16]
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Expert Source

Alice Wu
Image Consultant
Expert Interview. 12 June 2020} For example, a really sweet woman taking on a catty look will seem weird and out of place, the same as a serious businessman dressing in gangsta style. Tailor your clothes to fit your personality and people will be much more inclined to see it as your style.

19

Be confident.

If you act confident, you can rock any outfit. Do you ever feel like some models could wear a brown paper sack and still walk down a runway looking like the height of fashion? Do you know a guy who wears a tracksuit and still somehow manages to look totally fashionable? What the fashion industry doesn’t want you to know is that a lot of looking stylish really comes down to projecting confidence. You don’t have to actually be confident, of course, but if you walk down the street in clothes that you clearly think you look great in, people will usually be inclined to agree that (at a minimum) those clothes are perfect for you.
- Act like you don’t care - or, actually don't care. The effortless part of the stylish look should of course be presented by giving off an air that you don’t care, or that you just threw on the first outfit you could find. Be humble or indifferent when people compliment your clothes.

20

Walk gracefully.

In order to look stylish, you’re also going to want to look elegant and coordinated. This means not falling down if you’re wearing heels. Being graceful should be easier for guys, but is still important so don’t neglect it.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I be a stylish person?

Sheila A. Anderson
Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
Sheila A. Anderson is a Certified Image Consultant, International Branding Icon, and the Founder of Image Power Play, an impression management and personal branding company. With over three decades of experience, she specializes in empowering corporate professionals to raise their personal image to meet the value of their brand. Sheila is a Certified Image Consultant with The Image Resource Network and a Certified Universal Style Consultant with The Universal Style International. Sheila is a member of the C-Suite Network Advisors and the author of the book, I.C.U., The Comprehensive Guide to Breathing Life Back Into Your Personal Brand.

Sheila A. Anderson

Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon

Expert Answer

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Keep your outfit monochromatic. Wearing the same color head to toe makes an outfit automatically look more dressed up, even if you are in shorts and a T-shirt. This way, you also won't have to worry about whether colors match.
Question

How can I look stylish and attractive?

Sheila A. Anderson
Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon
Sheila A. Anderson is a Certified Image Consultant, International Branding Icon, and the Founder of Image Power Play, an impression management and personal branding company. With over three decades of experience, she specializes in empowering corporate professionals to raise their personal image to meet the value of their brand. Sheila is a Certified Image Consultant with The Image Resource Network and a Certified Universal Style Consultant with The Universal Style International. Sheila is a member of the C-Suite Network Advisors and the author of the book, I.C.U., The Comprehensive Guide to Breathing Life Back Into Your Personal Brand.

Sheila A. Anderson

Certified Image Consultant & International Branding Icon

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Wear darker colors. Darker colors such as navy, black, and charcoal gray represent an image of authority and are often representative of professional dress. That said, remember to wear colors that flatter your skin tone.
Question

Where should I start when reinventing my wardrobe?

Alice Wu
Image Consultant
Alice Wu is an Image Consultant and Personal Stylist based in San Francisco, California. She is the Owner of Styled by Alice, an image consulting service offering private styling services for men and women. Focused on personalizing the styling experience, Alice provides closet edits, personal shopping, wardrobe planning, and other services such as event styling.

Alice Wu

Image Consultant

Expert Answer

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As a first step, take an inventory of the clothes that you gravitate towards in your closet. Try to get a really good idea of the things you want to wear all the time. You should also find what clothes you don't wear or don't feel good wearing.

Warnings

Don't choose clothes just because other people like them. Have your own style, live the way you want to.

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Don't be trashy, if you would rather die than let your parents see what you're wearing, then don't wear it!

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Don't go out too exposed, wear some clothes! Going out in a low cut tube top and booty shorts is not stylish.

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