You might assume that to look elegant and classy, you need to spend a fortune, but looking elegant isn’t just about flashy bags and jewellery, it’s about these little tricks that can make any outfit look more elevated. Here are my top 10 tips for how to look elegant and classy on a budget. 

Let’s go through the list:

How to look elegant and classy on a budget

 

1    Keep it simple

Remember that less is more. Minimalistic outfits with sharp tailoring, in natural muted tones and with timeless accessories will instantly make you look more polished and elevate your style. 

how to look elegant and classy

If in doubt, wearing black with classy gold jewellery is a great default option  (regardless of whether your budget is big or small).

black dress

 

2 Wear flattering clothes

So many women forget this, but your clothes have to fit perfectly AND flatter your body shape. Not everyone has the same body shape so we have to select clothes that flatter our specific body type, and showcase our assets.

Whilst I am not going into all the details about dressing for your body type in this guide, elegant women know that the the key to looking stylish is to focus on their assets and draw attention to the parts of their body that they love.

Here is a brief summary of the principles of dressing for your body shape .

You can have a look at the definition of the different body types and the best skirts for your body type and/or the best jeans for your body type for more detailed information.

how to look elegant and classy

Also, if you want to look perfectly polished and well groomed your clothes must fit perfectly – no baggy tops or gaping waistlines ! If you love an item but it’s not a perfect fit then have it altered until it is! 

3    Always look immaculate

An easy way to look expensive is to make sure your clothes are as immaculate as possible. Make sure that your clothes are always clean and pressed and that there are no loose threads or missing buttons. 

elegant and classy on a budget

Taking care of your clothes regularly is one of the best ways to look your best. Wash your clothes with detergents that’ll ensure that the colors aren’t washed away and invest in shoe-shining kits, so that your shoes are never dirty or scuffed.

4    Invest in quality fabrics to look elegant and classy

Invest in quality fabrics such as silk and cotton; timeless, elegant pieces add an air of sophistication to your look. Opt for natural fabrics such as wool, cashmere, silk, linen, cotton, leather and suede and good quality synthetics such as elastane and viscose. 

quality fabrics

5    Invest in your grooming

Not only must your clothes be immaculate, but so should your personal grooming.

elegant and classy on a budget

Always make sure to pay attention to your skin, hair and nails, invest time and effort in your hair and make-up and NEVER ever wear chipped nail polish! 

  6   Choose expensive looking colours

In my last post we talked about colours that are trending this summer. However, if you want to look polished and expensive, some colours work better than others.

how to look elegant and classy

Natural, neutral colours are always classy, so opt for colours such as cream, beige, grey, earthy tones, kaki, chive and taupe and colours such as black and white will also elevate your look. Some bright colours such as burgundy, red and blue also look polished, as do pastels.

Avoid some of the bright colours that look artificial, such as neon, bright purple, lime green and (much as I love the last two) bright yellow and hot pink, if you want to look expensive. 

7  Wear monochrome to look elegant and classy on a budget

Wear an outfit in JUST one colour. It’s slimming AND it looks expensive. 

how to look elegant and classy

You can never go wrong with a simple LBD. All of the dresses below are under $50, and yet they look chic and elegant, because of the simple lines and style. Just click on the image of any dress you like to find out more.

And you can easily dress down a LBD if you want a more casual look.

 

Any monochrome look makes an outfit look more sophisticated but an all-white outfit is really ultra-expensive looking because it conveys the message that you can afford to risk a stain and to travel exclusively via cabs and Ubers.

elegant and classy

8    Add statement pieces

A statement piece, correctly chosen and worn correctly will instantly make you look more polished. 

The number one statement piece is a good quality handbag – it doesn’t need to be a designer handbag, but it’s definitely worth investing in leather.

Here are my picks for a few statement bags that will instantly elevate your look. All bags are either leather or vegan leather and most are also available in other colours. The majority are under $100 (two are between $100 and $150).

 

Statement jewellery and a classy watch will also elevate your look. A simple classy watch is much more chic than scrambling for your phone to check the time. 

A hat elevates your look and always makes you look more glamorous 

9     Create combinations that work together

Elegant women create a wardrobe where everything fits together. All the pieces work together, which means that you can create many different looks with less clothing.

This is the principle of creating a capsule wardrobe, and to find out more have a look at How to create a capsule wardrobe .

look elegant and classy

To look elegant and classy you also need to understand how to put together an outfit and this includes:

how to look elegant and classy

 

  • Colour combining
  • Mixing and matching prints and fabrics
  • Combining colour and fabrics (the cheaper the fabric the more luxurious and expensive looking the colour needs to be).
  • Mixing and matching statement/ designer pieces and high street

10 Be shop savvy

Have a look at where to buy designer clothes at high street prices. You may want to consider shopping on sites, such as the Outnet (USA, UK, France), where you can pick up designer picks at a fraction of the price.

Finally, shop pre-owned/ preloved and thrift, which enables you to invest in high quality pieces without spending a fortune. 

Finally, remember to review and refine

As we evolve as women, we learn to know ourselves better and we have different priorities at different stages in our lives.

We also change physically, our body shape and colouring change and we may also have different lifestyles.

As we evolve, our style needs to evolve with us! It’s a continual journey of growth and self discovery!

So, enjoy the process, and remember to be authentically you!

I hope you enjoyed this post about how to look elegant and classy on a budget; and you might also enjoy this post on 5 common style mistakes and how to avoid them, or this post about the top ten secrets of stylish women..

Finally, remember that the key to any style is to wear what feels good on you and what makes you happy!

I will be back soon with more style, lifestyle and travel inspiration and don’t forget to subscribe to make sure you never miss a post,

 

Look good, feel good, live your best life 🙂

With love,