We’ve all been there: in a flippant moment of ‘making it rain’ (i.e. spending money not-so-wisely), the slow, painful crawl towards your next payday begins (my heart goes out to the monthly pay cycles among us – honestly, that time lags for so long, I’m sure babies learn how to walk quicker). With nothing but homemade tuna salads and office instant coffees in sight, it’s easy to feel defeated, but who needs to know how healthy that bank balance is looking at first glance? Keep those spirits up until the dollars roll back in with these quick and easy tricks to lift any outfit into high-roller status.
1. Dress tonally: keep it crisp
Head-to-toe white, neutrals and blacks scream ‘my life is together’ in any situation. Sharp tailoring that fits you to a tee is a must, as is ensuring that it’s pressed (so taking an extra 5 to whip out the iron is key). Well-cared for and well-fitting clothes do more to elevate your look than any crumpled $500 jacket could.
Uniqlo Cardigan Jacket, $59.90, uniqlo.com/au
Topshop Premium Textured Cigarette Trousers, £50.00, topshop.com
Topshop Sleeveless Collar Blazer, £45.00, topshop.com
Topshop ’70s Collar Shirt, £36.00, topshop.com
Seed Sluxe Jacket, $129.95, seedheritage.com
2. Belt it
Slouchy and oversized come into our Sunday sartorial vocabulary, but for the times when a little extra TLC is needed to ramp you up to the next income bracket visually extra attention pays off. Try belting your blazers and knits with a skinny leather number, or do the half-tuck into a pencil skirt with a polished metal clasp.
Witchery Lulu Keeper Belt, from $19.95, witchery.com.au
Oroton Metropolis Texture Belt, $125, oroton.com.au
3. Layer upon layer
Feeling sloppy? Throw on a layer and see what happens. Truly – a white tee + denim jeans combo gets a huge promotion with a sharply tailored blazer on top, or a gilet in the spring. Accessories can pull rank here too – a silk neck scarf or hat is the icing on any plain and simple outfit.
Mimco She’s A Mod scarf, $99.95, mimco.com.au
Lack Of Colour fedora in Silver Haze, $45, lackofcolour.com.au
Country Road tailored vest, $249, countryroad.com.au
4. When in doubt, go with the classics
Yes, fashion speak can get quite superfluous at times (puns are rife – here’s looking at you, flatforms), but there are gems to be found – those forever riffed upon classics are real, true wardrobe stalwarts for a reason. Think a great camel or navy trench for example, or a black leather jacket over a knit and indigo jean – instant cred with minimal effort.
Seed tailored long coat, $299.95, seedheritage.com
Country Road tear detail jean, $129, countryroad.com.au
River Island Black leather zip detail biker jacket, $200.00, au.riverisland.com
5. Clean metals
At the end of the day, we’re all magpies – anything shiny is going to catch a stranger’s eye (and allude to $$$, ideally). Graphic, streamlined pieces in gold and silver are your best bet here – the weightier the better.
ASOS Sleek Cuff Bangle Bracelet, $15.50, asos.com/au
ASOS Open Cuff Bracelet with Faux Semi Precious Cylinders, $16.00, asos.com/au
Country Road Large Stone Necklace, $99.95, countryroad.com.au
6. Match your shoes to your bag
Considered. One of fashion’s favourite buzzwords, and for good reason – time equals money, so if you have that much time to put together an well-thought-out outfit, then you’re in the green, correct? In fashion speak, yes. Ensuring your look comes off as intentional, not haphazard, is one quick way to uplift any outfit – so accessorising in complementary tones speaks luxury.
Tony Bianco Kappa tan suede heels, $199.95, tonybianco.com.au
Witchery Etienne Crossbody bag, $199.95, witchery.com.au
Zara bag, $159, (02) 9216 7000
Seed Eve Crossover Slides, $89.95, seedheritage.com.au
7. Shelve the prints
Seasonal prints are the fastest way to make an outfit dated – bar leopard, stripes and the polka dot, of course – so in moments where you quite literally want/need to come off looking like a million bucks best to give them a breather. Stick to solid tones or spliced colour for a graphic feel.
Country Road Rib Trim Top, $119, countryroad.com.au
MARNI Color-block cotton-blend top, $348.64, net-a-porter.com
French Connection Stretch Colour Blocked Dress, $129.95, frenchconnection.com.au