No matter how old we are, we hope to always look pretty and attractive. Every woman is a stunning beauty, and undoubtedly dressing up properly is a plus to make you even more eye-catching.

---

You may think you have enough knowledge about how to dress, but understanding the following principles will help you better your appearance by learning to be graceful and attractive.

Dress Smarter

First of all, you have to know your body very well! That’s essential, you have to accept and love your body, the good-looking parts and even the parts that may not be perfect in your eyes.

Next up: complement your strong points and draw attention away from what you consider your weaknesses. Here I’ve made a list of several tips on how to dress smarter to avoid poor garment choices.

• Wear high-waisted pants or skirts if you have short legs
• If you have wide shoulders, it’s more flattering to wear clothes with sleeves and V-necks
• Try wearing shirts with shoulder pads if you have sloping shoulders
• Only wear outfits you’re comfortable with (psychologically comfortable not physically)
  eg. a cotton t-shirt is comfortable to wear, but may bring a dispirited, tired-mom look

Have Your Own Style

Fashion is a cycle one after another, trends come and go. Instead of struggling to follow the trends, you’re better off having your own style, go for timeless, or classic. For example, Victoria Beckham is always in black, Tilda Swinton is always in a neutral style, and Audrey Hepburn was partial to A-line dresses, now boat neck A-line cuts are called Audrey Hepburn-style dresses.


However, it doesn’t mean you should shy away from fashion, even when it is not consistent. Trendy accessories are crucial, such as wearing your own style of apparel, but matching it with the latest shoes or bags, trendy scarves or belts, or even popular make-up. Combinations for having your own style and popular accessories with a twist helps to build your image, one which will always follow the latest trend in fashion but with your own personality.

Be Choosy

Being choosy here means you should be able to know where to buy the clothes and accessories that suit you the most. Despite always buying the same color or similar designs, there should be eye-popping details which will make your heart sing. For example, black dresses several years ago were commonly seen with lace elements, this year it might be more popular to add tassels or pleating designs.

Also, pay attention to other details: whether fine workmanship or fine materials. Apparel with shoddy workmanship is a big flaw, no matter how great you look with it on. Poor quality of fabric is also another error to avoid, stay away from clothing that shrinks, split or wrinkles, which gives a cheap and sloppy appearance

The best piece of advice I can give you is to be yourself, and don’t be afraid to be different. Find what makes you comfortable in your own skin, and don’t use clothes to hide behind!

_{This post was originally published on Ming Bags blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author. Photo by Dennis Stock from Jussi}

---

Did you enjoy this post? Please comment, like and share!