Hello everyone,

Given how well our ‘Whites in Summer’ Outfit post went down, we thought we’d share a few tips this week on ‘How to Look Polished and Put Together’:

To some of us, this might seem super simple, however, a lot of us do struggle with how to look put together. It’s something we at Charlotte London are incredibly good at, so we figured we’d share our tips to make being put together and ready to take on the world a cinch.

For those of you with any big events, interviews, or anyone who is just looking to mature their look, this one is for you.

Always be Well Groomed.

We hate to sound like your mother here, but in order to look polished and put together, you have to have the basics sorted. Every woman should always have a good manicure/pedicure and a neat haircut (that looks clean when left un-styled). If you don’t have time to maintain this, then pulling your hair back into a neat pony tail and keeping your nails filed with a clear polish will do wonders.

The second tip is to wear a little, but not too much makeup. Use a little concealer to brighten the dark circles under your eyes, a little bronzer or blush to give your face some colour, a few coats of mascara and a light lipstick or gloss which is close to your natural lip colour.

Please note, you don’t have to spend a fortune on grooming, but simple things go a very long way. For us at least, this is a non-negotiable in looking put together, and it actually can make a difference to your pay check.

Make it easy for yourself.

In order to look polished and put together for certain meetings or events- make it easy on yourself by planning things in advance. We’d recommend picking up 2-4 suitable outfits or dresses that can be used on a multitude of occasions. We’d recommend a few skirt/blouse combinations, and a few simple dresses. Stores like Whistles or Club Monaco are a good place to start for these type of useful but still pretty clothes.

Also be sure to pick up one set of nude heels and flats, and another set of black heels and flats so that all your bases are covered. We’d recommend spending a little bit of money on these looks.  LK Bennett is great for the heels, and you can’t go wrong with French Sole Flats.

You don’t have to go all out or spend a bomb, but these outfits should last you for some time so that you don’t have to re-invest. Try to avoid cheap or trend led clothing. The exception is layering pieces like tank tops or t-shirts. No need to spend excess here.

Once you have your 3-5 outfit sets, make sure to hang them in your closet together so they are easy to grab. For example, a white blazer over a navy dress, or, a muted green dress with a black jacket, or, a simple black dress with either of these jackets, and the shoes to match.

Here is a simple shopping list for you to make it extra easy:

2-3 simple dresses

2 jackets (one darker, one lighter)

One nice winter coat

2-3 simple skirts

2-3 simple jeans or trousers (no rips)

4-5 basic tops (blouses, shirts)

1 pair nude heels

1 pair black heels

1 pair nude flats

1 pair black flats

1 simple ‘summer’ bag for light outfits

1 simple ‘winter’ bag for darker outfits

1-2 pairs of simple earrings- studs or pearls

A Word on Accessories

Our last tip to looking put together is one around accessories. They are a tough one, as they can immediately bring up or down your outfit. You don’t necessarily need a luxury item to look polished and put together, but it can be a nice touch. As long as it is not too branded or in your face (showing off is not classy, ever). Accessories are the one place where you can have a little fun, but also still look chic.

Don’t go overboard, but add in a nice bag, interesting sunglasses, or a pop of colour with your shoes. Being polished and put together doesn’t necessarily mean boring, and adding the right type of flair to your outfit can pull the whole look together.

And that’s it! We hope you enjoyed these little tips on how to look polished and put together. For more ideas for put together looks for work in particular, check out our ‘Office Style’ Board on Pinterest. We hope you loved the post and found it helpful.