10 Unique Things That Actually Make You 10x More Stylish

I think most people think being stylish is just about wearing pretty clothes, having a good eye for fashion, or following what's trending on runways or social media, but it's actually none of those things. In fact, the things that have transformed my style the most are much simpler, they are things I have learned, and they are the opposite of what's trending. The best part is they not only transform how you look, but they also transform how you feel Some require a tiny bit more effort, but the thing is, the reward is 10 times greater. And the first one that is actually easy, but has a lot of reward, is wearing more color near your face. I cannot stress the importance of this. Colors really impact us, and they can instantly change how you look. Your ideal colors make your eyes pop, your lips look radiant, and your cheeks glowy. Certain colors brighten your skin, others make you look more tanned. Importantly, colors also change how you feel. From a little kid, without you realizing, you were wired to associate certain emotions and feelings with certain colors. Blue for calmness, green for serenity, yellow for happiness, red for energy, and there are so many other associations that you have that you don't even realize. When you start to specifically wear more color around your face, you start to help yourself feel the things that you associate with that color, and other people also start to associate you with the feelings of that color too. When I avoided all color, wearing only black, or sometimes the occasional gray, I looked washed out, I looked pale, and I literally felt dull and gray. Switching out those black and gray tops to colors in my personal color palette changed so much for me. It was easier to get dressed and put nice looking outfits together. I was naturally more motivated and excited to actually put on nice clothes every day, instead of just defaulting to active wear, and I didn't have to put as much energy into making my outfits look good, because wearing more flattering colors around my face naturally and effortlessly just complemented my skin. So these days, 90% or so of my wardrobe is full of rich, colorful, beautiful colors in my color palette, and I have a smaller portion dedicated to neutrals. I took this to the extreme because I was serious about making a change, knowing the power of color. I committed to never wearing black near my face again, and honestly it was one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I follow that to this day, and that was years ago when I made that commitment. If you want a starting point on how to pick and choose colors, I will link a video where I share my color palette method, which is basically how I curate my entire wardrobe. I think this is one of the best hits that you could take away from this video, and it's a double whammy. You look better and you'll feel better. Now when you do start wearing more color, you also need to know how to wear it, so that you're not overdoing it and feeling like you're wearing a costume, which is the next thing that is actually a non-negotiable for me these days, and it's having style formulas to rely on, which leads into one of the myths and the challenges with style. We throw around the word effortless style, so we all think that it should be effortless, but I hate to break it to you. Effortless style isn't effortless, at least to begin with. It takes a little bit of upfront effort and work to make your style look and feel effortless. Take, for example, some of the most stylish women that we have in history. Women like Anna Wintour or Catherine Hepburn. They look like they have a pretty effortless style. There's a look that they repeat over and over again, and they look really good, but there was likely a method or a formula that they put in place to consistently create the outfits that made them feel and look their best. It's kind of like a uniform. You find the colors, the shapes, the sizes, the aesthetic that works, and then you consistently do it so it becomes effortless. It's not about strict rules that lead to boring or uninspiring outfits. It's actually a way to bring more organization and therefore creativity into your wardrobe and your outfits. Having a little bit of structure through tools, tips, formulas, rules help you reduce the number of decisions you need to make around your style. That results in you looking more stylish on a consistent basis, and I have a range that I work with. I have my gamified formulas, which are things like the three-point color game, the blend, and the hero method. These things help me figure out how to combine colors, how to make it look good, creative, without it looking overdone. Then there are the formulas that make sense for my silhouette and body shape. If I put on this outfit, it's going to flatter my body shape. I don't need to think about it. I don't need to stress. I'm going to naturally create visual harmony and balance. Then there's the wider structural formulas. This is my color palette method and basic swaps. These guide my purchase decisions and make sure that I'm adding to my wardrobe with clarity and consistency. All of these things work in harmony with each other and create an intentional cohesive wardrobe. So I'm never guessing and I'm much less stressed when I'm putting my outfits together. Your formulas can and probably should change as you develop your style and you grow as a person. What I can promise is that having formulas take the from feeling like you need to buy into trends. You no longer need to rely so much on willpower or restraint to not buy the trending thing. It helps you reflect and think, well, does this serve any purpose for me? Does it fit into my formulas and does it fit into my wider wardrobe structure? You probably already have some ideas about what does work for your shape or certain ways of combining things that make you feel really good. They are all good places to start and you can build off these and turn these into little formulas that you rely on. You only need a couple. It doesn't have to be a really intense, full on process. It's just bringing a little bit of clarity into what you have. Now, one formula that actually has become a mindset shift for me is to make dressing a form of art. This is all about treating my body like I would a canvas and looking at clothes as different ways that I can create a beautiful body of work, different experiences, different expressions on that canvas. As I've said across different videos before, clothes are not just clothes. They create an experience and you have the power to curate that experience for yourself and for others. Instead of just opting for basic t-shirts and basic jeans, I started investing in and looking for pieces of clothing that had some kind of stylistic, artistic element to them. Interesting shapes, embroidery, little details and design elements, even creative patterns. When I wasn't actively buying pieces, I was also using this same approach when I was combining different pieces together. This really looks like for me, taking the inspiration that I have from so many different areas of fashion, then using that to mix different textures, adding tonal or bold colors, playing with shapes and proportions, just like an artist would do on a canvas or if they were molding a piece of clay. I really try to treat the experience of dressing as a form of self-expression, another outlet and a way that I can be creative in kind of an unconventional way. I think this practice really helps you start to appreciate the fact that you have a body and you get to dress it with beautiful clothes and styles and also you get to appreciate other people's art. This brings me to the partner of today's video, Fabrique. Fabrique is a really beautiful example of how you can bring some more interesting shapes and styles into your wardrobe and really start treating your body like a work of art. So the first ones I want to show you are the Sunny Wide Leg Jeans. When I saw these online, I fell in love with them because of that interesting 3D pattern all over them and they are so comfortable. The waist fits really nicely so you don't get that kind of awkward gap at the back of your pants. I've also enjoyed the Hilda Jeans. I really like how the texture and the detail is woven directly into the jeans. It gives them a worn vintage look but in an upgraded way. I love exposed front pockets. I think they transform a simple pair of jeans and make them look stylish and interesting. Now, the Jules Floral Jeans are such a cool find because the flower pattern is embroidered into the jeans using very thin fine lines. It really looks like you are wearing a piece of art all over your body and I just love that. All of these jeans can be paired with the Aura Bag. This is Spanish Suede and the colour is really stunning. After using this as my daily bag, it is actually way bigger than it looks. The thing is, it doesn't end up looking like a really giant oversized bag. It's got little hidden pockets inside which I always really appreciate as a design detail because it means phone, keys, little lipsticks and things don't get lost at the bottom. Jackets have been something I've really committed to upgrading so I like that this has the detail on the inside of the jacket meaning you can pop it open to get something a little bit more interesting and artistic happening or less depending on the outfit. And lastly, this matching set with hand-stitched flowers and the way they've been placed make the outfit flow and move really nicely on your body. It's light and breezy but there's still enough coverage. A really artistic stylish outfit for spring or summer. I have discount codes for you for both the bags and their clothes. If you're interested, I've got all the links below so go and check it out. Moving on to the next thing that's really upgraded my outfits is choosing my styling accessories in my core colour palette. Most people end up making the mistake that styling accessories don't make a difference so they treat them as an afterthought but styling accessories are your superpower. They transform simple outfits and make them look more put together, more stylish. They inject some personality and character into what you wear. The catch is if they are not in colours that are flattering to you and with your wider wardrobe then they're going to create unbalanced mismatched looking outfits. Now I'm a firm believer in always adding styling accessories. One of my little rules is to obey the belt loops. Whenever you see exposed belt loops on jackets or dresses always put on a belt. The caveat here is if the belt is in the wrong colour creating a harsh unflattering contrast then I would actually opt to go without the belt. But this can all be solved quite easily by simply just starting to think about styling accessories as a core part of your wardrobe. No different to buying tops or jeans. In my case I no longer actively buy anything black in terms of styling accessories. Instead I'm choosing browns, greens, purpley reds, golds, some rich mustards and then more flattering neutrals like beiges and creams for all of my styling accessories. This not only makes all of your outfits look more flattering but it means all of your outfits work with your formulas really easily and you get more value out of what you own. Instead of needing to buy lots of bags or lots of belts you can have just a couple because they're in your core colours. It means they go with 90% of the things in your wardrobe which is entirely the point of building an intentional curated wardrobe. You get to actually wear what you own so things don't end up sitting in the back of your wardrobe just collecting dust. It's a subtle one-time change but it compounds over time and you get more benefit the longer you practice it. I don't think I can go any further in this video without talking about something that makes such a big difference and that is learning your proportions so that you Our eyes are naturally drawn to balance to harmony and when your eye cannot make sense of your outfit because things look off balance then the whole outfit looks a little off and that can also make you feel a little off and the goal with any piece but especially your pants is to create a sense of visual balance and harmony on your body. That visual balance and harmony is going to be a little bit different for everyone. My version of balance on my body shape might look different to someone else with the identical body shape who has a different idea of what balance is. Looking at the pant rise and hem are two really good places to start. Generally speaking if you're wanting to create more length through the body then having the pant rise the waistband sit higher up on your torso and dropping the pant hem so it sits closer to the floor will create more length. If you're not really looking to create length a waistband that sits around the hips or even has a crop style around the hem can help you achieve that. The other parts to layer in here is your torso length. If you have a shorter torso a high rise might not be as ideal so dropping that to your hips might suit you better and the reverse is true if you have a longer torso a high rise waistband might suit you really well. Looking at the characteristics of your shape is really important too. If you have wide hips and a curvier lower body you can define those shapes by wearing tighter styles or you can kind of soften them by wearing looser fitting styles. If you have smaller hips and less curve generally speaking opting for the wider styles with more width and structure tend to work really well. Starting here and understanding the balance between your top half and your lower half is really helpful. I love this next one because it helps you find your sense of style and build a style identity that you feel really proud in. This is learning to read outfits instead of copying them. Basically you become an outfit detective. Instead of trying to recreate outfits that you see online piece by piece you start looking at the energy that's been captured through the outfit, what you like about it and why. Here's the thing, the outfits that you are naturally drawn to, the ones that you want to save and recreate, they are really helpful because they have clues in them. Those clues give you answers to your style identity and your preferred aesthetic. Now you might not have the exact items in your wardrobe to match that image. Stepping into your What is this outfit doing and do I have anything that could create a similar experience? Do you like the movement that's created through the skirt? Are you drawn to the colors or the mix of textures? Is there something about the shape or proportion that really draws you in or is it purely an energy? Is it because it's casual and relaxed or is it really elegant and feminine? Take this outfit for example. I think she looks really elegant and chic but she also looks casual and relaxed. So I think I can create a similar experience just based on what I'm noticing that I like. The first thing that draws me in are those pink corduroy pants. I love the texture there and to me that's definitely the statement of the outfit. I don't have those identical pants but I do have something pretty similar. I can see that she's got that grey top underneath. Now I don't have a grey casual t-shirt like that because I don't wear grey casual t-shirts. I'm going to choose a neutral that's more flattering on my complexion but keep it casual just like she's doing. I like the cropped jacket but again I don't own anything like this but I can see that she's deliberately mixing textures like the denim and what looks like corduroy and she's creating deliberate contrast with the colors. So I'm going to do the same with another jacket that I own. I can see she's got grey pointed toe shoes on. They look like heels so I'm going to offer something a little bit more harmonious with this outfit. I also don't own any grey. I'm going to choose a bag that still adds contrast. It mixes the textures a little bit but feels more harmonious with my style and my color palette. As you can see I haven't recreated an identical outfit but what I have done is read what she was doing through her outfit and recreated something with a similar energy that is much more flattering on my body shape with my features and the things that I picked up that I liked. If I was too focused on trying to recreate the exact outfit I wouldn't be able to or I would have created something that wasn't as flattering on my body with my coloring and you can do this too. You can see how else you can combine the clothes that you already have and it can even give you inspiration when you are shopping for new pieces. The more clues you get the more you build up your own style identity and your preferred aesthetic. This next tip is so underrated and it's all about wearing fabrics that feel good on your skin. If you're like me, someone who is a little sensitive, I don't like irritating fabrics on my skin, I don't love anything that's itchy or scratchy. When clothes move on your body well, when they feel nice on your skin, when you enjoy the experience of wearing them, you actually look more comfortable and confident. I found the best approach to this is to assess the clothes that I already have in my wardrobe that I really love the feel of. Checking the label tag to figure out what the main fabric composition is, is a good place to start. That helps inform your future purchases of what fabrics you enjoy and what you'd like to buy. Generally speaking, fabrics like linens, cotton, cashmere, merino wool, leather, bamboo, satins and silk tend to feel quite nice on the skin. I think it's worth saying that it is sometimes hard to find the most ideal pieces for your body shape, color, the style or the aesthetic that you want at a certain price point. For me, I still have flexibility in the fabrics that I buy. Some synthetic fibers and different combinations of materials. I think that's okay. I'm just conscious about what I'm buying. And of course, if I'm trying something on in store, I never keep it if I don't love the way it feels when I actually try it on. Because if you don't like it the first time, you won't like it the second, third or the fourth time you try and wear it if you bring it home. The next thing is something that I've committed to as a mindset shift. And look, it might sound a little weird or extreme to people, but it's been really helpful for me. Dress in ways that make you feel confident in case you bump into someone on the street that you really admire or really like. So the story behind this is I used to live in active wear. Problem with it though is every time I was about to leave the house, I would hope and pray that I would not bump into anyone that I know. So I was already walking out of the house feeling kind of weird in the clothes that I was wearing and my whole energy, my posture, everything about the way that I looked would immediately change. And then if I did bump into someone in the street, I would try to do that awkward thing where you pretend to not see them or you avoid eye contact. I felt like I wanted to cover myself up or I really wanted to run home and put on something nicer. Now, this doesn't mean I walk out in a ball gown and a full face of makeup for a casual outfit. It just means tidying things up a little bit or wearing a style that makes me feel really proud and comfortable in my body. If I am wearing active wear, then I want to choose the styles that also flatter my shape, wide leg or full leggings or tennis skirts or shorts that have much more coverage and shape around the hips. It's not supposed to make life harder. It is actually supposed to make it easier and more enjoyable. I find that when I just put in that little bit of extra effort, I'm more excited to bump into people and to embrace life's little spontaneous moments. The next thing is so transformative. It is packing away anything that reminds you of your old identity. Now, let me explain what this means. As I've echoed through this video, clothes really trigger different emotional and physical responses in your body. When I constantly lived in my black oversized clothing, every time I put on those clothes, I was telling my brain who I was. A girl who was ashamed of her body and was using clothes to hide. I was not someone who was using clothes to express her creativity. So my brain was doing exactly what it's wired to do. It was picking up the signals that I was placing on my body through my clothes and it was creating that identity of myself over and over again. The only way this truly shifted was when I started to realize that I actually have to dress the way that I want to feel and dress in an identity of a person that I want to become. So I went to the extreme and I packed away absolutely everything that reminded me of the person I no longer wanted to be. All the black clothing, anything oversized, anything cropped. I put that storage bag away in a separate part of my house, away from my wardrobe. And I committed to not opening that bag or buying anything similar to those pieces for the next six months. That was one of the most important decisions I ever made for my style and my life. What I learned through that process was that whilst ever I was continuing to choose that old identity, I was kind of half committing. And humans, like you and I, we are all creatures of habit. It's really easy to default back to what we're used to. Physically removing those clothes, it cleared out all the clutter in my wardrobe so that I could actually see the gaps that I had and the gaps in my style. It helped me figure out the skills that I needed to acquire to improve my style and upgrade my appearance. It is such a crucial piece to becoming more stylish, because whilst ever you keep reaching for the clothes that keep you in a version of yourself that you no longer want to be, in my opinion, I don't think you can ever be truly as stylish as you want to be. Because style is not just about the outside, it's about the way the clothes, the experience of getting dressed, the colors that you put on yourself make you feel. It's just like if you move houses or change suburbs because you don't like the environment that you're surrounded by. Clothes do exactly the same thing, and it's even more important because we drape our bodies with these clothes every single day. So our brain is constantly picking up on these signals. So you either work with your brain and make it easy to change, or you work against your brain and it's a lot harder. The last point is something I am passionate about and it's really close to my own heart, and that is giving yourself permission. I waited for so many years to give myself permission to wear more color, to invest in beautiful interesting prints and artistic styles, to be more dressy than everyone else around me, and I wished that I could just be the girl that I knew that I wanted to be. I think a lot of us end up staying trapped because we're afraid that if we wear something beautiful or bold or interesting, that other people will judge us and we will be seen as too much. Giving yourself permission is not about other people's perception of you. It is not about external validation. It is nothing to do with anyone else. It is all to do with yourself. To step out into the world as the fullest, most vibrant version of yourself. When I finally gave myself permission to do that, it transformed me in so many ways. I started to reconnect to the girl I was when I was little, and it shifted experiences, opportunities, and relationships in my life in ways that I couldn't even imagine. I do think this is a core pillar of looking and feeling truly stylish, so I do hope that you can give yourself permission too if it's something that you've been waiting for. It could simply be starting and committing to one of these things in this video, but as long as you're choosing you and allowing yourself to explore that, I don't think you can choose wrong. You're just on a journey of self-rediscovery, and hey, that's pretty cool. I would love to know what is one thing that you are committing to to improve your style, whether it's one thing from this video or something else. Put what it is for you in the comments below. I will link a video for you here all about different style rules that you can try. This can be a good starting point to build some formulas. I'll also link those other formula videos below too. If you liked these kind of little tips and learnings, then you might enjoy my little learnings newsletter. I send out a new one every single week, and it's filled with different things that I'm learning, experiencing, and experimenting with, so I will put the link for that in the description too. Alright my friends, thank you so much for joining me. If you enjoyed this video, then like and subscribe so I know that you did, and as always, I appreciate you. Take care of yourself, be kind to yourself, and I'll see you soon. Bye!