You know those women who always look good no matter what, always put together - you won't catch them in sweats at the supermarket. They do a few things that keep them looking polished and confident. And the best part is, you can implement these 5 tips too without spending a dime. 

1. Dress for the life you have

Your closet should reflect the life you truly have today. Sure, a few pieces here and there for your fantasy self is fine but 90-95% of your clothes should be working for you right now. Those high heels sitting in the back of your closet collecting dust, yeah those, maybe it's time to sell them and treat yourself to something better you can actually use. 

I had to stop myself from buying the CUTEST pair of clogs the other day because, well, I have a toddler to chase after and those clogs just won't cut it at the park. As tempting as they (still) are, I know they won't work hard for me in this stage of my life. Maybe in the future...

2. Know your go-to colors

I am not talking about your seasonal color palette here, so please don't go out and throw away your butter yellow top because you found out you're a Deep Autumn and pale colors don't work for you!  

I'm talking about those colors that make you feel good instinctively. You probably are thinking of them right now. Well, lean into that feeling and follow what your heart says. 

Tip: pick 3-4 colors that you know are 100% you and play around with color palettes using your top colors as a base. 

3. Quality control

Take your time, inspect the garment - seams, buttons, material, care label. Familiarize yourself with basic sewing construction, the touch of fabrics, and your laundering habits -how will the garment will hold up after the 3rd wash?

If you are shopping online, look at the product description, zoom in on photos (good brands will provide details shots), check out some reviews.

4. Always be comfortable 

This seems like a duh, but worth mentioning. When you are fidgeting with your clothing, they way you carry yourself changes and people can see that. You don't want to be limping around cause you have blisters from a pair of adorable gold flats that looked promising in the photos but rub the back of your ankle, so you end up buying some cheap plastic sandals at the corner store cause you can't take it anymore!! Not speaking from experience. 

When shopping online, you don't have the luxury of trying things on. But, what you can do is, once again, look at some reviews. If multiple people complain about the same issue, then it probably will be an issue for you as well. 

5. Know yourself 

This comes with a ton of practice and the benefit of age. With time, you learn what you like, the styles that are flattering for you, the way you like to present yourself, the materials that drape you beautifully, and most importantly what DOESN'T. 

I am at that stage in my personal style journey that when a ~new~ trend comes along, I already know if it's for me because I have seen it and maybe even tried it before. I even gather inspiration from a past Dre, which is pretty cool. So, if you are new in your journey, don't worry this will all become clear to you with time and tons of experimentation. If you are a little further along, follow your instincts, they are usually right. 

That's all for this time.  

TTFN, 

Dre