Your complete guide to looking polished and feeling amazing every day, in the skin you’re in.
Since birth, the idea of looking ‘put together’ has been ingrained into my very essence. Born to a former marine corp father and a mother who loved sewing little dresses for herself and her girls, in the evangelical south meant that I was never allowed to leave the house without looking perfectly polished and poised.
I hated getting my hair done every weekend before church or the night before school. I was highly tender-headed as the elders would say, but I’m pretty sure my mom was just strong-handed. My hair was a frizzy, curly, wild “mess” that needed to be tamed.
So, my mom learned from the black women in our community, how to do the hair of her biracial daughters. To this day, I don’t know how she did it, but that woman learned how to braid from the best and made sure that we never looked or felt less than. My mother is a true queen y’all.
And then there were the clothes. Where I loathed the hair part of our weekly grooming ritual, I lived for the clothes!
Putting on pretty dresses, shiny shoes, and even the itchy stockings I didn’t mind. I would love to get all dressed up as a family and see each of us come out, one by one, everyone looking truly fresh and clean, for at least one day out of the week.
My little designer brain loved the cohesion, and how well each of our outfits complimented the other. You knew we all were connected and together just by the way we were dressed to impress. And for a family with parents from two different races, that wasn’t always so apparent to the world.
For me feeling polished is something that brings back fond family memories. I am so thankful that I was taught how to present myself in the best way using whatever means I had–yes, even if you have very little like we did growing up. This has helped me in so many ways throughout my life, especially when it came to my professional life.
A lot of women who may look like me, with wild curly hair and a petite plus-size body, may not believe it’s possible to look polished but I’m here to tell you that it sure is. I’ve been doing it my whole life and the best part is, I haven’t had to change a thing about who I am.
Because accepting yourself, all of yourself, is the first step to achieving a polished, well-groomed, and poised look.
In this article, I’m going to be breaking down, How to Make your Appearance more Polished when you are Short and Plus Size with 10 Simple Steps:
- Get real and decide what’s achievable
- Start with a strong foundation
- Add the right layers
- Focus on the classics
- Fit is key
- Keep it so fresh & so clean
- Choose the right accessories
- Comfortable shoes are a must
- What’s underneath is just as important
- Wear what makes you shine
I’ll also give you some pointers on how to look polished on a budget, offer easy ways to always feel pretty and polished and I’ll be sharing outfit inspiration from one curly-haired, short, and curvy girl to another.
So, let’s dig into it, shall we?
This article is your complete guide on how to look clean, poised, and polished every day.
DISCLOSURE: MORARAE STUDIO IS FUNDED BY MY READERS, SO THANK YOU! ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND EVERYTHING I WRITE IS MEANT TO HELP AND INSPIRE YOU. SOMETIMES I RECOMMEND RESOURCES THAT I THINK WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR YOU USING AFFILIATE LINKS. IF YOU CLICK ONE AND MAKE A PURCHASE, I MAY RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.
How to Look Polished and Poised Every Day
So, What is a Polished Person?
A polished person is someone who is well-groomed carries themselves with confidence and has defined their personal style.
I think everyone has seasons in their life where looking clean and polished is a non-negotiable and other times where they’re lucky if they get to brush their hair for that day. This is completely normal and to be expected. Life is a journey after all so you just do the best you can as you can.
The best part about the tips and tricks I’ll be sharing with you in this guide is that they never go out of style. So, no matter what season you may find yourself in, you can always come back to this resource to help you craft a polished look.
How to Look Polished when Overweight?
I think there’s a common misconception that the only way to look polished and poised is to ‘look like’ a model. And when most people say or think model, they are thinking of a very specific body type that excludes overweight bodies.
Here’s the thing, looking polished has nothing to do with your size and is completely achievable for anyone. Yes, anyone and everyone!
Just think about politicians or military soldiers, they all have different body types and sizes, yet they usually look clean and polished. That’s because they follow a certain dress code and grooming style that helps achieve a polished look for anyone.
My tips in this guide will mimic some of those types of practices but are in no way as rigid or honestly, as outdated.
The first step to looking polished when you are overweight is to embrace the body that you have right now.
Related: 6 Transformative Self-Love Habits to Practice Now
Stop telling yourself that you’ll start dressing better or taking care of yourself more once you look a certain way. Or see a specific weight on the scale. I can tell you from experience, that if you cannot love the body that you have today, it doesn’t matter how much weight you lose.
You won’t love that body either. It’s a mental shift that has to happen where you decide that you are good enough at any size. Because of who you are, not because of what you look like.
The follow-up to embracing your body as it is, is to dress for your body type. If you are on a weight loss journey, that is awesome. But you still are a person who needs to live your life, right now.
So by embracing the body that you have now, you should also dress for the body that you have now. Stop living in leggings and oversized t-shirts, hoping to hide your body. None of those things are helping you to see the beauty in who you are today.
You deserve to feel confident at every size. That’s why I’m here, to help women with bodies like mine to see that it’s ok to feel beautiful and to look good, even when you are petite and plus-size.
I’ve written a guide on what to wear when you have short and thick legs that you might enjoy. As well as the top fashion staples that help me to always look polished and put together, even when I’m not feeling my best.
Follow the guidance in this post and in my other petite plus style guides to never have to worry about your weight stopping you from looking polished and poised again.
How do I Look Put Together and Classy? (10 Simple Steps)
Step 1: Get real and decide what’s achievable for your day-to-day life.
Life can be a struggle sometimes, so getting dressed should not add another layer of stress to your day. That’s why my first step for you is to assess your current situation.
What does your daily schedule look like right now? What are the things that are demanding your time?
Perhaps if you are a new mom who is trying to find the balance between motherhood and getting back to work, looking polished might not be at the top of your list but you know it’s still very important.
Or maybe you’ve been working from home for the past couple of years, like many of us. And now you have to return to an office setting where going to meetings in last night’s pajamas and a three-day-old messy bun are not acceptable.
The time that a new mother has in the morning for herself is probably going to be very limited compared to the single woman who’s been working from home and just hasn’t been required to spend the time to get herself together.
Both of them need and deserve to spend time on themselves to not only look polished but to feel good about themselves.
Related: A Year of Being, A Simple Strategy I’m Taking to Level Up & Love Myself More
So, they need to really assess their time, resources, and expectations for their daily look. This way, they can find what’s most achievable for their current situation.
Now think about your daily life:
- Where are you going every day?
- What kind of time do you have available to get dressed in the morning?
- How do you want to look and feel, regardless of what the demands of the day are?
When you are assessing your daily routine, remember to be realistic and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. There’s no perfect way to look polished and it will take some time to develop the best routine for your life, but you’ll get there.
Step 2: Start with a strong foundation.
What is a strong foundation, you may be wondering? A strong foundation is talking about basic items in your wardrobe.
Everyone needs to have a good core baseline of items that can be easily paired together to create a cohesive look, every day. These are things you may have heard of called basics, staples, or essentials.
When you are short and curvy, like me, building a foundation of elevated basics can really help you to embrace the shape you have and put together go-to outfits that you know will always make you shine.
Related: The 5 Best Top Styles for Petite Plus Size
These are the foundation pieces that you’re going to want to have in your wardrobe to always look polished:
- Simple t-shirts and tank tops with open necklines. I prefer v-necks but a scoop neck could also work well if that’s more your style.
- Straight-leg pants or jeans with the right inseam for your frame. Check out my guide to the best pants for petite plus size to find the correct inseam for you.
- Light blazers or cardigans with a cropped fit to accentuate and define your natural waistline.
- Button-down shirts with the right fit to stay buttoned all day, even if you have a large bust like me. Finding button-down shirts that don’t pop open in the middle of an interview or presentation has been a challenge for me over the years. Here are a few of the styles that have worked well for me. You can take a deeper dive into the best top styles for your body type by reading this article.
Watch: I’m 5’2 and Plus Size, These are the 5 Fashion Staples that I cannot Live Without
Step 3: Add the right layers by choosing structured pieces.
A structured layering piece includes blazers, jackets, and coats that are of nice quality and fit you well.
When it comes to blazers and jackets, sticking to a cropped fit can help with the proportions of your body. Because you are short and plus size, a jacket that stops at your belly button or just a few inches below it is the most flattering for your overall shape.
I created this simple guide if you want more insight into the best jacket styles for your body type.
For coats, the only thing to remember is don’t go too long or too bulky. When you’re body has curves and beautiful lumps and bumps, we don’t want to add another layer of bulk with really heavy coats. So, I tend to stay away from puffer coats but love a well-tailored trench coat.
And for all types of blazers, jackets, and coats, remember that padded shoulders are not your friend. If you see crazy shoulder pads, just walk away, trust me.
Step 4: Focus on the classics, not trends.
I love following trends and find so much inspiration in what people are drawn to from season to season. But, I’ve never been someone to just hop on a trend because everyone else is doing it.
For instance, when I was in middle school and everyone was leaning either goth or preppy, I found my own style which I would call middle school chic haha I was wearing kitten heels and blazers with too many accessories and wide-leg trousers. I stuck out of the crowd, that’s for sure but it was what made me feel comfortable and empowered at the time.
I took elements from the trends around me and combined them into something that was uniquely me and made me feel good in my skin, even at an age where all I did was hate my body. Finding my personal style helped me to start the long journey to fully embracing what I look like.
You can do the same things as well by enjoying trends but not betting your entire wardrobe on them. You want to use trends as a guideline to find out what you like, and what inspires you. Especially if you’ve never really taken the time to think about things like that.
Once you start to find patterns in the trends that you like, you can start to build your own look. I’ve got a few tips to help you start this process and to help you to reign in your style if you find yourself inspired by too many trends.
Color Palette
When it comes to colors, stick to a simple palette. Simple does not mean neutral, although that is one way to effortlessly create a polished look.
Think about colors that make you feel powerful and build from there. I like to have a balance of neutrals and a few pops of color. For me, that means I’ll always have a steady base of white and black pieces because those are my favorite neutrals.
Then I have a deep appreciation for reds, pinks, and greens, so depending on the time of year, I have a variety of those colors in rotation as well. For me, that’s a color palette of around five colors, two neutrals, and three pops of color.
If you love all neutrals and maybe have just one favorite color, then your palette may look more like brown, black, white, grey, and blue. It’s really up to you but by keeping it simple with a max of 3 to 5 colors, you’ll make it easier to build cohesive looks every day.
Examples of Polished Color Palettes:
Print & Pattern
Now, let’s talk about print and pattern. The same rules apply when it comes to print and pattern as the color palette above.
You want to keep it simple and not overwhelm your frame with loud prints. As people with short and curvy body types, smaller-scale patterns without too many colors are the most flattering on us.
I’ve always been a fan of stripes and cheetah or leopard print, regardless if they’re on trend or not. So, I have a steady mix of both these prints in my wardrobe at all times of the year.
Some people love print and pattern and some don’t. Take time to think about some that you might love and try to focus on your top two favorites to add to your wardrobe.
By sticking to just a couple, you will make it easier to put together outfits from day to day. It’s a good idea to choose patterns that will work well with your color palette and that are fairly classic and seasonless.
Meaning, if you can wear it in the spring, you can also wear it in the fall, make sense?
Watch: 10 Style MISTAKES To Avoid When You’re Short (like me)
Classic vs Trendy
The last note to remember is to always focus on classic styles vs trendy styles. Classic styles are things like the foundation pieces we talked about earlier. These are pieces of clothing that you can always find readily available because they are true essentials.
Unlike highly trendy styles, such as over-exaggerated bell bottoms or oversized faux fur coats. Some people may have these as part of their everyday wardrobe, but I think most of us prefer to keep it a little more simple and easy.
When you focus on building a wardrobe with classic silhouettes, that you know will always work for your body and stick with your color palette and signature prints, it makes shopping so much easier.
You no longer have to feel like you’re paralyzed if you walk into a store or see something online that doesn’t fit into your polished go-to collection. You can pass by things that don’t make sense for you or you can try out trendy styles without feeling like you need to overhaul your entire wardrobe from season to season.
It makes life easier and getting dressed everyday fun when you know that what you’re about to put on will make you look amazing and feel like the badass polished goddess that you are.
Step 5: Fit is key.
Now that you know what to focus on when building your polished wardrobe, the next thing to remember is to find the best fit for your go-to classic styles.
I rarely list this first fit tip in my style guides because I think it’s the least accessible way to find the best fit but I want this article to be the most helpful for you. So, I’ll just say this, tailor, when needed.
When you’re petite, the most thrown-out there fashion and style advice is to find a good tailor. Honestly, everyone should find a good tailor but let’s be real, most people don’t have the time or finances for that.
If you find that you do have the means, invest in getting pieces tailored especially if you already have a wardrobe of styles that are great but maybe the fit is off because you’ve lost weight or have wear and tear damage that a good seamstress or tailor can help to fix.
The second tip to finding the best fit is the most accessible to anyone: Wear clothes that suit the body you have, not the one you want. I know, so simple but so scary.
Most people, women especially, don’t dress for the body they have. This means you have clothes hanging up in your closet that are three sizes too small but you’re still holding onto them because you feel like you need them to motivate you to lose weight.
I’m not knocking this approach, if it works for you and truly motivates and inspires you, do what you need to do.
But, if you’re like me and see that smaller size of pants in your closet for three years and you still don’t fit into them again, it can be very disheartening and make you feel bad every day.
That’s not what clothes should do. They’re just fabric, we give them meaning by assigning goals to them. No, stop that. Wear what looks good on you now.
If the pants don’t fit, girl go get the size that does fit. Who cares what it is, you deserve to feel good and look good, no matter what size you are.
And if you are on a journey to lose weight, that doesn’t mean that you cannot celebrate yourself every step and size of the way.
Lastly, as petite plus-size babes, wearing tops that are too long or baggy can camouflage our shape and make us look larger than we are.
So, you need to master and embrace the french tuck or truly, any type of tuck. As petite body types, our waistline needs to be highlighted.
This happens by wearing high-waisted pants and cropped cut tops. Now, not all of us enjoy a cropped top, so what should you do when every shirt you own hangs well past your waist and hip line? Tuck it in babe or add a belt. I know it sounds too easy but it’s true.
I’ve always hated the idea of tucking in my shirt and avoided it for years. But I’ve been experimenting with this style trick for almost a year now and I’m here to tell you, it really helps to elevate an everyday look.
If you’re like me and hate a tucked-in shirt, it may be that you’ve been doing a full tuck-in. Instead, try a french tuck or a half-tucked-in shirt. This is the style that I find most flattering for my body.
If you’ve tried all the different varieties of tucked-in shirts and still hate them all, try adding a belt. When you add a belt to an oversized or too-long shirt, it adds definition to your torso and instantly creates a polished chic look.
Step 6: Keep it so fresh & so clean.
Once you have your polished wardrobe curated, you’re going to want to keep everything looking crisp and clean. It’s not very often that you can look polished and put together when you’re clothes are so wrinkled or dirty that it looks like you just rolled out of bed. No ma’am.
It can take a long time to find the perfect styles that make you look and feel good, so don’t sabotage yourself by ignoring the details of a polished look.
Focus on keeping your clothes crisp and clean, as best you can. If you have the time, turn on the iron or plug in the steamer and press your clothes to remove wrinkles.
If you’re a pet owner like me, grab that lint roller girl and get that dog or cat hair off of your clothes as much as possible before heading out into the world. All of these little steps work together to create a clean and polished look.
Lazy Girl Style Tip: If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to iron every day, throw your wrinkled clothing in the dryer with a damp washcloth for a few minutes. The steam released from the damp cloth will help to gently remove the wrinkles from your clothes. I usually put it on medium to regular heat and leave them in there for 5-10 minutes while I’m finishing up my hair or makeup.
Lastly, remove stains as soon as they happen. This is the best way to ensure the stain will be removed completely. It’s amazing how fast you can get a red wine stain out of a white blouse if you tackle it as soon as it happens.
Some people swear by those stain remover sticks, I haven’t used them personally so I can’t speak to that. I’m also cheap haha so instead, I just grab a napkin or towel, dab it in some water and get to scrubbing. This usually works as long as I do it before the stain has time to really set in.
If you can’t tackle the stain as soon as it happens, just make sure to use stain remover techniques when doing your laundry. I’m not a fan of a lot of harsh chemicals and have skin sensitivities so I tend to use natural hacks like white vinegar and baking soda to remove harsh stains or as I said before, I do my best to tackle the stain when it happens.
Step 7: Choose the right accessories.
When it comes to accessories, this is where a polished outfit can be completed or turned into a tacky disaster. The best way to complete your polished look is with simple jewelry and accessories.
For petite plus-size babes like us, dainty and minimal accessories are key. We are petite so it’s best to keep our jewelry and purses petite as well. The thing to remember is that we don’t want anything that’s going to overwhelm our frame or add an extra layer of bulk to our bodies.
For jewelry, delicate and smaller-scale pieces are always a good idea. I personally always wear a simple chain necklace that has sentimental meaning to me, my wedding ring and then I like to have fun with earrings.
I tend to stick to my color palette and add a pop of color or fun with earrings, I find it gives my polished look a unique edge that is personal to me. People always know that Sharae will have a fun pair of earrings on.
Think about what your favorite type of jewelry or accessory is. If you love purses, let that be the star accessory and keep everything else minimal. These small decisions go a long way to finishing your polished look.
Step 8: Comfortable shoes are a must.
When it comes to shoes, I always say, choose comfort over style. If your feet hurt, it doesn’t matter what you are wearing because you won’t be able to walk and live your life.
The best shoes for a polished look when you are short and plus size, are closed-toe, with a pointy tip. If you stick with this simple guideline, you’ll always look chic and put together. This tip works for heels or flats.
Avoid chunky shoes, they will make you look shorter and rarely add a layer of sophistication to a polished look.
Step 9: What’s underneath is just as important.
Now that we’ve covered the essentials, let’s talk about undergarments, shall we?
Underwear
When you are short and plus size, it’s pivotal to wear the right underwear. If you have a fupa, muffin-top or large midsection, low-rise, skintight underwear is not going to do you any favors my love.
Just like how mid-rise and high-rise pants are the best pant style for us, that same rule applies to underwear. So, keep that in mind on your next panty run.
Whether you like thongs, boy shorts, or bikini style, if you pick a mid-rise or high-rise style, you’ll have better control and comfort in your belly area.
Bras
Next, you need to find the perfect bra which I know, can be a challenge. I’m still technically searching for the perfect bra but I can tell you that if you have a larger chest, Cacique and Soma have been where I’ve had the best luck. I like to have a good supportive underwire bra and a wireless bra.
They both come in handy for different occasions and provide enough support that my back is not in pain at the end of the day. Remember when you’re choosing a bra that fits you best, you need to get the right cup size and band size.
I have a large bust and wide back, so it’s crucial for me to not skimp on either size when bra hunting. But it’s also hard to find a bra that has the right cup and band size combination for me. So, I know this part isn’t always fun but try out some of the brands I suggested and maybe you’ll find one that works for you.
Shapewear
Lastly, use shapewear if it’s comfortable for you. I personally despise shapewear. Not that it doesn’t work well, it certainly does but I hate feeling restricted by my clothing–probably has something to do with my claustrophobia!
I love fashion but when I wear shapewear, it makes me hate clothes and ultimately makes me start hating my body again.
If you enjoy wearing shapewear and it lifts your confidence, by all means, keep wearing it. But just know that when you follow the advice laid out in this guide and on this website, shapewear becomes completely optional because you are wearing clothing to suit the body that you have, not the one that you wish you had.
Step 10: Get Dressed for Yourself & Wear what Makes you Shine.
The final step to looking polished and put together is to remember that you’re getting dressed for yourself, not for anyone else.
Style is personal and should be seen as a form of self-care. When you look good, you feel good.
This is why I believe there should be no gatekeeping when it comes to fashion–hence why I’m here, creating this content specifically for you my friend 🙂.
Everyone has the opportunity to look amazing when they dress for their body type. This comes from changing your perspective from body-shaming yourself to embracing and celebrating what makes you unique.
Related: Self-Love Meaning and Why You Need to Love Yourself First
I also always say, to choose comfort over fashion, you’re the one wearing it after all. This is the part where that old cliche “beauty is pain” is so outdated in my opinion. My beauty has nothing to do with pain.
This is why I love creating these style guides to help other women with similar body types see that they can build an entire wardrobe that fully embraces who they are without sacrificing comfort for style.
Don’t be afraid to try something new & step outside your comfort zone. I hope that this guide and all of the advice laid out on this website will be used as that, guides. Meant to help give you a solid foundation to build off.
When you’ve lived your whole life telling yourself that your body is ugly and that you’ll never be enough until you see a certain number on a scale, you start believing that you can’t wear anything and feel beautiful. The truth is, we all are beautiful. As corny as that sounds, it’s true.
Beauty is internal, and the way we express our beauty is where fashion and style come in. Style guides help you to start to change your perspective, and once you’ve done that, you’re able to take more chances and try new things. This is where the fun truly begins.
Finally, ditch any rules that don’t work for you. I never want to over-simplify or wrap all petite plus-size women into one box.
Everybody is different and beautiful. So, if there are any ‘rules’ laid out here that don’t vibe with you, leave them. Take what works for you and leave the rest, my friend.
How to Look Polished on a Budget?
The best way to look polished when you’ve got a smaller budget is to take care of what you already have. You can do this by:
- Looking after your knitwear, trim and shave any loose strings or pilling that starts to build up from wear and tear.
- Clean your shoes, this one’s pretty straightforward. If you have scuffs, dirt, and stains, grab a toothbrush or an old washcloth and put in a little elbow grease to make those babies shine again. You can also invest in some shoe organizers to keep them from getting ruined in a large pile at the back of your closet.
- Say goodbye to pet hair, dander, lint, and anything else that shouldn’t be hanging around on your clothes. A lint roller or small hand vacuum can help you here.
- Keep your bags and purses in good condition by wiping them down, vacuuming them out, and removing any stains or smudges.
- If you wear scarves, keep them crisp and clean by throwing them in the laundry. This is one item that often can go unwashed for a long time without even realizing it!
Jewelry, keep it cleaned & taken care of. If you have expensive, quality jewelry like wedding rings or family heirlooms, keep them clean and polished by using a good jewelry cleaner.
How to Always Look Pretty and Polished?
Take Care of Yourself by Practicing Self-Care & Good Grooming
Tip #1: Choose Skincare over makeup, and follow a minimal makeup routine
Use makeup to elevate your beauty, not as a mask. I’ve just started to build my skincare routine more over the last couple of years.
I was never a big everyday makeup fan so switching to a skincare baseline was easy for me. Right now I’m keeping it simple with a good cleanser (technically for men but I love it!), chemical SPF, and moisturizer. I follow this up with make-up that matches the demands of the day.
If I’m doing a Youtube video or photoshoot, I’m usually adding a full face of makeup. While, if I’m home all day, writing and researching, I just stick with my skincare and let my face breathe.
Find the right balance for you but keep it simple because an effortless look creates a more polished & stress-free you at the end of the day.
Tip #2: How to look polished with curly hair?
Establish a go-to hairstyle for your curls. This starts by learning how to properly take care of your hair and using the right products for your curly hair type. It’s taken me literally years to find the right mix of products and hairstyles. Let me know in the comments if you’d like a full post on how to care for your curly hair!
Embrace the hair you have & find a style that works for you. Growing up, I always straightened my hair because I didn’t think my curls looked pretty.
No one around me had hair like mine, besides my sisters so we all thought we needed to tame it and slick it back. I was in my teen years and entering college when the natural hair movement really took off for black women.
It was so refreshing to see other women who looked like me with hair like mine show how they were embracing what they were born with. I learned to say no to perms and other harsh chemicals, to choose natural ingredients and just overall how to care for the hair I have. It was and is, truly revolutionary.
If you’re a curly-haired babe like myself, I hope you realize your curls are not holding you back from achieving a polished look. Don’t let anyone out there tell you any different.
Tip #3: Confidence is everything
The number one way for you to look and feel pretty and polished every day is so easy and it’s free! Just practice good posture and learn to walk with confidence.
Even when you don’t feel confident, fake it until you actually do. You do this by walking with your head held high, and shoulders back, standing with a strong powerful stance, and not shrinking when other people walk into the room.
All of these things are hard adjustments, and I 10000000% understand.
I’m an empathetic introvert who’s become more socially awkward in my 30s than I was as a teenager because I’ve been working from home for almost four years now!
But, I still practice holding myself with confidence and power when I go out into the world. Even if it’s just a grocery store run.
I put on a polished and comfortable, everyday outfit, with my curly hair in one of my favorite styles, and hold my head high.
Some days the energy on the inside matches the appearance on the outside. Some days it doesn’t, and that’s ok.
The transformation happens in the practice, in the intention. I intend to feel confident, so every small step in that direction, helps me to get there.
Tip #4: Drink more water and less caffeine, staying hydrated is not only good for your appearance but it keeps you healthy
When you’re healthy it’s a lot easier to get yourself together every day. I personally know that many of these steps laid out in this post are completely impossible when you are not feeling well. I have an invisible battle happening inside of me daily because of my PCOS.
Sometimes I physically cannot get out of bed because of the fatigue and pain I’m in. On those days, I’m not worried about how I look, I’m worried about surviving.
So, take your time. We are all battling different things, especially when it comes to our health, physical, mental, and emotional. At the end of the day, take care of yourself as best you can with what means you have.
That’s all we can do. If you feel good enough to get dressed today, you’ll know where to come to get some inspiration and advice my friend–hint, it’s right here 🙂
Tip #5: Don’t wear too much perfume, it’s not good for you or the environment
Perfumes can be a nice touch to finish off a pretty and polished look. No woman I know wants to be known as someone who smells bad but there’s a fine line between a light hint of perfume and someone who’s doused themselves from head to toe in synthetic scents.
Keep a light hand when applying perfume and try to stick to natural scents as much as possible. I personally love using Skylar perfumes, they are clean, light and have so many great scent options.
Tip #6: Keep yourself well-trimmed and groomed aka take care of YOU
Nail Care
If you enjoy getting manicures or pedicures, invest in that. You don’t need to do anything extravagant though. Having well-trimmed, cleaned nails or removing chipped fingernail paint can go a long way when it comes to nail care.
Dental Care
Clean your teeth and visit the dentist regularly. I’ve always had a terrible relationship with the dentist, so I’m preaching to the choir here. But I have learned over the years how to take proper care of my teeth.
I’ve invested in things like an electric toothbrush and Waterpik to help me keep my teeth in tip-top shape. But of course, nothing will help if you don’t visit the dentist regularly and stop eating and drinking things that are damaging to your teeth.
Facial Hair
Now to talk about the uncomfortable grooming topic for women, facial hair. I have PCOS, as mentioned earlier, so I’ve been battling facial hair from the age of eight years old.
Yup, little eight-year-old me was running around on the playground during recess the first time I was confronted about having facial hair as a girl. Some little bastard pointed out my mustache while I was just trying to enjoy the jungle gym -_-
From then on, I’ve been on a journey to keep my facial hair at bay. There are many different methods to help with this, from tweezing, shaving, waxing, and full-blown laser treatments.
I have not graduated to waxing or laser treatments, mostly because, again, I’m cheap haha but I have found that this little handheld shaver has been a mustache killer for me over the years.
If you have any suggestions please let me know in the comments, I’m always on the lookout for ways to better maintain my situation as well!
Tip #7: Finally, you will Always look Pretty and Polished when you Carry Yourself Well
- Don’t forget who you are, on the inside. Stay true to yourself and you’ll always look good.
- To be on time is to be late, to be early is to be on time. Be responsible and considerate of other people’s time and you’re own. We live in a time where people think it’s ok to be flaky and where we’ve all agreed to ghost each other.
- Try sticking to your word, showing up for people when you say you will, and showing up for yourself. It’s a great way to live.
- Practice gratitude, if you’re able to read this article right now, you have a level of privilege that many people in this world do not. Be grateful for what you have, who you are, and how far you’ve come.
- Speak well of yourself and of others. Stop gossiping and spending your time worried about what is happening in other people’s lives. What’s going on in your life? Focus on yourself, and speak words that bring light, not darkness.
- Remember that the golden rule is golden for a reason, kindness goes a long way. I like to follow the rose golden rule myself–yes, I just made that up–when you’re kind to yourself first, you’ll naturally be kind to others.
5 Easy Classic & Polished Outfits for Short & Curvy Women
These are a few of my go-to outfits when I want to look effortlessly put together. I always choose comfort over everything, so my baseline style vibe is casual.
As you can see, I love wearing straight-leg pants and having fun with light layers to help polish my look. Take some inspiration from what I’m showing here and see what outfits you can come up with 🙂
Related: Clothing for Short Curvy Women, The MoraRae Story
Remember that style is a form of self-care. There’s something truly transformative about taking the time each day to put yourself together.
I know it can be hard as you get older, you’re dealing with a lot more stressors, and health concerns and you’re body is just different. Trust me, I get it.
I invite you to embrace the change though. Embrace that your body may not be what it once was but know that it will always be yours.
It will carry you through every season of your life and it deserves to be celebrated and loved, every step of the way.
You can look polished and put together, even if you are overweight, with crazy curly hair and a small budget. Follow the steps laid out here and let me know in the comments if you’ve started to put any into practice.
I’m so thankful to have you here and hope you gained something of value from this guide.
This is your complete guide on how to look polished and clean when you are petite and plus size.
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