Christian Dior once said: “Simplicity, good taste, and grooming are the three fundamentals of good dressing and these do not cost money.” Some of us tend to forget about the third one, which undermines the value of the first two. Many can relate to a situation where a beautiful image created by your new shoes is spoiled by a price tag you forgot to peel off.
SmallJoys is here to tell you about 10 deceptively small things about your appearance that can make a bad impression.
1. Faded clothes
A black dress can make even the most average among us look like a queen. But if the fabric looks like it has been washed dozens of times and it’s color is now far from the perfect black it used to be, it will make you look unkempt instead. This doesn’t just apply to black clothes, but to any saturated colors.
- What to do: Wash your bright and black clothes in cold water and don’t tumble dry. To further preserve the color you can add vinegar, black coffee or tea when washing. The most prone to fading are clothes made from flax or acetate, while wool and nylon can preserve their color for longer.
2. Not perfectly white clothes
White, much like black, can have a positive effect on your appearance, but only if it’s perfect. Yellow or grey shades of a once white piece of clothing will make you look messy and dreary. Probably the most unrefined of all are sweat stains on white clothes.
- What to do: Take a new white item of clothing and compare it with all of the white clothes you have. Slight signs of yellowing can be removed by adding hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, or lemon juice when washing whites. However, if the yellow has set in firmly it might be best to just get rid of that piece of clothing.
3. Negligently rolled up sleeves
Well rolled sleeves on clothes will make your image more youthful and dynamic. But sleeves pushed up like an accordion will turn you into the man who’s never worn a button down shirt in his life.
- How to do it right: Unfasten the buttons on the sleeve, straighten and then turn the cuff inside out, making 1-2 turns for the entire width of the cuff. If the fabric on the cuffs on the wrong side differs in color from the main one, you can make an Italian sleeve tuck (see this video from 1:25).
4. Harem pants
Trousers with a low step seam (also called “Harem” pants) don’t raise questions if they are worn by a hip-hop artist or a chracter from a fairy tale. In any other case, these pants just look like an unsuccessful attempt to appear younger or more fashionable.
- What to do: If you can’t just give up wearing these pants, then it would be better to at least wear them with sneakers or sandals. As the top element of the outfit you can use a simple T-shirt or tank.
5. Dandruff on clothes
Traces of dandruff on clothes look absolutely unalluring. When people see this, the only thing they want to do is step back.
- What to do: Dandruff indicates that you are doing something wrong healthwise. Perhaps the skin of your head is too dry, or you don’t take enough of a certain vitamin. A trichologist will help you to figure everything out, until then try not to wear a dark top.
6. Too many accessories
Going over the top with jewelery, especially in combination with bright make-up, can turn even a carefully thought out outfit into something awkward.
- What to do: The Great Coco Chanel advised us to remove the accessory that we put on last, before leaving the house. After all, this is usually the one that turns out to be superfluous.
7. Unkempt beard
A man’s beard, like a woman’s cosmetics, can emphasize the positives and even disguise flaws in your appearance. However, this only works if the growth on the face is neat and well-groomed. A beard, which is not properly cared for will make any member of the opposite sex look homeless. Not to mention, sometimes food gets stuck in it.
- What to do: Give the beard a proper shape, which should be chosen according to your face shape. This should preferably be done in a barbershop. In the future, you can maintain the shape yourself by using a trimmer.
8. Saggy pants
It seems that pictures do a much better job of explaining why you shouldn’t wear jeans or pants this way. These look especially ugly in combination with bad posture.
- What to do: Buy jeans that fit your size, while at the same time trying to avoid styles with a significantly low waistline. To control the position of the spine, try to imagine the first time that someone poured a glass of cold water down your back.
9. Stale make-up
Crumbling mascara, cracked lipstick, badly drawn eyebrows — these and the other effects of wearing make-up for too long can make you look unattractive. In addition, old make-up will make your face look tired.
- What to do: If the make-up has lost its freshness to the point that it’s easily noticeable, the best thing to do is just wash it off. In the future, to make cosmetics last longer, especially on the eyes, use a make-up base. If you don’t have one, then a regular cream will help fix the dark circles.
10. The little things
The devil, as we know, lies in the details. Lipstick on your teeth, a small hole in your dress, a piece of parsley stuck in your teeth — these small things are quickly and easily noticed by people we’ve just met.
- What to do: A simple rule will help to avoid these missteps. Before leaving the house, take a few minutes to critically examine yourself in the mirror. The same should be done after drinking coffee or having a bite to eat.
To understand the value of these tips, just remember your own reactions, for example, to dandruff on someone’s shoulders.