Five Styling Tips that Fashionable People Do Regularly
And they have nothing to do with clothes.
This past week I had my very first Cedar Street Studio photoshoot. It was a super exciting and feels like a milestone for my business that I will look back on fondly as a big turning point. I’ve been shifting a lot of focus this year into growing my own brand, and investing more into my business and I’m excited to show you guys what I’ve been working on!
But until then, here some of my best practices as a stylist that might not be as obvious to those outside of the fashion/retail world.
Invest in a steamer.
There is no shop at the mall, stylist, or fashion pro that does not own a steamer. All retail associates will steam at some point in their retail career as most brands require their shipment to be steamed before it hits the sales floor. The reason it looks so appealing in the store is because someone took the time to steam the garment before you tried it on. This is a critical retail best practice that you should be implementing in your daily wardrobe. Different from an iron, which is best for sheets or starched shirts, a steamer is delicate and easy to use on all fabrics. I own this steamer and can promise you, ordering it is a no-brainer.
One of the reasons my dress looks so nice here is because I steamed it to perfection so that it would fall nicely and photograph well.
Proper undergarments.
I know this one might seem obvious but so many people don’t prioritize quality underwear or bras. Having the right bra can literally make or break a shirt, and underwear that doesn’t show through your trousers is a non negotiable. These are my favorites: a mesh underwire bra, a triangle bralette, full rise briefs. I love the mesh underwire under all my button ups because a little peak of it is a bit sexy but also totally practical and non inappropriate since it’s full coverage and black. The triangle bralette looks fantastic under t-shirts and the full rise briefs suck me in while covering my delicate excess belly skin from my jeans. I’ve also just recently discovered the perfect white tank that is SO GOOD that I’ve already re-ordered twice.
Well kept nails.
One of my biggest icks is chipped nails or unkempt nails. It’s sooo rare that you’ll see a fashion person with nails that are a mess. It’s part of your look and if they are not kept up with, then they will work against you looking fully put together. If manicured nails are not in your budget, than I fully suggest well groomed natural nails with a quick layer of fast drying clear. My boss when I was a young and impressionable merchant, used to wear two coats of a very pale pink each day. It was so subtle it almost looked as if she wasn’t wearing anything but as you would approach closer, it was obvious she had manicured nails with a clear almost translucent pale pink coat. Considering her audience and the C-suite she was presenting to every day, it was no surprise she kept up with her nails. People notice your nails, trust me on this. I took that as an indirect lesson from my boss back in my early career.
My current fave for my nails right now is OPI Baby, Take a Vow and OPI It's a Boy.
Take it from me, a fresh manicure can do wonders for your mental state since we see our hands all day long.
Managed hair.
Fashionable people have a quick hairstyle they can employ when they need to be sure they look put together. For many years, my go to was a low back, middle part, slicked down into a bun. Now my evolved version of the look is a slicked back twist into a big claw clip because yay! for claw clips being cool again. Regardless, both those hairstyles look incredibly chic and take me less than 90 seconds to execute. I also know how to make my blowouts last 5+ days so that my hair looks fully done for most of the week. And I get regular trims because split ends aren’t fashionable either.
The point is: just like my nails, my hair is well maintained. I get regular trims, regular gray touch ups and have mastered how to do enough looks on myself that I even forewent a proper blow out for the shoot this week.
Nothing is more fashionable than a fresh blowout.
Pre determined looks.
Part of being consistently fashionable, is building in the time to *think* about fashion. For me, it’s second nature to strategize outfits so I like to think about clothes quite a bit (I literally made a career out of it). But on a more practical level, I map out any and all important outfits that coincide with our family calendar. That way I know exactly what I’m going to wear before the decision making fatigue sets in.
The easiest way to start doing this is to document any and all looks that you feel good in. If you’re loving your outfit, snap a pic in the mirror. Then categorize those looks into their own folder. Title it something simple like “outfit ideas”. Screen grab and/or download images from Pinterest or IG or TikTok also into a different album titled “outfit inspo” and then start to notice themes among the two folders. Reference both folders on a regular basis to help you outfit plan, shop, and edit.
From there, once you have something you need to get dressed for you’ll have an easy place to start. Many fashionable people have a "*formula* they use when they are feeling tired, or burnt out or whatever. And the way they nail down their specific formula is by doing the above exercise.
My go to outfit formula: Button up and jeans with ample accessories. Just missing my sweater over the shoulders in colder temps.
Sneak peek of the looks we shot for the upcoming collab between myself and .
Drop a comment below if you want any more stylist tips and tricks! I have three more good ones that didn’t make this list!
xx Kate