Spending a lot of money on your clothes and looking rich are not synonyms. Looking expensive has more to do with the level of class and sophistication you portray. Fortunately, for all of us rich girls who are trapped in a (relatively) broke girl’s body, none of those things come with a price tag. It is absolutely possible to look like a bourgeoisie even while sporting a proletariat budget— Here’s what you should know about how to look boujie on a budget.
Tips for Looking Boujie on Budget
Grooming
The most important rule of how to look boujie on a budget is grooming. The great part about this is that it takes little money, just effort. It doesn’t matter how lavish your clothes look, if your overall appearance isn’t put together and up to par, you just wasted a perfectly good outfit.
HAIR-
This will look different for us all since we’re blessed with so many different hair types but hair should always be well groomed and clean. Avoiding crazy and dramatic colors, volumes, and cuts are recommended.
NAILS-
Your nails say a lot about you so make sure it’s sending a good message. At the very least commit to keeping them cleaned and nicely shaped. Don’t let chipped polish or broken nails linger, get them fixed as soon as possible. Also, be mindful of the length and the design. Over the top nails can quickly cheapen your look. Nudes, blushes, and classic colors such as reds, and black are safe go to’s. Lastly, keep the toes covered if you are overdue for a pedi.
UNDERWEAR-
Avoid VPL, or visible panty lines by all means necessary (seamless underwear is your friend). Make sure your bra fits properly, especially in the cup area. Boob spillage may just knock you down a tax bracket.
OVERALL-
Pay attention to details. Make sure your buttons are buttoned correctly, your zippers are properly zipped, and your belt goes through every loop. Pay attention to see that none of your tags or straps are hanging out. For the love of fashion, don’t forget to take the stickers off of your shoes. Finally, make sure your clothes are lint, hair, and stain-free. Yes, that includes deodorant stains. These things cost nothing but can instantly discount you if you miss it.
ALL BLACK EVERYTHING
I don’t care who you are or what you look like, black looks amazing on you! Not only does it make you look extremely high ticketed, but it is also very flattering, sophisticated and adds and air of mystery and intrigue.
Make sure that the blacks are rich and not faded. Play around with different textures and fabrics such as leather, snake skin, satin, etc. Add some dimension by throwing a white shirt layered under black outerwear. Or, spice it up with gold accents such as a gold layered necklace or a black belt with a gold belt buckle. You can even use a red lip or a colored shoe as a statement against your all black ensemble.
MONOCHROMATIC-
All black will always take the cake but any other monochromatic look will also do. This can be all white (if you can manage to not get it dirty), denim on denim, or pick just about any color and find different shades of it to wear.
TUCK IN YOUR SHIRTS
It’s such a simple hack but if you’re wondering how to look boujie on a budget, tucking in your shirts can take an outfit from drab to fab in the blink of an eye. Your outfit will almost ALWAYS look better if you can tuck in your shirt. Think about it: even jeans and a t-shirt looks more elevated if the t-shirt is tucked in. So, tuck in your blouses and don’t forget to add a nice belt to tie the look together.
BALANCE OUT YOUR JEWELRY
When it comes to jewelry, think dainty and in moderation; less is so much more. A simple necklace can go a long way. One or two rings and a sleek bracelet or watch is more than enough. You can never go wrong with studs, they are very classy, especially if they are diamond ones (doesn’t have to be real). Classy dangling earrings are the next best option, and though hoops are a classic, use them with discretion to make a statement.
TRY TURTLENECKS
Turtle necks are a classic. There is just something about a women in a turtle neck that says, ‘I am intelligent, sophisticated, and well off’. Maybe because it lets you be modest while also maintaining a hint of sexiness
CHOOSE THE RIGHT FABRICS
A guide on how to look boujie on a budget would not be complete without the mention of fabrics. Certain fabrics are a lot more effortless than others. It’s way harder to look frumpy in a satin blouse then it is in wool for example. My favorite wardrobe hack is buying a lot of polyester, chiffon, silk, and satin blouses so that even on my worst days no matter what I grab from my closet, I’ll still look elevated. A wardrobe full of only cotton pieces would take a lot more effort to dress up.
IRON/ PRESS YOUR CLOTHES
If you’re a millennial like me you probably have not ironed since the turn of the century but, if you want to look prestigious you will need to start. Ironing and pressing your clothes makes you look much more put together and tailored. You can even get a handheld steamer if you just absolutely cannot bare the thought of pulling out an iron board and ironing.
MODESTY
This is not me trying to preach to you that you need to cover up. I’m also not here to imply that if you do not cover up then you automatically look cheap. I will say though, there is a very thin line between classy and trashy and modesty will almost always have you on the safer side of that line.
When I say modesty, I simply mean choosing to accentuate your assets only at a moderate level. If you are wear something tight, let it not also reveal too much flesh. If you show cleavage, don’t show too much legs and vise versa. You can also opt to show the shoulders and clavicle as it is just as sexy as cleavage, if not sexier. Modesty will show that you have class and imply of your opulence.
K.I.S.S
K.I.S.S stands for Keep it Simple, Stupid. The more you look like you are trying to look rich, the cheaper you will actually look. The key to how to look boujie on a budget is looking for basic canvas pieces with small, unique details that reflect your personal style. For example, you can wear a simple blouse with unique details in the sleeves , pair it with nice trousers, simple pumps and accessorize. Be yourself and incorporate your own personal style but don’t get caught up in too many exaggerated prints, colors, or outlandish trends in one outfit.
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