Shadowing Practice: How to LOOK EXPENSIVE (even on a broke girl budget) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

You don't need a closet full of designer labels to look expensive.

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You don't need a closet full of designer labels to look expensive.

Honestly, it's way more about how you put yourself together and a few details that most people overlook.

So in today's video, we're talking about real practical ways to look more expensive even if you're on a budget.

We're talking wardrobe, grooming, accessories, the whole vibe.

So this is your no gatekeeping guide to becoming the woman

who looks like she has her life together even on the days that you don't.

Hey friend, welcome back.

If you're new here, my name's Jill and I help women step into their power,

tap into their divine feminine,

and become their best self, live their best life.

So if that's something you want to do,

you should subscribe and stick around.

But before we dive in,

I just want to invite you to join my new weekly newsletter.

It's called the Dream Life Digest,

and it drops in your email every Tuesday, and it's totally free.

And it's where I share mindset tips,

manifestation magic, soft life, feminine energy vibes.

And it's a little bit more personal.

It's a little bit more behind the scenes.

So if you want to get in on that and join the inner circle,

the link for that is down below in the description.

All right, so today we're going to talk about how to look expensive and elegant even on a budget.

So we're going to break down this video into five different parts,

like five different categories, and I'll walk you through the simple shifts

that actually make a difference from what you wear to how you style yourself to just the little things

that elevate your entire presence.

But before we dive in,

I just want to say that you don't have to look expensive, okay?

You should wear and look however you want.

It's just that a lot of people like to look expensive.

It makes them feel good.

It makes them feel abundant.

It makes them feel powerful.

Okay, so no, you don't have to look expensive to be better or,

you know, be worthy or whatever.

But if you would like to look more expensive,

then this video is for you.

So let's dive in.

So we're going to break this down by category.

And we're going to first start with style principles.

You don't need a full designer wardrobe to look expensive.

You just have to make intentional choices.

So first go for timeless over trendy.

Trendy pieces can feel fun,

but most of them don't really age well and most of them don't really make you look more elevated and more expensive.

You know, you wear them a few times and suddenly they start to feel a little bit meh,

but timeless pieces on the other hand, they are timeless.

They never go out of style and they just work.

You know, you can pull them out year after year and they still look good.

So think things like clean lines,

maybe neutral colors, good fabrics, classic silhouettes.

Even if it's not an expensive item,

timeless pieces tend to look more expensive.

Now next, dress for your body.

You don't need to force a trend that doesn't flatter you just because it's everywhere.

Having an elevated style and an expensive style means that you know what actually works for you,

what actually fits well on you,

what silhouettes actually look nice on you and flatter you and bring out your features.

The best dressed women wear what suits them,

not just what's popular, right?

Like if wide leg jeans make you look sloppy and don't make you feel very good,

but straight leg jeans look great on your legs, your silhouette.

It makes you look snatched.

Go with what looks good.

Go with what makes you feel confident.

You will always look like your best self.

You will always look more expensive when you wear something that actually flatters and fits you, right?

It'll look more polished.

It'll look more tailored.

Looking expensive is not just about the clothes that you wear.

It's how you look wearing the clothes.

So skip the trends that fight against you and your shape,

and it's just not worth the money.

Don't waste your money on it.

Next is to invest in elevated essentials.

One of the easiest ways to look expensive

and elevate your wardrobe without spending a ton is to stop buying 50 random pieces

and instead just buy a few intentional items that really up the game for you.

It's that whole less but better philosophy.

Because the truth is, is that people who always look put together,

they often tend to wear the same things over and over again.

A great pair of pants,

a quality bag, a perfect fitting coat.

You do not need to have a massive wardrobe.

It's just about having the right things.

You do not need like 15 types of coats.

You just need one or two that's really good.

Ones that are high quality that you can wear a lot that are versatile.

Like if you just wear a basic outfit,

jeans and a white t-shirt,

but the jeans actually fit you well.

And the white t-shirt is not just like five dollars from Amazon,

but it's something that is actually made well and it's not see-through.

And then you add in one nice piece like a structured blazer or a really nice bag or great classic shoes.

They don't even have to be expensive.

Suddenly the whole look looks very thoughtful, very elevated, very intentional.

That is the power of good essentials, right?

They're versatile.

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You can wear them a lot and they make your entire outfit just look better.

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So instead of buying a bunch of random stuff.

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Start building your wardrobe around a few pieces that are higher quality

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that you actually love and that can go with a lot of different things.

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Whether this is clothes or outerwear or shoes or accessories.

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Personally, I've reached the point where I want fewer things but better things.

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You know what I mean?

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Like for example, one beautiful bag that can elevate your entire outfit.

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Which brings me to the bag that I have been obsessed with lately,

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the Songmont Luna Bag.

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This video is kindly sponsored by Songmont,

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but this bag is honestly one of the most thoughtfully designed bags that I have ever owned.

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The shape was inspired by the moon,

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which I love, very feminine energy vibes,

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but Songmok just makes high quality, beautiful bags.

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So I have the regular medium-sized Luna bag,

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but this comes in a smaller and larger version too.

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And I'm excited to show you this.

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One thing that is super unique about this bag is that you can transform it into four different silhouettes.

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So the strap has this really smooth magnetic connection that lets you switch between wearing it as a shoulder bag,

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a crossbody, or two different types of handheld styles depending on the vibe that you're going for.

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But besides all the versatility,

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it is also very high quality.

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It's made from milled fine calf leather that's soft and luxe

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and it has a nice grain on the leather and it's also still super durable.

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And the hardware is fade resistant so it's not going to tarnish and cheapen your whole outfit.

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So the quality and versatility of this bag make it worth the price.

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I got it in this gorgeous blue shade.

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It's called Sky because I'm obsessed with this particular tone of blue and wanted a pop of color.

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But if you're more into neutrals,

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they have some stunning classic options too.

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And because it's so versatile,

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you can style this with literally everything.

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Casual weekend looks, dress your date nights out.

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And honestly, it even works if you're going to like a wedding or something.

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It just works with everything.

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And because it's so versatile,

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the cost per wear ends up being really low.

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And so you get a lot out of it.

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So if you're someone who wants to invest in pieces

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that feel a little bit more timeless and intentional and that you can really get good use out of in your wardrobe,

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I really think that you'll love this one.

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So if you want to check out this bag or any of the other bags that Songmont has,

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there's tons of cute ones.

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You can click the link below in the description and use my special discount code,

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JILLSG12, at checkout.

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Now next, monochrome is your best friend.

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Wearing one color from head to toe or sticking to a certain color theme,

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for some reason, just instantly elevates your outfit.

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I don't exactly know why,

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but it just makes you look more put together and more expensive.

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Maybe it's all black, maybe it's all white,

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or like a soft, to be neutral color,

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or you can even do this with colors,

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with blues, with pinks, whatever.

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It doesn't have to be boring.

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It just creates this clean,

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cohesive look that looks really polished.

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Okay, now let's move on to the second category, tiny wardrobe elevation hacks.

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So first, if I could give any piece of style advice to a woman,

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I would say find a good tailor.

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The way something fits makes all the difference.

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And let's just be real.

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A lot of wealthy people are buying things that are tailor-made to their body,

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and that's part of why it looks so good.

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It's hard to find things just completely off the rack that fit you absolutely perfectly.

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And so you could buy something inexpensive,

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but if the shoulders fit right and the pants hit at the perfect length and the waist is nipped in perfectly,

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it suddenly looks way more elevated.

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And most of the time,

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tailoring is really not that expensive.

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Even a cheap $30 blazer can look a lot better and a lot more expensive if it's tailored to fit you right.

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Or if you hate going to a tailor,

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only buy clothes that actually really fit you.

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But I recommend a tailor because that's not always easy.

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Next, size up or down as needed, okay?

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Do not get attached to the size on the tag.

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If you normally wear a small,

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but the medium fits you better, get the medium.

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The best dressed women don't obsess over the size on the label.

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And you know that so many different brands and fabrics and different pieces,

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they just fit differently.

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Even if they're all a size small or a size whatever,

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they tend to fit differently.

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So just wear what actually fits your body.

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Again, having something that actually fits you well is one of the most important pieces to looking elevated and looking expensive.

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And again, if you can't find a size that really fits you well,

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but you really love the item,

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buy the slightly bigger one and then go get it tailored.

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Now next, this might just be more of a personal opinion,

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but it may be time to move on from the crop tops.

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I am personally over the crop tops.

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Like I am ready for stores to sell more regular length shirts,

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but also I just don't think crop tops look very elevated and refined.

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They can feel really casual and really young,

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you know, like high school,

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college age type of stuff.

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And I just don't think it gives off classy, expensive vibes.

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But again, you do you, wear whatever you want.

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Now this next one is so tiny and random,

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but it for some reason elevates your whole outfit.

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It gives you this expensive, classy look.

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I don't know why.

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When you're wearing long sleeves,

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like a sweater or something,

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here is the tiny hack, okay?

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Just push the sleeves up so that they are three quarter length.

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I don't know, it just makes the whole outfit feel lighter and more styled and more elevated.

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And it shows off like right here,

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which I honestly think is like an underrated feminine part of your body.

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And if you are wearing like a nice watch or a nice bracelet,

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then it also shows that off as well.

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But yeah, I don't know.

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You just look classier and more refined when you do this.

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Now, part three, let's move on to some small accessory rules to look more expensive.

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For jewelry, stick with more timeless metals,

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or even if they're not real,

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stick with more timeless looking accessories.

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You know, gold, silver, pearls,

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these types of things never go out of style and they always make you look more expensive.

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Next, focus on metals that flatter you.

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So depending on your color season,

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there are different metals that tend to look better on you.

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So for example, I'm a summer.

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If you are a summer or a winter,

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then you tend to look better wearing silver or white gold or rose gold.

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Whereas if you are a spring or an autumn,

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then you tend to look better in yellow gold.

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Again, looking expensive and looking better is not necessarily about what you're wearing.

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It's about how you look in what you're wearing.

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And also if you want to look more expensive,

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I would recommend not completely overdoing it with your accessories.

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Now this doesn't mean that your jewelry has to be boring and you can still wear,

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you know, bold pieces here and there.

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It's just about balance.

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Like if you are wearing these big statement earrings,

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maybe skip wearing the necklace.

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Or if your bag is really bold and has a lot going on,

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maybe stick to more simple,

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other timeless accessories and nothing too crazy.

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It just makes the whole outfit look a little bit more polished and a little bit more chic and refined.

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Next, match your metals when you can.

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This is one of those details that most people don't consciously realize about your outfit,

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but it does make you look more put together and more elevated.

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If your bag has gold hardware and then you're wearing,

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you know, all silver jewelry and then your belt buckle is rose gold,

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it can sometimes start to feel a bit more disjointed.

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But when those metals are more cohesive throughout your entire outfit and all of your accessories,

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or at least coordinated a little bit more,

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it makes your whole outfit just look so much more put together.

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Like for example, one of the reasons why I got this specific color bag is because it came with this silver hardware,

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whereas some of the other colors came with gold hardware.

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And because I tend to wear more white gold jewelry,

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I love to find bags that have silver hardware as well,

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so it all matches.

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Now, I don't always do this,

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but it can really bring the whole look together.

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Now, part four, clothing and accessory care.

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Now, this is the part that no one wants to hear because it's boring,

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but it matters so much more than you think.

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You can have the cutest outfit ever,

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but if it's wrinkled or it's covered in lint or your shoes are scuffed,

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it instantly takes the whole look down a notch.

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So first, always steam or iron.

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Wrinkles make anything look messy.

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It doesn't matter if you're wearing a $1,000 dress.

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If it's creased all over, it still looks cheap.

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A quick pass with a steamer or an iron just makes everything look cleaner and more elevated.

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It only takes five minutes and it's worth it.

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Next, carry a lint roller.

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Okay, pet hair, fuzz, lint, random dust.

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It's easy to miss, but people notice this,

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especially if you are someone who likes to wear a lot of black.

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A lint roller is gonna be your best friend.

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Another thing is to keep your pieces clean and maintained.

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And that might sound obvious,

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but you know, if your shoe has a big scuff on it,

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or if your bag has a big mark on it,

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or there's a spot on your shirt or something,

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it obviously instantly downgrades your entire outfit

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and it will make you look less expensive so make sure

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that you are just taking care of your things keeping things clean you know wipe things down once in a

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while keep your items in good condition and for example let's say

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that you have a timeless pair of shoes

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that you love take them to a cobbler once in a

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while to keep them looking pristine it'll last way longer

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and keep you looking more expensive and elevated

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and lastly clean your jewelry okay every once in a

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while clean your jewelry you You really just need some warm water and some dish soap.

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You just let your jewelry soak in there for a little bit

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or you can use like a little toothbrush to kind of like very gently,

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you know, brush it off a little bit.

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But it brings that shine back and it keeps everything looking new

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and it just makes your jewelry sparkle a little bit more and it makes you look more expensive.

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Or if you don't like to clean your own jewelry,

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this is what I like to do sometimes.

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Oftentimes if you go browse at a jewelry store,

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they will just clean your jewelry for you for free.

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And then it's all done professionally and it just looks so nice.

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Now lastly, let's talk about grooming, beauty, and your energy.

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Now here is something that is the harsh truth.

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People who look expensive usually take care of themselves.

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They tend to be more in shape.

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Their skin tends to be more clear.

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Their hair is healthy.

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Their teeth are clean and white.

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Now I'm not saying you need to be perfect,

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that you need to look perfect,

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and you can't ever have some acne or whatever.

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That's not what I'm saying.

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But people who give off expensive vibes,

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again if that's what you want.

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They also often look like they take care of themselves.

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And think about it, people who are wealthier usually are more interested in things like health and body optimization.

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They tend to have pretty good discipline, right?

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That's pretty common.

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So if you've been ignoring your body,

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your stress, your terrible sleep habits,

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or the fact that you eat really low quality takeout every single night,

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or you never move your body,

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you never go to the gym,

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you never go for walks.

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It's going to show no matter what you wear.

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Next thing, keep your basic grooming on point.

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You really do not need like full glam to look expensive.

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You absolutely do not.

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It's the subtle things that make the difference.

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Fresh breath, hair that's freshly washed and not greasy,

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hair that looks brushed, not slept on,

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nails that are neat and clean,

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not chipped and like all gross,

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your skin looking moisturized, right?

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What I'm saying is that if you want to look expensive,

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don't forget about the small stuff.

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It's often the small stuff that doesn't really cost much of anything

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that makes the biggest difference and really pulls the whole effortless,

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elevated, expensive look altogether.

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If you do paint your nails,

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stick to more timeless nail colors.

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So that would be things like more like natural sheer pinks,

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soft taupes, or neutral colors.

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A French nail is also great.

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I love a French nail.

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Or if you want something a little bit more bold,

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then you can do like reds,

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like a cherry red or a burgundy red.

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I think that's totally cool too.

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You know those bright neon colors and like those nail art designs.

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They can be fun and they can be cute but they don't necessarily scream expensive and timeless and elevated.

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So if that's what you're going for stick to more of those classic colors.

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Next try the perfume hairbrush trick.

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So basically spray just like one little mist of your perfume onto your hairbrush

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and then you can use that to brush your hair

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and it just leaves like a wonderful little soft subtle scent and it's just very luxurious.

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And lastly, do not underestimate posture, okay?

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You can have the most fab outfit.

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You can have the most amazing makeup or like the perfect blowout,

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but if you have the worst posture,

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if you are like slouching the whole time like this or you're fidgeting or whatever,

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or you're always looking at your phone,

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you instantly lose that expensive energy.

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Again, looking expensive is not just about the clothes that you wear.

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It's how you look in the clothes and that includes other things like your posture and your grooming, et cetera.

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Not only that, but looking expensive is also about energy and confidence.

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And your posture though is often a direct reflection of that.

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Now, if you enjoyed this video and you wanna keep leveling up your looks and your wardrobe,

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I highly recommend you go check out this video,

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how to enhance your natural aesthetic and dress better.

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Okay, this video is not about completely changing who you are.

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It's about finding your natural beauty,

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your natural aesthetic, and just ramping it up.

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We're still looking like you, but just better.

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So I'll see you over there or I'll just see you next time in my next video.

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Bye.

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What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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Shadowing Practice: How to LOOK EXPENSIVE (even on a broke girl budget) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Grammar & Expressions in Context

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What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing Practice: How to LOOK EXPENSIVE (even on a broke girl budget) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Common Pronunciation Traps

What is the Shadowing Technique?