Summer is winding down, pre-season football has started and back to school shopping is in full swing. Finding your perfect “First Day” or even “go to” outfit can be tricky; do you wear your favorite summer dress with those new wedges, or play it cool with a pair of boyfriend jeans and a statement necklace?

Just like New Years Resolutions, the trek back to school is all about new beginnings, and a fresh start, so take advantage of the chance to show off your and improved “best self” in an outfit that lets your personality shine. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns, colors or even textures this school year. Push your style boundaries and live boldy!

Don’t try to take on multiple fashion trends at once. Instead, keep things simple and stick with flattering basics pieces and then choose one trendy item to play up or build from each day.

The fashion basics are:

• Dark denim jeans – Dark jeans are a timeless classic – just make sure you choose a brand that fits well, with no more than 2 percent Lycra, as the fabric will follow your curves better.
• White and black button down shirts – Simple button-down shirts can be worn dozens of different ways and in a variety of styles.
• Solid color tee shirts – Solid tee’s are a staple and can again be dressed up or dress down to accomodate the outfit and accessories. These are also great worn simply with a pair of jeans and your favorite wedge or heel.
• Khakis – Another staple, choose a flat front as it’s more flattering.
• Black Business Suit and Blazer – For those days when you need to dress up and for important life events; interviews, big business meetings, and for formal occasions. This is not to say you cannot pair the jacket with a cool graphic tee and “dress it down” on more casual days or even for evenings out paired with accessories.

To make getting dressed easy, and to stay current with the latest trends, have these new pieces in your closet this year when school starts:

• Leather skirt – Update this staple by choosing a leather skirt in your signature color. Pair with a sheer, patterned blouse, bare legs and heels while it’s still hot out, and keep wearing it during winter with bold tights, and booties.
• Graphic print dress – A print-dress can be dressed up or down and is an easy go-to on days when you sleep through your alarm! Channel an “Empire State of Mind” with a New York skyline printed dress. Layer with a chambray tie-dyed button down for chilly autumn days. Don’t forget to wear some edgy wedge sneakers for a street-style look every girl will envy.
• Tuxedo pants – Look good and feel confident while giving the dreaded class presentation in a menswear-inspired pair of tuxedo pants. Add a floral blouse and a pair of black heels (and a messy bun!), for a chic, pulled together look.

Anyone with great style knows how important accessorizing an outfit is. Some experts consider accessorizing to be a form of art which involves a great deal of creativity. Accessories are a great way to change the look of an outfit without having to spend excessive amounts of money. By teaming the same outfit with different accessories, a completely new look can be achieved. If you’re ever strapped for cash, mixing and matching your accessories with your existing clothes is the perfect way to create a brand new outfit with minimal effort.

Shoes and bags make all of the difference

If you wear plain clothing, accessories can be used to style the outfit up and transform your look. However, on the other hand, if you have a fabulous outfit and team it with cheap looking shoes and bags, your otherwise beautiful outfit will be completely ruined. If you have any money to invest in your wardrobe, spending it on decent quality shoes and bags is the way to go. You don’t necessarily have to go all out and spend your money in designer stores, however, decent quality high street shoes and bags make a great investment. Remember that high street sales are the ideal place to look. You may have noticed that celebrities always manage to look stylish, even when they’re only wearing jeans and a t-shirt. This is because they usually have a decent quality bag and pair of shoes to transform their outfit.

Embrace coloured accessories

Getting accessories right is all about balance. The color of your accessories has a huge impact on your look. If you’re wearing an outfit that is mainly black, teaming it with bright purple accessories can brighten up your look. If you team black with even more black, you may look a little too dark. On the other hand, too much white can be excessive too. No matter what color you wear, choosing all of your accessories in exactly the same color is not recommended. Wearing accessories that match does not mean wearing accessories of the same color. Your accessories can match each other and match your outfit without being identical.

Getting the balance just right

Overdoing accessories can be far worse than not wearing enough. It is important to achieve a good balance of accessories without looking like you’ve made no effort, or that you’ve made too much. Too many accessories can look tacky, cheap and like you’ve tried too hard. As a rule, if you’re wearing sparkly clothing, avoid sparkly jewelry. When your clothing is busy, your jewelry should be kept simple, a bracelet would be plenty on this occasion. When it comes to your shoes, plain shoes compliment glittery or patterned dresses, such as nude heels. If you want to wear accessories that are bold and make a statement, wear them with simple clothes. This makes the accessories stand out more, without looking over the top. For example, glittery shoes compliment smart jeans or a plain dress.

If you’re like anybody else that lives on Earth, there may be days where you don’t look so great. Which is okay, because it happens to the best of us. Even supermodels and Olympic athletes have to do some maintenance work to look as good as they do. However that doesn’t make us feel any better when we have a bad day. If you need to put on your best face for something important you have going on, there are a couple of simple things you can do. Here are my three easy tips to help you counteract any bad day and have you either looking or feeling great.

Be Prepared

The best way to always look good is to make sure you are well prepared. Whether it’s for work, your cousin’s wedding or dinner with a friend, know what you’re getting yourself into and plan accordingly. Keep an extra shirt in your car for those moments when your coffee splashes on you. Wake up early and actually brush your hair. When you put in some effort, you always tend to look better.Being prepared is one of the best qualities to have no matter what job you are doing. It can help you in every situation you encounter which will relax your nerves and keep you feeling confident.

Smile

Smile, spread some joy and be happy. Happy people always look good. If you put on different shoes or missed your weekend workout, it’s okay. Most people won’t even notice the stain on your shirt or that you forgot to wash your hair last night. However, they will notice your attitude. People enjoy other people that are positive and smile. Fix your cavities, get your teeth whitened and make sure your breath smells good. A beautiful white smile can instantly brighten up your look, improve your appearance and give off a friendly impression. A great smile is universal and appropriate for all occasions. Choose one asset that you feel proud to show off which will help you to always to put your best face forward. If you don’t have a smile you love, take the time to do something for yourself and get beautiful teeth. This will enhance your look, your confidence and most of all help you to put your best face forward.

Take Care of Yourself

If you want to look good and feel good, you must take care of yourself. That means living a healthy lifestyle to be able to handle everything that is going on in your life. Start eating healthy,  and think about what you are putting in your body.  If it’s bad for your teeth it’s usually bad for your body as well. Reduce your sugar, soda, starch and candy intake.  Go to the doctor and dentist regularly. Floss your teeth and get your oil change done on time.  By doing the best things for yourself you will begin to feel even better and you will naturally be putting your best face forward all the time.