This is why you feel FRUMPY instead of POLISHED no matter what you wear!

Come on over to the sewing community, everyone. There is a way to opt out of the fashion rat race and get exactly what you want (and what fits) — make your own. Thrift shopping isn’t much of an option in the plus size range, but sewing gives you the power to make what you love in any size. And you get to be free of the trend cycles in cut and color and make what works for you. I got so sick of always settling for the least bad option.

Can not stress this enough - STOP checking the brand tag and START checking the fabric label (inside the garment on the side). Yes, Gucci makes clothes that are 100% plastic and sells them for thousands of dollars. Don't be duped.

honestly the cheap quality of fabrics and how they look frumpy after a few wears is probably one of the biggest contributors to fast fashion and why we keep craving more clothes (without even knowing it)

"How will this item age?" is yet another reason I love thrift stores. As long as it doesn't have the tags still on, stuff at the thrift store has probably already shrunk any amount that it was going to, stretched out if it was going to, and it'll never look more wrinkly than it does crammed onto the thrift store racks!

For colors, I think it depends on your "seasonal color analysis." I used to think it was some silly suburban house wife trend along with Kibbe types, but actually makes sense. Wearing colors that suit your complexion, hair, eye and skin undertones based on color theory is unmatched. Some people cannot wear bright colors without being overshadowed by them.

As a knitter, I think the thing that makes the biggest different isn't necessarily how thick or thin the yarn itself is, but actually how tightly it's knit. You can have a sweater that's knit in really thick yarn, but if it's knit loosely, it'll still get stretched out faster. And, you can have sweaters that are knit in finer yarn, so the garment isn't as 'thick' or as warm, but if it's knit tightly enough, it'll stand the test of time much more. If you're not a knitter, this might sound complicated! Just do the flop test: hold the garment up vertically. Does it completely flop over your hands? Or does it retain some structure and remain more upright? The more upright it remains, the tighter it's knit, and the better it'll probably keep it's shape over time. Sometimes very thick sweaters are just too warm and they can also be very floppy, which can have the same unpolished effect! Hope the flop test helps :) Edit: type of fiber makes a big difference too! Alpaca feels lovely and soft but oh boy it can stretch so much and also pill a LOT, epecially if it's a thicker, fluffier yarn.

Color is soooo subjective. To me, bright and saturated “kindergarten crayon” colors will always look a bit cheesy and immature (the opposite of polished). Muted, desaturated colors look calm, which speaks “polished” to me. I think coordinating with your skin tone (warm vs cool, saturated vs desaturated) also adds to a polished look. That said—when people wear colors that make them happy and fit their personality, it somehow just sings. So wear what makes you happy!

As a seamstress I have found you can elevate even the cheapest most ill constructed piece of clothing with a good ironing. It's not permanent, but on a lot of the clothing that have those puckers, ripples, and just won't lay nicely on you it can temporarily fix that or at least make it much less noticeable. I have even used a little starch with a good pressing on some of my rock band T's to take them from wrinkly, puckered frumpiness to crisp and polished.

For me, being plus sized adds many layers of challenges to this problem. There is less availability of clothing overall, and the types of casual clothes that look cool and stylish on thin people often look frumpy and sloppy on plus sized people. Like that tiktok trend “is it a fit or is she just skinny.” The right cut is even harder to find, and non-stretch fabrics often just aren’t practical or comfortable for larger folks. BUT I’m trying to overcome my own cynicism about it and take what is helpful from fashion videos like these.

Just dropping in this little addendum in case it’s of use to anyone. Don’t forget about starch. Our grandparents obsessed about starch for a very good reason. It needs to be used judiciously but if you learn a bit about how to use them, they can make a massive difference to the look and feel of your natural fibre clothing. I even use it to starch the collars of my t shirts to keep them nice and crisp and sturdy. I use them on my button up shirts that I don’t want to look rumpled and relaxed. I occasionally use it to refresh the pleats or creases in my pants. I occasionally use it on my cotton summer dresses if I want them to look just that little bit elevated. Just some food for thought. I know it’s not for everyone, but it really could be an addition to your laundering that makes the difference you’re looking for. Could listen to HOURS of this content, Hannah lol. It’s endlessly fascinating to me all that goes into our clothing and how they work or don’t work for us.

Everyone should watch this. I mean EVERYONE. I'm completely sick of poorly designed clothing made of cheap fabrics in uninspired colors. Sadly, that is what most of my wardrobe is. BUT fear not with this sage advice!!! Im fixing that!!! As usual, Hannah has put her finger directly on the pulse of what is so desperately needed in our clothing economy. All Hail Hannah! Thank you! ❤

Having well-fitting undergarments is critical. I had a professional fitting in a shop that exclusively sold women's undergarments; my clothes draped better, skimmed instead of clinging, and enhanced my silhouette. I learned that one bra cannot be all things to all my clothes. Having different styles of bras for different fabrics and cuts is a game-changer for me.

Your hair!! I’m obsessed!!!

My grandmother was a professional dressmaker. She taught me how to see the difference between "fast fashion" poorly made clothes and quality made clothes. She made most of my clothes from high school and college. This education has made me a "shopping snob" especially when money was tight. However, I've always collected classic styles and watched my weight to avoid "size creep." When I want somenthing special and can't find it ANYWHERE...I make it myself!

The blueing agent and REALLY separating brightwhites is KEY!

Something I'm really missing from this video is an appreciation of individual bodies and skin tones. Stiff fabrics do not look more polished on everyone, and I suspect they look better on Hannah because her bone structure can handle them. A t-shirt and jeans combo will never, ever look polished on me because of the softness of my silhouette (even when underweight, and this is even more pronounced now that I am slightly overweight). While there are some good tips here, I have found systems like colour analysis and kibbe (self-analysis only) to be a gamechanger in helping me look more put together by honouring my individual body.

I’m an alternative type gal and these rules still apply. Caring for your clothes is so important too, stop killing everything in the dryer lol. Also, get a clothes shaver, never toss an item because of a few pills.

I think one thing that Hannah didn't mention and, to me, is super important because it makes or breaks the outfit is the choice of shoes. It's interesting how the same clothes can pass totally different vibes with different accessories, shoes and bags. Not that this was the intent of the video, which is super helpful btw, but if you're still struggling with the outfit, maybe look into these categories before buying more "polished" clothes.

Oh my god. Never have you been so wrong about colour, Hannah 😂 All of these shades of blue and green and mauve look fantastic on us cooler people! Meanwhile bricky-"nudes" look ultra garish. I can see where it comes from - your colour palette is well suited to the warmer tones and looks really elevated in them. But really not everyone does

I LOVE your content... but I gotta say, color really depends on what will look good on each person. I've been learning a lot about color analysis, and it BLEW my mind when I learned that my best colors are cool, soft, and muted!! I used to go for the bold colors and had no idea why they didn't look good on me. But I am absolutely GLOWING in colors you dislike (the teal tank, for example). I don't know if you have ever gotten a professional analysis done, but it will totally rock your world once you do. And when you learn more about color analysis, you will understand why some of these "dingy, catalogue colors" are on the market haha. I used to think they were so basic and boring too... so I avoided them... turns out my color season is a "soft summer" and I NEED these colors to look my best because they don't overwhelm or overpower my features/body. Just wanted to share that since your content is excellent and you have so much to teach! This might be an area you can explore and then teach more about in the future. Keep the awesome content coming, thank you!!