12 Tiny Appearance Details That Keep Us From Shining 100%

Human beings naturally tend to size each other up. And we do it pretty quickly too — in just 7 seconds a person can piece together their first impression of a complete stranger. Our brain takes account of everything: their posture, the timbre of their voice, their clothes. And, of course, we involuntarily pay attention to all sorts of tiny details, like chipped nail paint or a missing button.

We at Bright Side decided to explore the issue. Here’s a closer look at all the little things that can ruin even the most carefully thought out look!

Uncomfortable shoes with heels

It’s true that stilettos visually elongate the figure and make the legs appear longer and slimmer. But if you feel uncomfortable in high-heeled shoes — this will affect your facial expression and the way you walk.

The same can be said about any uncomfortable or tight shoes. Is your footwear both stylish and perfectly suited to your outfit? That’s not enough. What’s truly important is that it shouldn’t cause you pain and suffering! You won’t be able to hide this fact from onlookers, anyway... Nowadays, one can choose from a variety of shoes — including those that have high but foot-friendly heels. Wedge-heeled shoes and platforms are also good options.

• Heels are very uncomfortable. I’ve never gotten used to them because I don’t wear them. The one time I wore heels was when I was a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding. My poor feet were howling in protest during the ceremony, and afterward, I took them off & stood barefoot. Several of the others did the same thing. At the reception, I left the heels in my car and a couple of hours later almost all the other women there had shed their shoes as well. © Meghan Lawinger / Quora

Conspicuous underwear

Choosing the right underwear is akin to a challenging quest. It should not only fit well, but also be inconspicuous. Avoid items with seams that show through the outer garments. These details may attract unnecessary attention. The same applies to patterns that shine through clothing. We advise you to always go for seamless underwear in pastel shades.

• A bra that shows through is just plain ugly! Just look around — you see plenty of examples every day. If you really want to wear tight clothes, you’ll have to choose the appropriate underwear to look decent. Alternatively, choose looser-fitting outer garments made of denser fabrics. © Guest / Woman.ru

Faded black clothing

Some black clothes tend to fade with time. This often happens with poorly-dyed items. Fading can also occur because of aggressive detergents or the use of wrong wash cycles. And sometimes a piece of clothing simply fades in the sun. As a result, an outfit can look scruffy, especially if you are wearing several black items at once and they are all of different “shades.”

Uncomfortable clothing

Some types of clothing can be “treacherous” to wear, like for instance, shorts that ride up. Experts say these are signs that the clothes don’t fit you. When buying a new item, it’s better to first make sure that it’s sewn together well, that it fits you nicely, and that it will retain its proper shape while you’re walking.

• My favorite dress has the unfortunate habit of sliding down. I only wear it in the cooler season, under a coat or raincoat. This way, even if the dress decides to misbehave while I’m walking, no one will notice. And then I arrive at the office, adjust the dress, and sit at my desk all pretty and stylish for the rest of the day! © Amber / Woman.ru

Clothes that look out of place

While choosing your outfit, always be mindful of the occasion. You can dress all beautiful and sophisticated, but if the clothes you’re wearing are out of place, you won’t make a good impression. For example, high-heeled shoes and a tight skirt won’t look right on a hiking trip in the woods. And wearing loose sweatpants to a job interview isn’t a good idea either. Try to make sure that your garments match the situation you’re in!

• I just don’t get people who wear ski or snowboard clothes to all occasions, all winter long! Those are special clothes for sports activities. I mean, it’s like wearing a swim cap and a nose clip to the beach! But what really amazes me is those ladies who combine skiing outfits with stuff like classic leather handbags. It’s a good thing they don’t wear high-heeled boots as well! © Overheard / Ideer

Hair extension mistakes

Hair extensions are a great way to give your hair extra volume and increase its length. There are several types of extensions: capsular, tape-ins, clip-ins. Then there’s human hair or synthetic. Choosing strands that look like your own hair is not an easy task. And even if the color and length match your hair perfectly, conspicuous joining points can ruin your image. Before leaving the house, you should make sure that all the seams between your hair and artificial hair are securely concealed.

Dry and damaged hair

The color and condition of our hair affect the way our appearance is perceived as a whole. Dull and dry locks signal that your hair is far from healthy. There are many things that can easily ruin your hair: frequent coloring, perming, stress, and even environmental pollution. If you often create curls, use thermal protection products and don’t forget about hair masks and balms.

• I graduated from high school a long time ago, but I still remember our music teacher. She was always so bohemian, sophisticated, beautifully dressed, and she wore stylish jewelry. But her hair spoiled everything. She lightened it all too often, apparently. Even we, kids, noticed that her hair looked like straw!

Dirty glasses

Glasses often get dirty: dust and dirt particles settle on the lenses, fingerprints are hard to wipe off. Also, if you store your glasses incorrectly, scratches can appear. Poorly-cleaned glasses not only hamper your vision but also detract from your overall image. If you wear glasses, you should clean them regularly — especially the lenses.

• As someone who wears glasses, I can’t stand to have mine dirty. I keep a little spray bottle of eyeglass cleaner in my bag & clean my glasses at least twice a day with it. My grandfather’s glasses, on the other hand, are always dirty and covered in fingerprints. If I’m in his office and he’s not wearing them, I clean them. Afterward, he always comments on how much better he can see. Really? Who’d have thought? © Sarah Breyer / Quora

Trousers that are too long

Trousers and jeans that are too long look untidy. You end up literally tripping on your pants’ bottoms and they quickly become dirty/frayed. There is even a risk of falling down and hurting yourself! If you don’t want to appear unkempt, it is better to choose items that are suitable length.

Pilling and animal hair on clothing

Pilling most often appears on knitwear and on clothes made of cotton, polyester, and acrylic. Sometimes, you don a new item just once, and, hey presto — there are scores of them! Needless to say, this makes the outfit look worn and shabby. Fortunately, there are several ways of preventing the formation of pills. Plus there are special devices to remove them!

The same applies to animal hair on clothing. If you have furry friends, it’s better to go over your outfit with a sticky roller each time before leaving the house. And if this doesn’t work, you can use adhesive tape or try to remove the hair by hand.

Chipped manicure

Nails with peeling polish and dry, cracked cuticles look untidy. You don’t have to regularly visit a salon to avoid this — any necessary nail care can be done at home. Simply lubricate the cuticles with oil or cream and cut your nails into the shape you want. And if there is no time for this — just remove the old, chipped-looking manicure. After all, it’s the polish, especially brightly colored polish, that attracts attention to the nails.

• Why do some people go around with massively chipped nail polish? I’ve seen it on women in their 30s and 40s, with otherwise meticulous grooming, carefully applied makeup, and nice clothes. I mean, when I was in high school, I did my nails every night because the last thing you wanted to do was have your manicure look a mess. And now it seems either you’ve got coffin-shaped acrylics with mosquitoes embedded in them, or bitten nails with dollar store polish that you’re hoping will wear off eventually. Can somebody explain this to me? Do these folks not know that nail polish remover exists? Or, is it some kind of... fashion? © refugefirstmate / Reddit

Sloppy lip contouring

Contouring allows you to adjust the shape of the lips and even make them appear a little fuller by going beyond the natural lip borders. But you should be careful and periodically correct this makeup. The lipstick can be accidentally wiped off and the drawn contour can get smudged.

And what appearance details do you usually pay attention to?