You have heard this term, right? The woman who has effortless style is confident and chic, she can throw on anything, from casual to dressy pieces and look simply fabulous. How we envy her, her natural good looks and her flair for fashion.

I will let you in on a secret: there is no such thing as ‘effortless style’. That’s why this blog post has no photos. Unless you are a ‘model-gorgeous’ twenty something, looking ‘stylish’ takes significant effort. I recently read an article in a NY newspaper where a celebrity (let’s keep her unnamed, but she’s over 40) was interviewed…”You always look so fabulous, do you put a lot of work into planning your outfits?”, she was asked. Her response, “No, looking stylish should never be work…I just choose comfortable trousers, pinch my cheeks and go…” Ha! NO WAY.

Admitting that looking stylish takes effort is not a bad thing. Whatever it may be in life, it is ongoing, deliberate effort that yields results. Being a tennis player, a musician, a golfer, a chef, a dancer, a skier, a writer, a hairdresser – the list goes on and on. To be good at something takes effort, plain and simple. There are certainly people born with aptitudes, but that only goes so far. Tiger Woods still practices golf for several hours/day. I may have a natural ‘eye’ for style, but I’m always observing others, considering new options, and updating my wardrobe on a regular basis. (Not to even mention the effort for hair, makeup, and body maintenance…)

Do we agree here? Do you believe that it takes significant effort to look stylish? The question I will now ask you: Do you believe that it is worth the effort?    YES, IT IS! Ab-so-fucking-lutely! :-0 Ok. I will admit that my ‘passion’ for style can at times be excessive (ie bribing grandson Henry with candy to wear a cute captain’s hat instead of a hideous black baseball cap)…BUT – there is tremendous value to both your personal and professional life to looking your best every day. And – as I have said many times before – how you look on the outside will also affect how you feel on the inside. Win win.

Last point to make here: perhaps you like ‘effortless style’ because you prefer an understated look or a minimalist, non-fussy style. You like to look like you are “not trying”. Here’s the funny part – you have to try to look like you aren’t trying! Hahahaha! That chic, relaxed, understated look takes effort too. 😉

Would love to hear others opinions on this!! Please don’t hold back – leave your comments and let’s have some fun here!