Looking sophisticated is within everyone’s grasp. I think that there is a difference between looking severe and looking sophisticated. The women you described could look fairly severe. Lets hear what the others say before I continue.

Joy - this is a great question. I don't have an answer, but I feel like I'm always striving to be more sophisticated. I often feel very young and too cute and would love to have a more sophisticated look. I love color and I don't want to dress in all black or neutrals all of the time, but then I feel I lose some sophistication.

Joy, this is a wonderful question indeed, but one I have no answer too. I think the answer will be different for different people. I know this is a cliche, but for me it's Audrey Hepburn's look in " Breakfast at Tiffany's".

Angie's pics from Paris looked sophisticated. Ana and Tanya both have sophisticated styles. Same with Kyle and Patience.

Not sure whether sophistication is the same as polish but I'd say they are at least highly related. This was a good blog entry on polish:
http://youlookfab.com/2006/07/27/perfect-polish-2/
I definitely think you can look sophisticated with some color in your outfit as well, not just in neutrals.

Thanks for the lovely compliment Lisa! Antje, I agree with you on that article, it's a great one.

To me sophistication is when you are polished and well groomed. And when you are totally comfortable in what you are wearing and how you look. No matter how expensive your outfit - if you're not at peace with it, it won't look sophisticated.

I a echo these thoughts. Sophistication is not about neutral colours. When Michele Obama wears a bright purple suit, she is the height of sophistication. Today’s blog entry uses Cate Blanchet as the height of sophistication – I agree. She wears every colour under the sun and pushes the fashion envelope to the extreme. But with the utmost polish and confidence.

“Feminine but not frilly, seductive but not showy, you live for luxury but are allergic to bling. Grace Kelly is your ideal.”

There is an element of simple sleek streamlining to a sophisticated look. A boho style cannot be sophisticated in my opinion. But a very boho style can be stylish. Does that make sense?

I can see that sophistication doesn't need to be neutral colors. However I know a couple of women who are beautifully groomed, even polished, who wear clothing they love, but don't look at all sophisitcated to me. One is tiny and dresses as much as possible, it seems to me, like a little girl. Her style at age 65 includes puffy sleeves, high buttoned up necklines, ruffles on skirts, mary jane shoes, lots of frilly details. The other wears lots of bling and embellishment even on jeans..a real Chico's girl usually in sequined flipflops. Another wears expensive ladies' golfwear all the time. They are comfortable in their styles, so that's fine. I just don't think of their looks as sophisticated. As Angie said, they are missing "an element of simple sleek streamlining"

Lisa, thank you so much for the compliment! :D

I'm not sure how to define sophistication, but I like Angie's post above and the example of Grace Kelly. That's probably what I think of when I think of someone looking sophisticated. Elegant, clean, polished and confident.

My idea of sophistication is changing and I am so glad. A month ago if asked I would have said a sophisticated person has a tailored jacket, matching skirt and pumps, full makeup, very styled and sprayed hair, all the jewelry she can get on.
Now I think it is a style that is unfussy and comfortable, yet clean and refined.

You are spot on, Joy. A cutesy, whimsical style is not sophisticated. I’ll blog about this soon. Ana is on the right track!

Not everyone *should* be sophisticated. It just doesn't fit with some people's personalities. In my opinion, that's ok! To me, sophistication is almost more about how a person carries herself than it is necessarily about the clothes. BUT, dressing like Cate B., Gwyneth, Audrey or Grace certainly is externally sophisticated. A bubbly person with an eclectic style might feel stifled in "sophisticated" clothing. It's all about personal style, right? That said, I do think that almost any style type can immediately add some polish by adding sophisticated elements.

I, too, however, am constantly striving to add a bit more sophistication to my style. Perhaps sophistication has something to do with refinement of style. I often feel all over the place, which makes me feel my wardrobe lacks sophistication. I try to determine my fashion personality and can never really figure it out!

100% Rosebud. Looking sophisticated is NOT a stylish necessity. Boho, eclectic, arty-farty styles are just as stylish – just different. How one carries one self does have a lot to do with it. It’s the cherry on top.

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