I think I've found the secret to looking polished: Just wear clothes that are a little dressier than your environmental norm. Boom. Instant polish, without all the blow drying and makeup-wearing and mini/pedi-ing. (Not that grooming isn't important to polish ! It's just that you can get away with less work, if you don't have the time or money to spend on grooming.)

Example: Today I was out and about and it was a little rainy. I was wearing jeans with holes, and a white t-shirt that was not the 'in' style (no slouch). Lipstick only. Hair in a ponytail. NOT a super polished look.

But over top I was wearing a navy trench and I was also carrying a structured bag. Those two pieces were a lot dressier than the gearish Patagonia rain coats and cross-body bags everyone was wearing. I felt pretty polished.

Would I feel so polished in a dressier environment? Probably not. I'd probably have to add more to this outfit to feel polished.

On that same note, a recipe for non-polish is mixing gear and non-gear. Yes, polish CAN be achieved but it's HARD.
So a fully geared up look, I think, is more polished than a mixed bag.

I guess I agree with Suz. May be one can be both boho and polished.
I think I'm somewhere in between. With some effort I can easily slide in to one of them. But I agree that hair and skin are non negotiable.
That said, I think we attribute more positive qualities to polished than boho... Whereas they are just two styles. There are cultures where boho/RATE is accepted, even preferred to polished... Think high school.
Let's all have a style of our own and call it by our name....
So polished or RATE, you're all Jeanie.

Conclusion. I've been working on adding a little polish to my look, and I'm going to go back to making sure I have a little arty in it also. I can add some polish, but I can't imagine ever being Team Polish. Judging by how I feel comfortable and what type of clothing looks good on me.

All of this has helped me have a clearer understanding of something I've experienced more on an emotional level. I've been intimidated by people who are more polished, and often, more successful. At least in traditional areas. I.T. seems to have it's own rules.

Do you think Team Polish people are generally more reserved/proper?

And Team RATE usually more relaxed?

How much of this is hereditary/environment? Are there more of one type of people in certain areas of the US?

One of my friend's mother was definitely Team Polish. I haven't seen as much of her as an adult, but I don't think my friend is. Her dad wasn't. My mom definitely isn't. She rebelled against it.

I think now I will see some of the people I felt intimidated by more as different from me in their strengths/choices, rather than better.

Thanks everyone!

I always associate high polish with realtors and makeup saleswomen.

...yeah, I dunno.

Lol, I also tend to associate polish with realtors. And also hotel event coordinators.

I don't associate polish with success tho. But I'm from California. Success means the right to weat flip flops to work...hahaha!

@Barbara Diane .... No, I don't associate polish with being reserved or proper. I know polished people who are warm, friendly, out-going, and relaxed.

We probably all have a personal definition of polish, though. Some comments upthread have associated polish with "crisp," and that doesn't equate with polish to me.

I do feel like I see more polished people when I'm in areas of my city that are well-off financially, and when I'm in regions of the country or among sub-cultures that value polish.

I think it is attention to detail. I won't ever look polished bc I a, by nature more concerned with the larger picture and not the details. I can look fantastic, my absolute best, but I still have a slight roughness bc I my attention is drawn to how the colors match but I miss that my shoes have dirt on the sides.

Barbara Diane, good questions! My most polished friend who is a serious runner refused to do the Mud Run with me because... Well, MUD. Whereas I gloried in it. But she is still a warm outgoing extrovert and not reserved or even particularly refined in personality. It's all part of what makes people so interesting!

OMG, I must have had all the wrong realtors. I've had cheap/trashy, provincial, and quirky (three different women and I liked the quirky one a lot), and old-school (man).

Ok... I have to comment on my own comment, lol, that even tho I associated crisp with polish above, it wasn't quite on the money. Really, just fumbling about for a word to describe polished that isn't 'polished.' It's not that the clothed are crisp, but the execution is...

Also, I think you can have polish without being a polished dresser, which can make things confusing.

Hi, it's so lovely to see so many views and insights from so many of you on this post. I'm sorry to be MIA but I dropped off the last fledgling at college Sat. and lets just say I have been in quite a state of unpolish! I'm certain VB would never let her outfits falter despite emotional trauma and I suppose that is the inherent difference that I am hearing from you all. I don't think I can catch up to address all the comments but a few things stand out to me.

I feel there is a bit of a consensus that polish is innate or a kind of alchemy (to take the words from you wise ones). However, it is possible to "polish up" a RATE person though chances are they will spill their drink down their shirt 2 minutes later!

Barbara Diane - On your question as to whether polished folks are more proper. My polished sis and I may seem fairly similar but I do find a rigidness about her that I rebel against. And I have had days that I put the windows down in the car and drive fast on the highway to dry my hair. I can't see my sis doing that!
Alexandra - my realtors have been trashy too!
Denise - glad we pulled you out of hiding and interesting to see your comments from the past thread.

Jeanie, thanks for such a great thread!

I'm going with innate and inherent. Maybe attention to detail. Maybe even classically flattering proportions.

Many people commented about polishing up a person's innate RATE quality. What about roughing innate polish? Is it just not possible?

Cerinda, I don't know - I don't think polish is merely the absence of RATE or
vice versa. But I also don't like to say "never". Hmm...

I think that good skin and good teeth, posture, styled hair and makeup are crucial for looking polished. If you have all that you can look polished in jeans and tshirt.

I looked back at the original post and it also spoke about homes with everything in place, etc. The people I know whose homes look perfect have less stuff and they look more polished. But they also have bigger homes with more extra space. I also think they spend less time at home and more out and about (just talking about the people I know).

I also remember visiting my husband at his last job. Instead of crazy busy and loud like at his previous workspaces it was pin drop quiet. And I thought that I could never work there. I don't like too loud either, but it was eerily quiet. And it looked perfect.