The Real Chic Life

Good taste is often mistaken for expensive taste—but the two are not the same. True style, whether in fashion, home, or lifestyle, isn’t about price tags or labels. It’s about discernment. It’s knowing what to say yes to—and just as importantly, what to pass on.

Cultivating good taste is a slow, intentional process that doesn’t require a large budget. It requires curiosity, consistency, and confidence in your point of view.

1. Train Your Eye Before You Open Your Wallet

Good taste begins with observation. Before buying anything, spend time looking.

Inspiration can come from runway shows, museum collections, architecture, vintage interiors, old films, and beautifully styled spaces. Pay attention to proportion, color harmony, texture, and repetition. Notice what feels timeless. When your eye becomes trained, you naturally make fewer impulsive purchases—and better ones.

Style is learned through repeated exposure.

2. Define What You Love

I love a good trend, but they move fast. Taste on the other hand is personal. Ask yourself:

What colors do I gravitate toward again and again? What silhouettes make me feel most like myself? What kind of spaces make me feel calm or inspired? (For more guidance on this check out our recent guide to personalizing your style).

When you’re clear on what you love, it becomes easier to ignore everything else. This clarity saves money and creates cohesion in your wardrobe and home.

3. Edit, Edit, Edit

One of the most overlooked elements of good taste is restraint.

You don’t need more—you need the best version for your lifestyle. Edit your closet, shelves, and routines. Remove items that don’t fit, don’t flatter, or don’t align with how you want to live. A smaller, curated collection almost always looks more refined than abundance without intention.

Taste reveals itself in what you choose not to keep.

4. Invest in Basics, Elevate With Styling

Good taste often lives in the basics: a well-fitting coat, a crisp white shirt, neutral knits, simple glassware, clean-lined furniture.

You don’t need designer versions—just thoughtful ones. Focus on fit, fabric, and finish. Then elevate through styling: a cuffed sleeve, a layered necklace, a scarf tied just so, or a beautifully made bed with minimal pieces. Styling costs nothing but attention.

5. Shop Secondhand With Intention

Thrift stores, consignment shops, estate sales, and vintage boutiques are goldmines for cultivating taste—especially on a budget.

Look for natural materials, classic shapes, and quality construction. Ignore labels and focus on how something looks and feels. Some of the most stylish people own pieces with history, not hype. Patience is your greatest asset here.

6. Learn the Language of Quality

You don’t need to be an expert, but knowing a few basics goes a long way:

• Natural fibers tend to wear and age better
• Weight and structure often signal quality
• Simple designs highlight craftsmanship

When you understand quality, you stop paying for branding and start paying for longevity.

7. Take Your Time

Taste cannot be rushed. The most chic spaces and wardrobes are built slowly over years, not in a single shopping spree.

Allow your style to evolve. Sit with decisions. Repeat outfits—I can’t emphasize that enough. Refinement comes from experience, not urgency.

8. Cultivate Interests Beyond Shopping

I know that may sound ironic coming from a fashion writer who loves shopping, but good taste isn’t shaped by what you buy. It’s shaped by what you pay attention to. Developing hobbies and interests helps you refine your point of view, which naturally shows up in how you dress, decorate, and live.

Whether it’s reading, cooking, visiting interesting places in your city, learning about history, watching classic films, gardening, traveling, or simply spending time noticing beautiful details in everyday life, these experiences train your eye and deepen your appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. When you engage with the world your choices become more thoughtful and less reactive.

Over time, your style begins to feel layered, personal, and intentional—because it’s informed by curiosity. And that kind of taste can’t be bought; it’s built slowly through living.

Xo, Courtney