High fashion – what does it mean? Is it the vintage dress you purchased or the couture you snapped up during Paris Fashion Week? Is it the makeup counter or the latest in organic, chemical free, coeliac-friendly eyeliner? Or is it the DIY dress you crafted out of patches, old material and threads of fluff?

The truth is that it can be all this and more. While the catwalk are brimming with avant-garde styles and designers, the high street can offer replicas at cut prices.

With that in mind, what can you do to make the cheapest styles look like the height of fashion?

The right start to your day

You wake up looking bloated, tired, haggard and a bit like 20-tonne granite sandbags have been placed under your eyes. It’s not a start to your day that screams style, is it?

But that grim feeling doesn’t have to last long if you’ve got the right level of cleanliness at your disposal. So climb out from under your blankets and follow these tips to feel classy come morning.

To start with, throw those expensive beauty products in the bin. They’re brimming with chemicals that could strip the skin or scalp of its many nutrients.

Instead, invest in sodium free shampoo and a chemically neutral body wash. The lack of additives rubbing into your skin will make it look better with every new day you wake up. Top this effect off with a pint of water every morning. It’ll take the edge off your morning coffee and give your skin an extra boost.

Color is king

You’ve probably seen fashion victims wearing colors more garish than a neon Dulux wall chart with sick on it. Pity those poor souls who can’t coordinate colours – just make sure that pity isn’t reciprocated.

Matching the right colors is the key to making even the cheapest outfits look like they were cut by Ralph Lauren himself. Loud primary colors must be offset by a cheeky pattern or quiet colour to tone the outfit down.

Think of mixing the right colors as like walking a dog – sometimes you have to let your dog roam free, but other times that hound has to be held on its leash.

DIY

Trying to define genius in design is like trying to hold an abstract concept in your hands. But at least one factor is easy to put your finger on – personality.

Provided, personality shouldn’t be a difficult thing to find. The craft is the tricky part.

So pick up a few high street items of clothing and see what alterations you can make to give it your unique touch.