Unfortunately, life tends to force you to look good, even when you feel, well, not so good. Whether it's your usual 9-to-5 demands or a friend's birthday you can't miss (without her giving you shit for weeks), sometimes you have no choice but to slough off the sweats and look presentable, regardless of the head cold you seem to have caught on the subway, the worst period cramps known to womankind, or over-serving yourself the night before (it happens). It's times like these when you need to know how to put yourself together with very minimal effort — and, luckily, it's actually much easier than you think.

You may have an assortment of the items ahead in your closet already, but the key is to balance those comfy elements with some slightly more polished ones. That way, the result is an outfit that looks intentional rather than lazy. You're not going to feel 100% all the time, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice style. Click on to learn how.