"Part of getting a job is looking like you don't need one and dressing a little richer than you are," says Anna Johnson, style expert and author of the book "Savvy Chic: The Art of More for Less." Johnson, who is always on the lookout for ways to economize and still look great, has honed the art of dressing well on a limited budget. "It's the ultimate savvy chic," she says. "And the secret with that is simple: dress a little plainer than you'd like. Chic, as we all know, is a restrained rather than a flashy art. Looking rich is more about texture and proportion than actual explicit signals like gold buttons or giant handbags."

Here are some more shortcuts from Johnson for those of us in the job market who are dressing on a budget, whether we're graduating from college or graduating from motherhood.

—Wear big jewelry rather than small. "Yes, I'm talking huge like a tarantula," says Johnson, whether it be a big cocktail ring, a big watch, a big brooch or big earrings. "The trick, though, is to just wear one gold — burnished or bejeweled — statement per outfit," she says.

—Carry a handbag in a solid color with no logos or hardware. "There's not much faking a great handbag," she admits. Johnson suggests renting a current designer handbag (see www.bagborroworsteal.com). That's a chance "to strut a status object without being financially crippled by it."

—Go with sleek shoes. Johnson advises wearing sleek shiny shoes with a low heel and no platform in a neutral, nonclashing tone. Angelina Jolie is her go-to example of chic with her black ballet flats and tan patent-leather pumps.

—Buy one statement dress. "Every summer I buy one dress with a strong graphic print in a monochrome palette usually black and white or Kelly green and white. I wear it with a bright red, lemon yellow or green shoe," she says. "If you wear an eye-popping dress, it conveys a high level of social and professional confidence."

—Dress in one color from head to toe. Another trick, Johnson confides, comes from her designer friend Liz Lange. "Liz dips an entire outfit in one color: navy, beige or white worn with a deliberately clashing handbag or skinny belt. The clothes don't cost more but they look more expensive because they're coordinated and create an unbroken line from top to toe."

—Stick with well-groomed hair. Make sure your hair is glossy and natural with lots of volume and subtle highlights that "don't look raccoon-stripy." Think Lauren Hutton in the '70s. "Her hair always had a flyaway grace," says Johnson. "Poker-straight blowouts look very cheap, especially when the ends look like fried, pointy rattails. Banish the straightening iron!"

—Sport a light tan. "I use Jergens for my St. Barts-in-a-bottle effect," she says. "But exfoliate first because you don't want zebra-striped latte legs."

—Own your own style. Johnson suggests adding one "eccentric" touch to your outfit. "I have a beat-up old Missoni scarf that I wear with a very formal suit jacket," she says. "It makes me look less try-hard and adds a glamorous patina to formal tailoring."

To find out more about Sharon Mosley, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.