Dress to Impress Tips: How to Win More Runway Rounds

Dress to Impress is simple to learn and hard to master: you get a theme, a timer and a dressing room, then walk the runway while everyone else rates your look with stars. The top three take the podium. Here is how to land there more often.

How a round works

1. A theme is announced.
2. You have a limited time in the dressing room to build your look: clothes, hair, makeup, skin tone and accessories.
3. Everyone walks the runway one at a time and can strike a pose.
4. Players rate each look with stars, and the top three appear on the podium.

Good placements earn in-game money for more items. A VIP game pass adds exclusive items, but because players do the judging, a well-read theme beats a pricey item every time.

1. Read the theme in one second

Voters only see your look for a few seconds. The winning question is: would someone guess the theme from a glance? Pick the one or two pieces that shout the theme first, such as a crown for royalty, a cape for superhero or swimwear for beach day, and build around them.

2. Work in a fixed order

The timer goes fast. A reliable order:

1. The main outfit piece that sells the theme.
2. Colours: recolour everything into your palette.
3. Hair.
4. Makeup and face.
5. Accessories and small details, if there is time.

That way, even if the timer runs out, the look already reads clearly.

3. Pick a colour palette

Two or three colours that go together look deliberate. A few easy wins:

• Monochrome: shades of a single colour, head to toe. Bold and simple.
• Complementary: colours opposite each other on the colour wheel, like blue and orange, make each other pop.
• Pastels: soft pinks, mints and lilacs for cute, spring and dreamy themes.
• Black plus one accent: black with a single strong colour looks sharp for night, goth or rockstar themes.

4. Hair and makeup finish the look

Many players stop at clothes. Matching hair and makeup to the theme is one of the easiest ways to stand out from the crowd. Think messy buns for casual, sleek styles for formal, bold liner for goth and glitter for pop star.

5. Think about your silhouette

Your silhouette is the overall shape of the outfit, like a big ballgown, a slim suit or an oversized streetwear fit. It is the first thing people see from across the runway, so make it match the mood of the theme.

6. Pose with purpose

A confident pose that fits the look, such as a royal stance for royalty or a playful jump for a cute theme, helps sell it in the few seconds you have.

7. Be a good sport

Rate others honestly. Low-voting everyone to win makes the game worse, and players notice. Honest servers are more fun to play in.

20 themes decoded

• Y2K: around the year 2000. Low-rise jeans, tiny bags, butterfly clips, shiny fabrics.
• Cottagecore: romantic countryside. Florals, linen, aprons, baskets.
• Goth: black, deep red, lace, boots, dramatic makeup.
• Business casual: blazer or neat shirt with tidy trousers or a skirt.
• Streetwear: hoodies, graphic tees, sneakers, caps.
• Royalty: crowns, capes, jewels, gold and purple.
• Beach day: swimwear, sunglasses, sandals, a sun hat.
• Pop star: sparkle, bold colours, statement boots and a microphone pose.
• Rockstar: leather, studs, dark colours, messy hair.
• Fairy: wings, flowers, soft greens and pinks, glitter.
• Superhero: a cape, a mask or emblem, strong primary colours.
• Villain: dark colours, sharp shapes, dramatic makeup.
• Old money: quiet luxury. Cream, navy, knitwear, tailored pieces, pearls.
• Disco: sequins, flares, metallics and big hair.
• Western: cowboy hat, boots, denim, fringe.
• Winter wonderland: coats, scarves, earmuffs, icy blues and whites.
• Sporty: tracksuits, trainers, a ponytail, a team colour.
• Futuristic: metallics, visors, clean white and neon lines.
• Princess: a full gown, a tiara and soft colours.
• Halloween: a clear costume. Pick one character and commit.

Test your fashion knowledge

Try our Dress to Impress quiz: runway rules plus the fashion words that help you win.