7 WAYS TO DRESS WITH CONFIDENCE
Did you know that the way you dress can have a profound impact on your confidence level? It's true. So why not take your style game up a notch and present yourself in the best possible way? Our mission is to assist you in feeling your most confident every time you pick out an outfit.
To achieve this, we've compiled seven straightforward steps that will help you exude confidence through your clothing choices. By following these guidelines, you'll not only look your best but also feel your best, empowering you to take on the world with newfound assurance and self-esteem.
1. Wear what you feel most comfortable in
When I say this, I mean it in the literal sense – if you aren’t comfortable wearing 5-inch heels because they seriously aren’t comfortable, then don’t wear them; it’s that simple. But more importantly, I’m referring to how certain garments make you feel when you put them on. Do you feel like yourself a.k.a. comfortable in your skin, or does it make you feel like you’re trying to be someone you’re not? The main goal is to always wear items that make you feel happy and proud of who you are. When you look good, you feel good too.
If you’re not sure what items you feel good about, try and remember a time when you had something on that you loved. Maybe it was a job interview you went on wearing a polished suit and some killer heels. Maybe it was when you were on a date wearing a pretty floral dress, or maybe it was even a casual event such as a picnic with your family. Whatever the event, the reason you remember what you wore is because that outfit must have made you feel good about yourself
2. Know your body type
Here are the 4 most common body types and my recommendation for how each one should dress:
Pear, spoon, or bell (triangle upwards)
This body shape describes a person who has hip measurements greater than their bust measurements. If you are this body type, you should consider wearing items that accentuate your waist (as potentially your best feature) while adding a little volume to your upper body. You can do this by wearing brighter colors or prints and veering away from pieces that are too flowy or boxy which will hide your waistline.
Apple (triangle downwards)
This body shape describes a person who has broader shoulders and bust than they do hips. This person may consider wearing items that are bigger on top, such as oversized jackets or shirts made of lighter, flowier fabrics. You can opt for a shirt with a flare at the bottom or even add a belt to your look to define or accentuate your waistline. Also, pairing this belted top or flared top with a fitted pair of pants will highlight your curves.
Banana, or straight (rectangular)
This body shape describes a person who has the same measurements on their hips and bust, and their waistline isn’t exceptionally well defined. The key to dressing this body type is to dress proportionally; that is to say, when choosing your outfits, match the fit of the top and bottom pieces. If you’re dressing flowy on top, dress flowy on the bottom. Another tip would be to add a belt or use contrasting colors between the top and bottom pieces to define your waist.
Hourglass (triangles opposing, facing inwards)
This body shape (typically presented as the “ideal”) describes a person with hip and bust measurements nearly equal in size and a narrower waist measurement. With this body type, you want something that is going to spotlight your curves, not hide them. Opt for pieces that, even if they’re not tight-fitting, follow your natural silhouette. Try to avoid pieces that are going to accentuate either the top or the bottom significantly more than the other as this may cause unbalance.
3. Emphasize your best features and de-emphasize your least favorites
Now that you’ve identified which body type you are, you should now consider what your best features are. Do you have pretty long legs? Perhaps you possess a gorgeous long neck and well-defined arms? Or maybe it’s your waistline that’s your best feature? Whatever that is for you, identify it and dress accordingly.
You also need to identify your least favorite areas – maybe your waist, hips, or arms. Mine is my height – I’m 5’4”. To work around this, I almost always wear heels and high-waisted ankle-length denim.
It’s these subtle tricks that make the biggest difference! The key is knowing which clothing items to wear that highlight your best features while drawing attention away from those you don’t like. Finally, keep in mind that this is all about making you happy, so your own opinion matters more than what anyone else will tell you.
4. Know what colors look best on you
Based on your hair color and skin tone, certain colors might suit you better than others. After hair color, the undertone is the next most important thing to take into consideration when choosing colors. Does your skin have cool or warm undertones? Don’t know if you’re warm or cool-toned? No problem! There are a few tricks you can use to find out.
When looking at the veins in your wrist, greener veins usually indicate warmer undertones, while blue or purple veins indicate cooler undertones. The next test would be what color of jewelry looks best on your skin. If silver looks more natural, you probably have cooler undertones, while gold-looking better indicates warmer undertones.
Now that you know your undertones, we can talk about which colors look best on each. Those with cool undertones tend to look better in pastels, lighter colors, and blues of any shade. Those with warm undertones tend to look better in brighter colors, along with any shade of red, orange, or yellow.
There is more to choosing your colors than an undertone though. Hair color plays a role as well. Blondes with fair skin might choose jewel tones because these bright colors add extra contrast. On the other hand, if you have darker or olive skin, then warmer colors such as corals and gold could look amazing on you. If you’re a redhead, then you probably look stunning in green, while I think blondes do well with soft summer colors like pink and teal blue.
However, if you’re not sure or don’t have personal favorites, you can always go by which color you were wearing when you get the most compliments on your outfit. If someone has ever told you that “you look really good in that color”, consider wearing that color more often!
5. Find your signature style
Anna Wintour's famous quote, "Create your style – let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others," resonates deeply with the concept of personal style as a means of self-expression, unique to each individual yet with the power to connect with others. This appreciation for the art of fashion began at a young age, with a fondness for denim taking root as early as four years old.
Today, denim and heels are integral components of a go-to style. This inclination towards distinctive fashion choices reflects a sense of decisiveness in outfit selection. It's a reminder that finding your own unique style is a personal journey, one that doesn't necessarily require external validation. The key is to embrace what feels most comfortable and authentic to you, as therein lies the essence of your true style.
6. Dress for the occasion
Always ask this question first: what is the dress code? For most parties and events, a dress code is usually listed. If it’s not listed, always err on the dressy side!
It’s much better to be overdressed than underdressed. For example, if you’re going for a job interview, the first thing you need to do is find out what type of company it is and what the environment is like.
If it follows the traditional corporate style where everyone wears a suit, wear a suit. If the environment carries a more laid-back, business-casual vibe, then you could go with that; even so, I would still recommend erring on the dressier side.
On the other hand, if you have a wedding to attend, find out where it is and what time of day it is before deciding what to wear. Weather plays a large part in determining what you should wear to certain events, so be sure to check it out before picking out your chic ensemble. When in doubt, seek advice from people who will also be attending the event.
7. Be trendy on a level that you’re comfortable with
Trying new trends is always fun, and I frequently recommend trying new things out. However, don’t invest a ton into trends, especially if will only wear them for a short time. Trends come and go, so try out just one or two a season – ones that you love and will wear from time to time.
Again, this depends on what you’re comfortable and most confident in – if you find something trendy that you feel very confident in, then, by all means, wear it! However, if you’re not sure or hesitant about trying a certain trend, there’s probably a reason you don’t fully love it; my recommendation would be to skip it.
Remember: just because something is trendy doesn’t mean you have to wear it. Only wear things you love and, more importantly, wear things that make you love how you feel!