Dressing confidently does not have to require a lot of effort, or money. We all deserve to feel great in our clothes and achieving confidence in our look should be on everyone’s to-do lists. The way we dress and the clothes we choose every day impact our lives, so there’s no time to waste to learning how to feel good about the way you dress.
Know your colours
We’ve written about finding the best colours for your skin tone before, and it’s worth reiterating: everyone looks fantastic in black, but not everyone looks great in fluorescent yellow. Which doesn’t mean you have to stay completely clear of some colours, just that you may want to look at a few different shades of a colour to make sure your complexion pops.
Figure out your shape
Figuring out your shape should not be an afterthought. This will impact what looks best on your frame, the fit of your clothes, and your overall confidence.
Whether you’re a banana, apple, pear or hourglass woman, or an oval, triangle, rectangle, trapezoid, or inverted triangle man, you can decide to accentuate, or minimise what nature gave you in the most confident way.
It is also worth noting here that sizing means nothing. Always try clothes on, brands’ sizing varies greatly. You may be a medium on top and a large for trousers, a small for oversized hoodies but a large for fitted dresses… Find out what looks best on your body, without getting hung up on the way a particular brand sizes, or sizes in general.
Embrace your own style
Dressing confidently means dressing for you. Your skin tone, your body shape, and yes, your own style. Certain trends may be ‘in’ but if you’ve always preferred classic tailoring, don’t throw away your suit and grab sweatpants. Trends are great guidelines, but they’re just that – guidelines. You don’t have to forgo your personal preferences to fit in the crowd. If you do, chances are you’ll feel awkward, which will impact your confidence greatly.
Quality trumps quantity
Once you’ve figured out what your personal style is, it’s time to look at your wardrobe. When it comes to dressing confidently, quality always trumps quantity. A beautifully tailored shirt you feel a million dollars is worth a hundred ill-fitting tees you’ve bought on a whim – and that you keep tugging at.
Invest in a few key pieces that are exactly what you love, fit perfectly right, and make you feel on top of the world. These are the key to your own confident personal style.
Get the details right
If you just need a quick fix to boost your confidence, details could be the answer. A vintage watch, your dream shoes, a necklace that reminds you of a great time… Adding details can change an entire outfit and can also change how you see yourself in said outfit. Swapping old trainers for a pair of sleek shoes can turn your outfit from somewhat underwhelming to a winner.
Think of accessories as highlights, you can use them to bring out what you believe to be your best features forward. Alternatively, accessories are also a great way to hide something you really don’t feel like showcasing today. In between haircuts? Grab a hat! Late night? Sunglasses are your friends! Dressing confidently means feeling good in your outfit, which should lead you to feel confident in yourself, and we all, sometimes, need a little help.
Sarah Kante
