I'm all about empowering women to be strong and confident here on my blog. I recently had an opportunity to connect with Emma Lawson, an Aussie lifestyle blogger who offered to write an article just for my readers on the topic of body image and fashion confidence. I normally keep the voice on this blog to my own, but when Emma and I communicated about this, it was clear that she and I share some of the same values, as reflected in her article. She likes to stand out in the sea of ordinary things with her unique approach to well known topics. Have a read!
Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live. – Gianni Versace
Fashion is often described as keeping up with the trends, but
how is that possible when most of the highly-appreciated names in this branch
are speaking of trends as temporary, as opposed to style which is eternal? The
truth is that when you find your unique style, you can have confidence both to
wear new trends and rock the oldies without even giving it a thought. Since it
is never too late to discover yourself, here are some tips that should help you
become fashion-confident and be satisfied with your body.
Get to know your body
“Dress for the body you have” is probably the best tip you can
get when it comes to fashion. Knowing what goes well with your figure will make
it much easier for you not only to choose clothes, but also to feel great when
you look yourself in the mirror. This means embracing your best features. Do
you have long legs? Show them off. Think you have sexy shoulders? Feel free to
wear an off-the-shoulder shirt, and a pair of jeans.
Match the colors with your complexion
Another thing that will have a large impact on how a certain
clothing item looks on you is the color of that clothing piece. For example,
while jewel tones are perfect for contrasting a pale skin tone, light shades of
grey would blend with it too much and make the whole outfit look awkward. Neon
shades, on the other hand, would be overwhelming for light complexion.
Love your body
We are not trying to be life coaches, but you will look better
if you ooze confidence. Learning to accept yourself the way you are is not
easy, but once you accomplish it, you will be much happier. If that requires a
change of some sort, such as cutting your hair or opting for high school tattoo removal, why not?
Try out different things
The famous Irish author James Joyce once wrote that “mistakes
are the portals of the discovery” and this sentence can be applied to fashion,
as well. How can you discover your style if you haven’t look in the wrong
places, too? Try out various styles until you finally click with one.
Identify your signature look
If you’ve found a style you can relate to, you can also try to
identify your go-to look. This will help you personalize each outfit and to be
aware of the things mentioned in the previous paragraphs (colors and cuts that
suit you best).
Go for the extraordinary
First of all, forget about the trends! Wear what makes you feel
good, comfortable, and why not, sexy. In most cases, the extraordinary clothes
isn’t hiding in the window of a downtown boutique. No, you’ll find it somewhere
where every piece is different and unique. That can be at your seamstress and
local designers, or in vintage shops and second-hand boutiques. This way your style won’t
be a copy of something you saw in the latest issue of Vogue, but a reflection
of who you truly are.
Be respectful
Fashion affects the environment and humanity in a certain way.
So, before you buy a piece of clothing, think about who is making it and at
what cost? If the company is known for polluting the environment with chemicals
or exploiting workers (sometimes even children), is it really worth buying
clothes from them? Following the tips from the previous paragraph will help you
be more fashion-conscious, and you should always keep in mind that there is no
greater satisfaction than the one derived from doing good.
As Gianni Versace said, you use the way you dress to express
who you are, so try to find your style in a good place, and you will definitely
feel better about yourself.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Emma. For more articles like this, you can follow Emma on Twitter @EmmahLawson.
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