Fashion is a surprisingly powerful way to boost your confidence, but many can find it tricky. This is usually because fashion is something that we feel extremely self-conscious about or we read too much into what we “should” or “should not” wear based on our age, shape etc. We’re worried about looking out of place and we don’t want people to point at us for wearing something silly or strange. Yes, even if you’re into vintage which is not mainstream, many worry about standing out too much.
However, once you manage to push past this idea, fashion can be one of the most liberating and expressive things in your life (believe me – I love it!). So in this post, I’ll be taking a look at how to improve your confidence using fashion.
Self-perception comes before how others perceive you
One of the first concepts to understand is that your self-perception has to come before others’ perceptions. In other words, you need to think about yourself before you try to assume what others think of you. By wearing clothes that you personally love and feel attached to, you’re creating this sense of confidence that starts with you as the priority. By dressing the way you want, you instill a sense of pride in yourself and you put yourself before others.
By loving yourself and your choices, you’ll have no regrets about what you wear and how you want to be perceived. It’s a choice that we consciously have to make–to put our own likes and tastes before other people.
Confidence comes in many different forms
There’s no universal explanation for how confidence feels. People seek confidence in different ways and it’s important to discover what you personally enjoy. For example, some people find that wearing erotic lingerie at home with their partner around is empowering and gives you a sense of confidence. However, others would prefer their confidence to come in the form of being well-dressed, looking smart, and having as few wrinkles as possible in their clothing.
Everyone sees confidence in a different way and you need to have an idea of what it means to you. Whether it’s feeling sexy or looking smart, you get to choose what confidence means to you.
Confidence is a lot about personal comfort
People often mistake confidence for something that concerns others. For example, they have this idea that confidence is ignoring others and their opinions, and not concerning yourself with their perception of what you look like. This is only partially true and the reality is that confidence is also a lot about personal comfort.
When you head out in clothes that you like, they need to be comfortable so that you feel great in your outfit. Oftentimes, people with a lot of confidence will wear clothes that may look slightly out of place to others, but they’re far more comfortable and it shows in the way they present themselves. They might not be the smartest-looking person in the room or the most well-dressed, but they’ll have a smile on their face and they’ll walk around with a much higher level of confidence compared to someone that dresses only to impress.
Comfort starts with your underwear; from the fabrics to the fit. Ethical lingerie company Juliemay make their products using cruelty-free Pima cotton and Peace silk meaning they’re soft, comfortable and allergy friendly too. Starting underneath your clothes makes all the difference!
How do you feel right now about your sense of style?
(Images by Anna and Tam)
