The most important secret for confidence is simply to be true to yourself and appreciate your uniqueness. This is the case for dressing as well. Instead of attempting to emulate what’s trendy or someone else’s style, know what you like, both on yourself and on other people. Finding a signature style will help you make every outfit you wear personal, so that you feel confident showing the world (or your boss or friend) who you are. ~ Who What Wear

My clothing certainly affects my confidence. I believe that I’m a confident person, but when I have on what I consider to be a “good” outfit…great shoes and jeans that I love and fit well, it makes me feel that I can do anything just a little bit better. You may not agree with me, but science shows that there is a direct connection between your clothing and your confidence. Dressing the part is a real thing!

I't’s not so much how others view us, it’s more about what we think of ourselves. There is a direct correlation between what we wear and how we view our potential. If you want to be more confident, dress for it. Here are a few tips to hopefully help you use style as a tool to boost your self confidence.

Your clothing can positively change your body image.

When you feel good about yourself, you'll be able to put the best version of yourself out into the world. Sometimes all it takes is a great outfit to give you the confidence to get up and do something productive. I know that when I shower and get dressed before sitting down in front of my computer, I feel more confident and my work is better, simply because I’ve taken the time to dress the part.

When it comes to choosing clothing, it’s all about the fit and how it makes you feel when you’re wearing it. What are the parts of your body that you love the most.? Maybe you have great shoulders or long legs that look great in skirts. Highlight what you love most about yourself.

Highlighting the parts of your body that you love most can help improve your body image. Certain pieces can make you feel (and appear) more professional…swap out your sweater for a blazer and blouse or wear a beautifully tailored pair of trousers instead of jeans when you want to feel more professional or if looking professional isn’t called for, just add a cute necklace to your jeans and tee. It really is all about how it makes YOU feel!

Learn How to Dress For Your Body and Embrace Your Favorite Features

Now that you’ve identified your favorite things about your body, learn how to dress to showcase your body type. What style of denim looks best on you…I struggle with high waisted jeans because I’m short waisted, but the high waisted style looks great on tall girls with long torsos. Another important tip is to find a good fitting bra…it can change the look of your whole outfit.

It may sound crazy, but dressing in a way that flatters your body and gives you confidence can make you more mindful. When you become more mindful about one aspect of your life, you are more likely to become more mindful about other things, such as what you eat and how you spend your time. You’re probably less likely to eat a whole pizza sitting in front of the television when you’re dressed in something that makes you feel confident.

Your clothing enables you to strive toward your goals.

There’s an old adage that says, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have”. I’m sure we’ve all heard that one at some point! While doing research for this post, I read in a Forbes article that “there is a common perception among management that if you can’t handle the small things, you probably aren’t well suited to handle larger responsibility. Put simply: If you can’t even dress yourself properly, you can’t handle much else.”.

Even if you’re self employed (blogger!) and work from home, there is something very empowering about dressing the part. I have more flexibility to be creative with my clothing that someone in a corporate situation, but, as I said above, dressing the part, even if I’m on the phone or answering emails, makes a difference in how I feel and as a result, how I come across while speaking to others.

Your clothing allows you to change how people see you.

It's pretty amazing and very empowering, when you realize that you can control how people see you based on the image you put out there. We all judge people based on their appearance, whether it’s right or not, it’s just human nature. You can dress in a way that makes you appear strong and confident and use your clothing and appearance to positively affect your confidence. Another way to think about it is to dress as the person you are working to become. Clothing is simply a tool to gain confidence.

Just remember…

Take time to figure out what you love so that you can develop your own personal style.

Only spend money on a trend if you love it.

There are no rules!

Here are a few things I would love to have in my closet in case you need a little inspiration!