How many mornings have you desperately tried out every combo of outfits in your wardrobe, still convinced that nothing looks great on you?
Everything feels shallow, pretentious, or like trying too hard. It can be a tough feeling.
Use this 6 step approach to avoid such days and dress with confidence every time.
1. Nail the Basics
Overwhelmed by fashion tips? Focus on just three things – fit, fabric, and function. This is the triad for dressing with confidence.
A fitting dress is stitched to flatter you from every angle. It will be considerate of your body frame,
The fabric determines the weight, texture, and drape of your attire. The selection of fabric is also important in keeping you comfortable.
The function is the purpose of your outfit. If you are dressing up for the gym, it makes little sense to wear a trim-fit t-shirt that restricts your body, no matter how impeccable you look rocking it.
Take care of this style trio, and the rest of the elements will fall into place on their own.
2. Dress For The Setting
When in doubt, consider the occasion. It is not easy to stay relaxed if you are under or overdressed than everyone else in the room (unless that is what you are aiming for, that is). A dinner meeting with your business partner? Better get your suit ready. Friday night at the pub? Maybe jeans and a hoodie can get the work done. A toga party, wear a toga. You get the point – get creative without making your outfit entirely out of place.
3. Emulate People You Admire
Celebrities, athletes, social media stars, fashion bloggers – there are a lot of men who have it all figured out. There are even pretty well-dressed movie characters whose every outfit and accessory have been carefully picked by specialists. Don’t shy away from copying their style if it inspires you. Just pick one or two elements at a time or you will end up looking like a cosplay.
It is best to emulate a person who has mastered a style as opposed to someone who shifts their style gears with the latest trends. You could even pick one role model for each style – say dress like Harvey Specter for meeting your clients and Van Wilder when you hit the bar.
4. Be picky about trends.
Catching up with the fashion trends is exciting. But sometimes it can make you feel ingenuine about the way you dress. That quirky cap you decided to wear for the office party, where a regular type of hat would have worked wonderfully could dampen your enthusiasm all evening. This is why we recommend changing just one variable at a time and going after the trends only to places where your attire won’t make a difference.
5. Find Your Signature Style
No, this does not mean wearing the same turtleneck every day like or tilting the brim, the part of a hat that protrudes from the crown, sideways. The point is not to stand out from everyone else or to be identified by your clothes. Rather you want to have a steady supply of outfits that you are comfortable wearing. After experimenting with different styles you have figured out what kind of outfits make you look every time. This spares you from having to worry about how your outfit looks and will immensely boost your confidence.
6. Wear What Makes You Feel Your Best
In the end, dressing with confidence boils down to feeling comfortable in your own skin. No number of compliments is worth it if you are not happy with your garments. Even the assurance of donning the most coveted brands can be fleeting if you feel uneasy about it.
Dressing with confidence is not that difficult once you get the basics down and get a hang of what works the best for you. Taking heed of the steps above will take you closer to finding that sweet spot.