Confidence in yourself, your skin, your brains, your abilities, and your identity is a blessing. Some people have none and some people have a lot of it! Fashion can have an impact on your self-confidence, much like other aspects of your life.

What you wear and where, how you carry it, and how others perceive it can directly influence your confidence. You can use it to feel good about yourself, change your mood, and increase your confidence, whether for work, social gatherings, or just in life in general.

Science Backs It: Fashion Can Improve Confidence

A study from the Journal of Business Research studied the impact of fashion on leaders, their approval, and charisma. Interestingly, the study found that leaders whose dress was in contrast with their organization had better approval. It also established that leaders could use their appearance to impact their followers’ impression and perception of themselves.

Another paper explored the link between social psychology and dress. It references research from the 90s that found that employees had higher self-confidence with work-appropriate attire.

So How to Use Fashion to Boost Self-Confidence?

I have always seen fashion as an investment in myself. I always try to buy things that make me feel good, confident, and comfortable while remembering that context is key!

It still amazes me the clothes some people come into a job interview in sometimes. Again, context is key.

Here are some more recommendations on how you can use fashion to boost your self-confidence:

• Before you go anywhere consider the venue you are going to. Is it outdoors or indoors? Will you be walking or dancing on grass or concrete? How will the weather be today? How formal is the venue you are going to? Is it a business setting or an informal setting?
• Before you even think about what to wear, remember that you are beautiful as you are and we all have our own set of issues when it comes to our bodies.
• Take your time understanding which outfits and styles work for you and your body. Regardless of your body type, you can use the right silhouettes, fabrics, and cuts to create a flattering look.
• If you want to jazz things up with that fun jacket or a colorful accessory or some colored heels, go for it. You can always style it up with that one memorable piece that everyone will be talking about.
• Develop a signature style using pieces that, in your opinion, look good on you and make you feel good. This can be a piece you wear all the time and people will remember that you always wear that piece or similar pieces; a specific bracelet, ring, necklace, etc.
• Whether buying in-store or online, try the clothes, shoes, and accessories and see how you really feel wearing them. Fabric has to feel good on you.
• Don’t forget comfort, as it can also be a big booster for your confidence. For example, if you have a skirt that is too tight and short, and you keep pulling it down, you are not going to be comfortable or confident. In most cases, you can ONLY feel and act confidently in comfortable clothing. (Unless you are in uncomfortable clothing for a very short time for a photoshoot or event or something:))

Having confidence in yourself is not just good for your work or social life, but also for your overall well-being. So while spending all that money on clothes, shoes, and jewelry, you might as well use it to give yourself an extra boost of confidence.