How To Feel Confident When Trying Out New Trends...

 Top: Forever 21 - under $13!!! Skirt: Forever 21 (comes in a few colors) Boots: Steve Madden (sold out online) similar Here (on sale) Sunglasses: Quay Purse: Michael Kors (old) similar Here

A friend of mine and I were texting one day and she was sending me pictures of outfits and which I liked. She lives all the way in Savannah so our only form of communication most days is text and random google facts, we are both way too ADD and amazingly, can follow each other through our random text conversations lol..ANYWAY she mentioned it might be cool to do a post on how to feel confident when trying out new styles, I thought I can totally do that! I am sure that hits home for a lot of people because it can be awkward and scary when trying to break out a new trend that you aren’t completely sold on yet. The time I can remember being most scared of a trend was when I was maybe 18 and skinny jeans were making there way back into the scene, I was like “NO WAY”, “why are they so tight on the ankles?” Haha, I wasn’t having any of it. This was back when I worked in retail and it was important for us to model the clothes, so I shamefully put on those skinny jeans and made them work. I did a lot of self-talk, “you don’t look like an idiot” “these would be pretty cute with this, this and this. “Once I found how they worked for me and my wardrobe I ended up loving them.  Needless to say, today, I wear NOTHING but skinny jeans. Every day a new trend hits the scene and that is when you decide yay or nay on them. But what is funny to me is that I can see something and say no way, but I put it on and play around with different looks and I think okay, this looks great! Which brings me to this post, How to feel confident when trying out new styles…

.      1. When testing the waters on a new style make sure its something you would actually pick out. It’s easy to see trends in magazines and want to follow them because its “whats in.” The problem with that is that it won’t be authentic  and people can immediately notice when you walk in a room and aren’t comfortable in your outfit. Which brings me to…

.       2.Be authentic, when choosing new trends you must stay true to who you are, don’t conform to society because ultimately you won’t feel good about yourself in whatever that style may be. Everyone is different and not everyone has to like the same style of clothing. What works for some body types might not work for you and that is OKAY! It’s actually quite beautiful that we can all be so different.

   3.  Make sure you feel good! The fun and awesome thing about clothes is that they can instantly transform you and your mood! I always feel so good when I feel good in my clothes. If I don’t like my outfit during the day I normally don’t feel good and can notice a change in my mood. Choose styles that are going to uplift you and make you feel good about wearing them. If you love skinny jeans but really want to try the bell trend out, go for it. You just have to decide how that trend will work for you, whether you like that look for everyday wear, dressed up or dressed down or maybe you only like it as strictly business clothing.

    4. Pair the old with the new: When trying out new trends you don’t have to go all out and get all the trends at once and throw them together, do it at your own pace. If you want to try out bodysuits and distressed denim do it, but if you will feel overwhelmed by all the newness it is going to bring to your wardrobe. Just try that bodysuit with your favorite high waisted denim, or a great skirt for a night out... slow and steady wins the race, right? I think that is what they say anyway, haha:)     

 5.When it’s a NO, it usually will always be a NO. There are exceptions to this but if you see a style that has come on the scene and you say to yourself no way I would ever wear that, most of the time you probably wont. When boyfriend shorts came out a few years back I remember seeing girls look so cute in them, but my first reaction to them was NO NO NO. They will look frumpy on me because of my frame, and indeed that is just how they looked. And that is OKAY, like I said everyone is different what works for her won’t always work for you.

.      6. Lastly, have fun! Being confident is nothing more than being okay with being in your own skin. And if you struggle with confidence in general, I always say fake it until you make it. Self-talk is everything, you have to change the messages you feed yourself every day. If you don’t like a certain part of your body and you have replayed that message over and over than you need to start a new tape with a different message. Once you start a new tape with different messages you will have a different outlook when you are trying to break out a new trend, it won’t be so scary and you won’t feel so awkward because you’re okay with being you.

SOOOO that was a long post, but I am so glad I did it. I hope you all like it and are able to take something away from it. Change is always scary but can also be so revitalizing and fun. Switching up your wardrobe doesn’t have to be dreadful or terrifying, make it an adventure, search for what works for you and when you find it, own it.

Xo,

Sarah