How to Improve Your Self Image Using Your Wardrobe: 14 Steps (2024)

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Co-authored byCassandra Sethi

Last Updated: November 26, 2023References

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   Find styles that make you feel your best. Fashion blogs and internet sources can help you choose the right kinds of clothes for your body type. However, if you don’t feel good in these clothes, you won’t feel good. Find the types of clothes, the fabrics, or the styles that make you feel your very best and wear those.

   • Ask yourself what your favorite outfits are. Which clothes make you feel attractive? Which clothes make you feel empowered? Which clothes make you feel successful?
   • After you have chosen which clothes and styles make you feel your best, buy clothes in similar styles. Wearing clothes that make you feel good about yourself helps boost your self-image.
   • Get rid of all the clothes and styles you don’t feel good in. There are no rules about what you should and shouldn’t wear. Find what makes you feel your best.
   • Above all, you should always be purposeful about which pieces you're putting in your closet.^[1]
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   Wear colors that make you happy. If you wear colors that make you happy, you will feel happy. Colors that make you happy doesn’t necessarily mean bright either. You may feel happy in black, or in brown or even bright yellow. Choose colors that make you feel happy and good about yourself.

   • Dressing in colors that make you feel good about yourself can help boost your confidence. Decide which color of clothes make you feel your best.
   • You may choose colors that compliment your skin tone, colors your feel safe or secure in, or colors that brighten your mood.
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   Show off your assets. No matter your body shape or gender, you can use your wardrobe to emphasize your body’s assets. This can make you feel more confident about yourself.^[2]

   • Take some time and look in the mirror. Be honest with yourself. What are your best features? Is it your legs, your eyes, your hair, your biceps, or your bust?
   • After determining what your best features are, dress with those features in mind. This means choosing clothes that will emphasize, show off, and compliment your best features.
   • If you have great legs, wear skirts and shoes that emphasize this. If you like your bust, wear scoop or V-neck shirts. If you have good biceps, wear shirts with sleeves that emphasize them. If your eyes or hair is your best feature, coordinate colors to compliment those features.
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   Buy clothes that fit.^[3] Many people hold on to old clothes that no longer fit. They view these clothes as “goal” clothes. This can make you feel worse about yourself because you are tailoring your wardrobe to your past instead of your present. Focus on the present you and dressing to make yourself feel the best you can.

   • You shouldn’t give up your goals of losing weight if you have gained weight. However, it can harm your self-image to keep wearing clothes that are too tight and that make you feel bad about yourself. Instead, update your wardrobe so you feel good now instead of constantly beating yourself up.
   • Clothing that doesn’t fit make accentuate things about your body that negatively affect your self-image.
   • Don't be afraid to consult a tailor, either! Alterations like hemming or taking in pants, dresses, and shirts are very common.^[4]
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   Dress for your body type. One of the most important things you can do to boost your self-esteem through wardrobe is to dress for your body type. This means choosing clothes that flatter your figure, no matter your shape, size, or gender.^[5]

   • Apple shapes generally have heavier upper bodies. This means you can choose clothes that draw attention away from your midsection, like straight leg pants, flowy tops, V-necks, high-waisted skirts, shift dresses, and long sleeves. Avoid dresses or shirts that cinch at the waist and go for things that show off your nice legs.
   • Hourglass shapes have curves and a smaller waist. You can accentuate your small waist and curves with belted jackets, pencil skirts, wrap dresses, and crop tops.
   • Pear shapes have the most weight around their hips, so a pear shaped person should accentuate their top half. Try off-the-shoulder tops, A-line skirts, embellished tops, and bootcut or slightly flared jeans.
   • If you have a rectangular shape, you can add curves or weight to areas by dressing right. Try cinched dresses or shirts, or add belts to outfits. Wear tops with ruffles, embellishments, or other designs. Accentuate legs with skinny jeans, miniskirts, and leggings.
   • Men can dress to their body shape, too. For guys with broader shoulders, make sure you are buying shirts that fit them and not your waist. If your upper body is smaller, try layering shirts or wearing a jacket to add bulk. If you have more weight around the midsection, avoid horizontal stripes in favor of darker colors or vertical stripes. If you have a smaller upper body, go for skinnier pants while opting for straight legs if your middle is wider.^[6]
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   Learn to dress around your flaws. Everyone has flaws. No body is perfect without the help of photoshop. Having flaws shouldn’t cause a negative self-image. However, you can use your wardrobe to help you disguise those flaws. Learning to dress for your shape is one step to hiding your flaws, but you might make it a point to hide your most hated feature.^[7]

   See Also

   8 Fashion Tips to Look PowerfulHow Does Clothing Affect Your Workout PerformanceFrom Chiffon to Corduroy: Exploring the Names of Fabrics in EnglishWhat Type of Clothes Do You Like To Wear? IELTS Speaking (10 Examples Answers) - Band 7 Success

   • Decide if there is a feature you can hide with your wardrobe. If you dislike how much weight you have around the middle, wear shirts that are not form fitting and find pants that fit you instead of cause lumps.
   • If you dislike your arms, find nice tops with sleeves. If you dislike your legs, wear nice fitting pants or leggings.

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   Wear the right underwear. No matter if you are a woman or a man, wearing the right underwear is essential. Not only can the right underwear make you feel better about yourself, but it might also make your clothes look better.

   • Underwear can give you unnecessary lines, lumps, or other problems under your clothes. Finding the right underwear to wear with your different outfits can fix those issues. You can find underwear marketed for certain types of clothing, or go to the underwear section of a department store or a specialty shop and get help from a sales associate.
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   Add jewelry. Never underestimate how a well-placed piece of jewelry can turn any outfit around. Jewelry is also a great way to express yourself, which can help boost your self-image by giving you a sense of individualism.^[8]

   • Wear statement necklaces, bracelets, or rings with your outfits. These pieces are fun and add personality and style to an outfit.
   • If you have sentimental pieces of jewelry, like heirlooms or pieces family members have given you, wear those. They can help you feel better about yourself as you focus on people who care about you.
   • Stop saving the pearls and diamonds for special occasions. Every day you step outside is a special occasion. Wearing expensive, nice jewelry can help make you feel more special just because you are wearing them.
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   Pair your outfit with accessories. No matter what climate you live in, you can add accessories to your outfit. These accessories can help you feel better about yourself. Some accessories might help you show your uniqueness, while other accessories might help you hide or blend in more.

   • Hats are great accessories for men or women. There are so many different kinds of hats you can put with both casual and formal outfits.^[9]
   • Ties are one of a guy’s most common accessories. Pair a white or grey button up with a bright, colorful tie. You can even choose a patterned tie. Also try adding pocket squares to your suits.
   • Scarves work with a lot of outfits for men and women, and not just in the winter. Summer scarves are very popular and can be paired with dresses or t-shirts.
   • Sunglasses, handbags, messenger bags, and gloves are only a few other types of accessories you can wear.
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   Choose your shoes with purpose. Shoes are almost as important to an outfit as the clothes. Wearing certain shoes can improve your attitude, whether it’s feeling confident in three-inch heels or in your favorite sneakers. Think about why you are choosing your shoes and pick shoes that make you feel good about yourself.^[10]

   • You can choose your shoes to match your outfit. You don’t have to, though. You can wear Converse with dress slacks or a dress if that makes you comfortable.
   • You can also wear bright colored shoes or anything else that helps you feel good about yourself.

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   Learn to dress for confidence and success. If you want to boost your self-image, learn to dress for success. Wearing professional, nice clothes can help you feel more confident at work or interviews. Choosing pieces that fit you well and accentuate your goals and personality can boost your self-esteem.^[11]

   • This doesn’t necessarily mean wearing an all black suit. Dress for your goals, but add some of your personality. This is a great place to pair a suit or plain dress with a colorful tie, statement jewelry, or bright shoes.
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   Recognize clothes that make you feel bad about yourself. Dressing like you feel bad may make you feel bad. If you always wear sweatpants and sweatshirts when you’re feeling down, don’t wear them when you’re not feeling down. People associate feelings with clothes, and if you’re wearing clothes with bad associations, you may feel bad by extension.

   • This doesn’t mean you have to wear dress clothes all the time. Just try not to wear clothes that make you feel bad about yourself.
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   Accept your flaws and imperfections. No matter what clothes you wear, if you focus too much on what you consider flaws or imperfections, your self-image will suffer. Everyone has something they don’t like about themselves. Choosing a wardrobe to dress to your strengths can help you feel better about yourself, but you should accept your flaws and imperfections for what they are.

   • Instead of thinking about what’s wrong with your image when you put on clothes, focus on what’s positive. Think about how your wardrobe empowers you and makes you feel good about yourself.
   • Don’t focus on imperfections. Pick out strengths your wardrobe emphasizes, like your legs or your hair.
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   Take a self-image and clothing workshop. Many clothing/wardrobe specialists, nutritionists, and psychologists are offering workshops that explore the relationship between self-image and self-esteem and clothing. These courses help people learn how to dress for their bodies and understand how the wardrobe affects self-image.^[12]

   • Check online or at your local community or wellness centers to see if there are workshops like this in your area.

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