I can’t help grinning as I start writing this article. Years ago, when I was about 12 years old, my beloved dad bought me a beautiful and expensive Christmas dress. When I fitted the dress, everyone said that I looked lovely. However, I didn’t like how I looked in the dress, and it didn’t matter what everyone else said.
You see, the dress was long-sleeved, well-fitting, and had a nice belt. The reason I didn’t like it was because it displayed to the world my developing bust. I was at that stage of teenage where I didn’t like what was happening to my body. At that point in time, I preferred to wear baggy outfits that covered my bust.
To make a long story short, I wore that dress on Christmas day to impress my dad and other family members. As we stepped out of the house to go and celebrate Christmas with the rest of my extended family, I tried to wear a baggy sweater on top of the dress. However, my mum snatched the sweater claiming I could not spoil my great look with an old sweater.
That was the most miserable Christmas for me. I was self-conscious and uncomfortable the entire day. When I finally removed the dress, I swore I would never wear it again. I decided that from then onward, I’d dress to impress myself and not others, no matter how much I loved and cared for those people.
That is my advice for you today – dress to impress yourself, not others.
So, what do I mean by dressing to impress yourself?
Wear Clothes That Make You Happy
I discovered long ago that someone somewhere will think I look awful in an outfit no matter what I wear. The same happens to you – people judge your fashion sense despite the effort you put into coming up with an outfit. They mete the judgment on both women and men.
The reason is that fashion cops out there want to dictate what you can or can’t wear based on your body shape, age, weight, etc. Don’t allow people to decide what you can or can’t wear.
So, if you wear an outfit and it makes you happy, go ahead and rock it. Don’t worry if someone else thinks you look ridiculous in it. You’re never too motherly, thin, fat, plain, young, or old to wear whatever makes you happy.
Wear an Outfit That Lifts Your Mood
Do you sometimes wear an outfit, and your mood suddenly drops? I have a lovely dress tucked away in my wardrobe – I haven’t worn it for years. I wore the dress to the funeral of a loved one, and every time I put it on, my mood drops.
An outfit can dampen your mood because of its color, material, design, or the memories it brings, among other things.
If you wear an outfit and your mood suddenly drops, it’s best to remove it. The reason is that the outfit you choose to wear on a certain day can affect your behavior, feelings, thoughts, and mood in general.
So, don’t step out of the door wearing something that has already dampened your mood. Change into an outfit that lifts your mood, so that you can have a fabulous day.
Wear an Outfit That You Like
As I mentioned earlier, I hated how the expensive, beautiful, Christmas dress my dear dad bought me looked on me. However, I wore it to impress him. I felt horrible in the dress, and as a result, it ruined my Christmas day.
Wearing an outfit to impress someone or because they want you to wear it can be disastrous. You can end up feeling miserable and uncomfortable the entire day like I did.
So, don’t allow other people to talk you into wearing something you don’t like. Dress in what you like, so that you can impress yourself, not others.
Wear Outfits That Make You Physically Comfortable
Dressing to impress yourself also includes wearing clothes that make you comfortable. You see, the clothes you wear should make you feel comfortable both physically and emotionally. If you are uncomfortable, nothing else really matters.
For instance, if you wear tight pants that dig into your waist, you may feel uncomfortable regardless of how beautiful or expensive the pants are. The reason you feel uncomfortable is because the outfit is not comfortable physically.
So, avoid wearing outfits that make you physically uncomfortable because they might impress others but not impress you.
Wear Clothes That Boost Your Confidence
Some clothes you wear can impress others but they can bring down your confidence levels. For instance, if you wear a dress that’s too short, you may eventually feel self-conscious. As a result, you end up pulling down the dress after every few minutes.
The other example is when you wear tight tops that ride up and expose the belly and lower back. In such instances, you keep trying to pull down the top to cover the exposed parts of the body.
One of the reasons you keep pulling down the dress or top in the above scenarios is that you become self-conscious. Being self-conscious may sap your self-confidence and ruin your day.
Confidence is one of the most attractive accessories you can wear. So, wear clothes that boost your confidence levels so that your day can be fabulous.
Conclusion
When choosing your outfit for the day, don’t choose an outfit to impress the rest of the world. Instead, wear an outfit that impresses you.
I’m not saying that you totally ignore other people’s suggestions about what you should wear. It’s okay to listen to suggestions from your partner, children, or friend on what to wear for an occasion. However, the final decision of what to wear should rest on you.
Remember you are dressing for yourself, not for others.
What are your ideas or thoughts about dressing to impress yourself? Kindly share with our readers in the comments section below. Cheers!
