This piece is created to answer the following; How to feel good in a dress, how to feel comfortable in a dress, how to feel confident in a dress and how to feel good in your clothes.
All Images On My Site, Are My Own. Perfect They Are Not. I Did However Want To Remain As Authentic & Original As Possible.
Love, The MiniSkirt Files.
How To Feel Good In A Dress: How To Look Good In A Dress
To find the code on how to feel good in a dress and how to look good in a dress, we must consider some things about ourselves. This should be done prior to selecting a dress and building a small collection of dresses that simply flatter us.
Flattering us is KEY here. In this article we will discuss how to look good in a dress of course, but also how feel confident in a dress. When we look good in the dress, we feel confident. Confidence alone can in turn also create a better appearance overall.
To feel good in a dress and to look good in a dress we must determine the following;
- Know Your Flattering Colors
- Flattering Silhouettes & Necklines
- Flattering & Comfortable Fabric
Know Your Flattering Colors
This tip is sprinkled all over my site, The MiniSkirt Files because it is pretty important if you want to heighten your appearance and up-level your entire look overall.
A way to find flattering colors for your skin tone / hair color / eye color [flattering your overall look] is to type this question into a search engine, “What Season Am I?” You will find a palette of colors suitable for you after answering what color your hair, skin and eyes are.
My most favorite, quickest, and most simple way to find out if a color is flattering is simply by putting a garment, or in this case a dress, up to your face in the mirror and simply ask yourself these questions;
- “Does this color make me look pretty or prettier?“
- “Does this color make me look fresh? More vibrant?“
- “Or do I look more dull? Tired?“
Start paying attention to what colors add that freshness to your look. Do warmer colors look better? Or do cooler tones look better? If white doesn’t suit you, you may need a warmer version of it such as cream, ivory or an off white.
Do you look best in jewel tones? Or are pastels more flattering on you? Can you pull off both? Knowing the answer to these questions will help you determine what colors will look prettiest on your darling self.
A Flattering Silhouette
A perfectly selected silhouette can properly flatter a figure.
Some figures find flattery in dresses with a fuller bottom. Think 1950’s vintage dresses.
Others look perfect in a body-con dress of different lengths.
The cuts of the fabric and the fabric material itself are a key in different shapes and silhouettes of a dress. Linen and cotton for example are breathable, but offer a more stiff and structures look.
Cotton mixed with another fabric like spandex can completely change the feel and offer some stretch.
Try looking at different women with a similar body structure to yours and see what flatters them most. You can research some starlets or models that you always found had a similar body shape.
Note: Even if there’s a look they didn’t happen to pull off, you still may be able to. Experimenting is always the best way to find out!
A Flattering Neckline
There are so many necklines to consider when wearing a dress. Necklines can do wonders for;
- Your Face Shape
- Your Facial Features
- Your Bust
- Your Body Proportions
I noticed a high neckline, scoop neckline, and square neckline all look fantastic for my bust and for my facial features. Do some research on necklines for your face shape. A neckline can truly change your entire look.
Here are some neckline tips, although always trying on a garment is the best way to see what’s most flattering on you. We are an entire person with hair shape, body shape, facial structure, facial features, that all need to be considered when looking at details.
Remember, these are some general tips. Trying on is always best! Get to know which ones suit you and then select these necklines not only in dresses but in your clothing tops as well to build a flattering wardrobe.
Sweetheart Neckline: Feminine, Pinup style potential, Enhances breast shape.
Off The Shoulder: Romantic, Feminine, Can flatter small to medium bust sizes.
Longer Faces: Off The Shoulder, Narrow Crew Neck, Boatneck.
Square Faces: Wide Crew Neck, Sweetheart, V-Neck.
These are just some general tips. Research which necklines suit your body type and face shape.
Again, do some research. And even if the dress you are attracted to “supposedly” doesn’t match your body type or face shape according to your research, TRY IT ON ANYWAY! You may lok dazzling in it after all! Which leads me to the next tip.
Try On! Try On! Try On!
The more you try on, the more you’ll get to know what colors, textures, fabrics and silhouettes flatter your body and overall look.
Take pictures or videos of you in your clothing. See how you look when walking. How do you look from behind?
Have The Proper Little Helpful Items
Always have the little basics that you may need to perfect the dress some. Sometimes a strap could be look, a bra needs to become racerback and you don’t have one, etc.
Some things to consider keeping on hand; Fashion or double stick tape, Safety pin, Bra clips, Thread & needle.
Have A Good Selection Of Basic Undergarments
Get properly fitted and find a good brand that fits your bust well. Purchase a few bras in different styles that flatter and fit.
Some basic undergarments to have under a dress;
- No show seamless nude panties
- No show seamless bra
- A good strapless bra
Some ladies like to have hosiery, stockings, garter belt to hold them up. This all depends of course if you prefer to be bare legged.
Some dresses may require you to wear a slip underneath. It’s of course a good idea to have a nude slip thats fits well and is not constricting.
How To Feel Confident In A Dress
How to feel good in a dress. This requires some self confidence therefore we must know how to feel confident in a dress.
POSTURE.
I’ve had pretty friends who looked fantastic in a dress but lacked the proper posture. It COMPLETELY changes a woman’s overall presence.
Pretty posture is just one of my tips in How To Look & Be Better Than Average: An Up-Leveling Guide, where I discuss ways to up-level yourself and your appearance in simple and effective ways.
A woman slouching in a dress – this just doesn’t do her justice, nor give the dress a chance to shine.
Know How To Walk In Your Heels.
The walk is important as well. If you cannot walk in super high heels, avoid them. If you need a little practice in regular heels, do so. Safely of course, don’t fall please!
Practice in front of the mirror. Watch your gait. Look ahead. And walk baby.
Scent = Mood. Complete Confidence Creator.
Perfume is a complete mood enhancer. A certain scent can change your entire disposition.
Always have one that makes you feel confident, powerful and YOU.
How To Feel Comfortable In A Dress
To begin feeling comfortable in a dress we must consider again our basics, the dress fabric, the sizing, and the undergarments.
Sizing
If a dress is too small but the next size up is just too big, buying the larger size and then having it tailored specifically to your body is the best option.
The idea is to have a dress that isn’t too tight, but flatters you perfectly.
Knowing this trick years ago would have let me purchase some exquisite dresses that I thought I couldn’t own simply because the sizing was off.
Try to sit in the dress.
Does it ride up? Does it become difficult to take a breathe? Is the top slipping and showing something? Is there gaping?
Fabric
Stretchier fabrics are often the most comfortable in my opinion. They can be forgiving as well. Speciaiflcly a thick ribbed fabric dress that I mention throughout different articles of mine. I love the ribbed dress for thin ladies who want to enhance their curves a bit.
The thicker ribbed fabric dress can also be forgiving of any flaws, hiding lumps, bumps and whatever else we see as “flaws.”
Other details that add a little forgiveness in certain areas are properly placed ruching and gathering. Depending on placement, it can enhance certain areas and make other areas look smaller.
For example;
- To enhance our bust and make a waist look smaller, select a dress with some ruching or ruffles near the bust.
- Some gathering by the hip can make a mid section look smaller and enhance the hip area.
Undergarments
Earlier i had mentioned the importance of having a good selection of proper undergarments.
To be most comfortable, do avoid the constricting kind of undergarments. Make sure the fit nicely and flatter your shape.
How To Feel Good In Your Clothes
When you feel good in your clothes, you feel confident in your clothes.
There are some basics to feeling good in your clothes and feeling confident in your clothes and they include the following;
- Clean Clothing
- Flattering Shape
- Flattering Color
With a good foundation of clothing we are able to feel more confident when we put them on our bodies.
Have Clean Clothing
Smelling fresh.
This doesn’t mean being being surrounded by a cloud of perfume. This simply means having clean clothing, even if you use fragrance free detergent. [And of course, good hygiene basics].
When you move or get up from sitting, others around you will be able to smell your clothing. Make sure your clothing smells nice and fresh. No need to worry if you don’t like scented laundry. Simply using a fragrance free detergent and washing your clothing regularly will keep them fresh.
An Overall Flattering Appearance
Create an overall flattering look. Good hygiene basics. A haircut and style that compliments your body shape and facial features, even if you just wear it straight or keep your natural texture. Make sure it compliments you.
Makeup should enhance not take away from your features.
Skin and nails look clean and well taken care of.
Flattering Shape
Shapes and cuts of fabric matter when we want to look good in our clothing. Remember when we discussed necklines and silhouettes of dresses? This applies to our daily clothing as well.
Start to get familiar with what kind of tops flatter your facial features, your bust, and your overall body and appearance. What do you feel most comfortabe in? Or most confident in?
Try out different fabrics. Do you look and feel best in cottons? Linens?
How about A-line cuts (a straight across hem). Do you look better in asymmetrical cut fabric?
Some bodies look better with straight cuts and not such ruffly, flowing fabrics.
BUT there are no rules. This is all about trying on different colors, cuts, fabrics and sihouettes and seeing what give you the best feel and what ignites your confidence.
Flattering Color
We discussed in the previous sections that the color of our clothing can either make us glow, look vibrant and healthy or make us look dull and tired.
This is because the color of the clothing is either working well with our skin tone and hair, complimenting them, or doing the oppisite.
As you read before, my most favorite tip is to simply put the garment up to your face in the mirror and see what it does for you. Be cognizant of the lighting you are in when practicing this tip.
A Note About Me
I was always insecure about myself & my body until my mid twenties which lead me to create The MiniSkirt Files.
I have several articles for thin ladies who are too insecure to wear a dress or skirt as it’s just one of the insecurities that I grew up with and actually learned to appreciate through trial and error.
Often times I was ridiculed for having a delicate figure or lacking in bust alongside some truly hurtful comments but did eventually build that confidence, acceptance, and true self love. So for my ladies who have shared this with me, I do have several articles I can list below.
- Dresses For Skinny Girls: Dresses That Make You Look Curvy
- How To Make Skinny Legs Look Bigger
- How To Get An Hourglass Figure When Skinny: A Womanly Physique
There is a beauty to all bodies. Growing up I envied curvier girls, girls with thick thighs, thin girls with a large bust – all of which are stunning bodies as well.
It felt so fresh and so pleasant to finally stop envying and seeing the beauty in my own.
Regardless of what your body shape may be, I do hope you have gained at the very least, a sprinkle of confidence in your appearance.