The only reason I’m in fashion is to destroy the word conformity. Vivienne Westwood
Isn’t it strange how we’re always told to “just be ourselves”, yet we often end up being succumbed to fitting in with the crowd? Well, it turns out that this can actually have a negative impact on the way that we show up in the world.
It all comes down to lack of individuality, which in turn can interfere with our levels of confidence and even self-worth. Clothing should be worn to empower us, not to be part of a trend. So, here’s a few to tips on how to break the rules of fashion and create your own mould in order to live a more confident, positive, and empowered life.
Do your own thing
Although the desire to conform can be strong for both genders, it’s vital to remember that fashion should be a way of expressing your personal beliefs, values and preferences. Quite often, when we follow trends/dress to impress others, we can be left feeling empty.
Our self-worth can suffer as we’re not truly dressing how we want to. Of course it can sometimes be fun to stay up to date with the latest trends, or to purchase from the same fashion brands all time time, but don’t be afraid to break the fashion rules and do your own thing regardless of what others are doing! Wanna wear heels and joggers for a dressed down but sassy look? Go for it babe, there’s no judgement here.
Be mindful about what you consume
According to Ryan Holmes (co-founder of Hootsuite), we now see around 5000 ads a day on social media alone, and this number is rising! When we’re constantly exposed to heavily branded ads on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, we have to take a cautious approach to how we interpret what we see.
Quite often, marketeers try to make us feel like we need to constantly stay up to date with their latest products and in turn, fit in/align with their brand. Well, this can actually have a pressurising effect on your attitude towards fashion. You must look behind the smoke and mirrors and remember that you never need to abide by any trend, or look a certain way in order to make your mark and have an impact on the world.
Wear your confidence
When we alter our outlook on outfits and have a more relaxed approach to what we wear, we boost our self-confidence, which in turn creates more opportunities in our everyday lives. There’s no worrying about staying relevant with the crowd, we develop a careless attitude and so our personalities can flourish. This all comes down to the mind-body connection! The less you care about trends/what others think, the more confident you will become.
This is especially important when it comes to networking at events, in our jobs, and in our friendship circles. Your new found confidence will be so clear to see when you are being unapologetically you as it will radiate through the way you sit, speak and engage with others…no one is you and that is your power as they say! Take me for example, if I’m dressing for a business related task, I aim to dress professionally but add my own personal flair to the outfit to represent my personality to the look.
Dress to increase your dopamine levels
Dressing to your own taste will also have an impressive effect on your mental health as the more you are being yourself, the happier you will become. In turn, the more positive your outlook on life will be. This positivity will also reflect onto your self-worth which as a result, will empower you to take more risks when dressing yourself. Basically, you won’t be afraid to wear whatever you want as you’ll be confident whether people like your outfit or not (which is always a good trait to have btw).
So, be the outcast and make the change. I promise you, once you take the plunge and start doing your own thing with your outfits not only will you empower yourself, but also those around you too!