When your personal style confidence falters: two practical solutions

Today we are tackling what to do when your personal style confidence falters. (With a couple of post Easter eggs.) It is a truth universally acknowledged (and often lamented) that a confident person can pull off practically any outfit.(1)

But what to do when confidence is nowhere to be found? That is the question.(2)

I shall present for your consideration(3) two options that I hope will suffice until your confidence returns. 

Build your personal style confidence step by step

The first is inspired by sports and is to build your confidence back up step by step by step – go to the fundamentals and build from there. Go back to the pieces, and styles, and details that always work for you. For example: the necklace your grandmother gave you, the little black dress that always turns heads, the blazer you always turn to, your version of a power suite, etc. Then build upon that step by step, outfit by outfit, day by day.

Notice and celebrate each step and each win and each positive play. Keep building until you have built or rebuilt your confidence and the momentum to carry you forward under its own power.

Sometimes being genuine comes faster than being confident

The second comes from art and is to embrace being genuine before being confident. Dress how you genuinely want to dress. Express what you genuinely want to express. You can still read the room and choose when and how and how much – and also be genuine.

When you show up genuinely (at least to yourself), confidence tends to emerge.

One last thing: confidence begets confidence. So consider starting with The Sound of Music and have confidence in sunshine and confidence in rain, and confidence that spring will come again, and (perhaps most importantly) confidence in confidence alone.(4)

I hope this helps you begin to rebuild and regain your personal style confidence whenever it hits a rough patch. Because it happens. But it’s not the end of the world as we know it.(5)

Easter Egg Notes: 

1. Pride & Prejudice
2. Hamlet – To Be or Not To Be
3. The Poetic Principle by Edgar Allen Poe
4. The Sound of Music – “I have confidence” 
5. “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” – R.E.M