STYLE BY SONECA

By Soneca Guadara

We all want to know the secret to being confi dent. It’s no secret that what you wear aff ects how you feel. Therefore, as cliché as it may be you should dress good to feel good.

Many people, however, get fashion trends confused when it comes to dressing with confi dence. A great sense of style is about what makes each individual person feel his or her best, regardless of the latest trends. Here are some style tips to help boost your confi dence.

Wear Clothes That Fit Your Body Shape

Nobody is perfect (although the Victoria Secret’s angels might come close!), and nobody expects you to be either. Everyone has things they love and hate about their bodies, so it’s all about fi nding out what your best assets are and showcasing them. By accentuating the areas you love, you will feel confi dent knowing that is what will be on display. If you have amazing legs, wear a skirt with slits or cigarette pants to highlight the shape of your legs. If you have a petite frame, then simple, unbroken contours with minimal fabric will help to elongate your fi gure. Hourglass fi gures should try to accentuate their small waist whilst pear shapes are best off wearing darker shades on their bottom half to direct attention to the top. Whatever it is, work with what you have got.

Wear Clothes That You Feel Great In

Ditch clothes that are too tight, or don’t fl atter you. Same with baggy clothes that you tend to hide behind. Lots of

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people hang on to clothes that fit them in their younger, slimmer days in the hope that one-day they’ll fit into them again. This does nothing but reinforce a sense of failure. If you must keep items, whether for sentimental or incentive reasons, pack them away in the loft. Take inspiration from Marie Kondo; keep a wardrobe full of clothes that “spark joy.”

Pick Colors Best For Your Skin Tone

There is no grey area when it comes to color. People respond to colors and certain colors elicit certain moods and reactions, so learn which colors give you that instant mood uplift and confidence boost. Get to know what colors suit you and how to use them to your advantage. My favorite color style tricks are using dark color blocking at the side of the torso to instantly make the waist appear smaller and using bright colors to draw attention to areas I love. Remember, a pop of bright lipstick can change a whole outfit and give you the extra boost of confidence needed to take on the world.

Put Yourself First

Being on-the-go all the time and trying to balance everything life throws at you is a challenge in itself, so take a step back and remember to put yourself first. Engaging with your sense of style and using it as a positive outlet to feed your confidence and bring that positive energy into everything you do can slowly, but surely, become a reliable self-mechanism. Even if you give just one of these style tips a try, remember to stay true to yourself and whatever makes you feel your best.

Hire a Personal Stylist

If all of the above tips still aren’t working for you and you feel like you need more help to reach your style potential, hire help! Outsourcing aspects of our personal development is nothing to be ashamed of. A good personal style coach, such as myself, will not only assist you in honing your individual tastes, but will find flattering pieces to help take your confidence to the next level. Think of it as an investment. For details of my personal styling services, visit www.stylebysoneca.com.

Soneca Guadara is a personal fashion stylist who makes her clients feel beautiful and confident. When Soneca is not working her magic assisting her clients, she can be found working backstage at New York Fashion Week, working on location shoots and contributing as an on-air fashion/style expert and style writer. You can follow Soneca on her Instagram – @StyledBySoneca – for weekly tips.