Dress To Impress

How To Find Your Inner Animal

Dress To Impress

Written by Susie Taaffe

Does your wardrobe make you feel energised and ready to take on the world? Or are you stuck in a rut of blah? Would you like more outfits that you always feel amazing in? Then let’s talk about curating a style that will have you feeling passionate and sassy – ready to take on anything. This will look different for everyone - no one knows you better than you do. Firstly, let’s deep dive into your clothes, underwear, shoes, accessories and hair/make-up. Then we’ll talk about your mindset. All the clothes in the world won’t make you feel passionate if your inner world isn’t aligned.

Confident Clothes

What do you love wearing? What makes you feel sassy, sexy and strong. Bold underwear, bright lipstick and killer heels are the recipe for me. However, you will probably feel your best in something totally different – only you will know what works. Let us work out what your go-to power outfit and accessories are. Then you will be wardrobe ready whenever you need to unleash your inner animal.

Firstly let’s cull the items in your wardrobe that feel blah. Just because they fit and are still good, doesn’t mean you should keep them. Donate or sell them – Dress for Success is my preferred charity. Try on all your clothes and see which of them make you feel powerful and confident. I would like you to take note of the specific details of each garment that help you to feel like this, then we can replicate it easily. We all need clothes that are comfortable and easy but that doesn’t mean they can’t be energising as well.

If you don’t have at least one killer outfit, take a friend shopping and find one! A friend will help you to discover what looks great on you and tempt you to try different things. Alternatively, sales assistants can help you to find some strong statement pieces. Remember also to trial different colours and prints. Various colours will bring different feelings into your day. Personally, bright colours make me feel bouncy and full of sass.

Remember don’t get stuck on sizing. We all know that sizes vary from brand to brand so don’t be disheartened if you are a different size. I am a size 6 top in some brands and a size 14 in others. It means nothing! I also own different clothes in multiple sizes for days when my shape fluctuates – jeans are a particularly good example of this. Sometimes I even buy garments with a good return policy and take them home to try on in front of my own mirror with my other clothes and accessories. This gives you the ability to decide in your normal environment as opposed to the ghastly fluoro shop lights or worse, a fake skinny mirror! Find the outfits that make you feel like you can take on the world.

Sassy Undergarments

Next up is underwear. We all love our comfy grannie undies but let’s face it, they don’t elicit feelings of passion. Everyone needs some badass underwear in their arsenal to fuel their inner animal. A simple dress can still put a spring in your step when combined with some sassy underwear. No one will even know what you’ve got going on down below! It’s like your own little secret and the effect can be extremely powerful.

How do you choose underwear that makes you feel passionate and confident? For me, they cannot be too tight. The hint of a muffin top has me feeling deflated and definitely not energised. They must feel comfortable, but I love to have some lace, a bright colour or print for me to feel real grrrr. My absolute favourite pair are my leopard Petti-pants which give me the extra animal I need to get through my tough days. I wear them on the days when I need an inner ‘lift’.

You will know which underwear you feel your most confident in. If you only like simple styles - try them in a powerful print or colour. A band of lace around the top can also turn simple into sassy.

If you don’t know what makes you feel passionate and strong, try a large department store as they usually stock many brands in the one place. Kmart and Target tend to stock a larger size range.

Sexy Shoes

I am a high heel girl through and through. I absolutely love them, and they make me feel so strong and confident. Now, not all high heels are made the same. I vehemently disagree with uncomfortable high heels. There is nothing sassy and confident about feeling crippled and unable to walk. I own many, many pairs of high heels however only in a few different styles. When I find a style that feels comfortable to wear, I double down and buy heaps of the same style in different colours.

A good pair of boots can also help unleash your inner animal. Something about the solid soles that really make me feel powerful. The shoes that help you feel passionate and ready to take on the world will be a very personal choice. Maybe it is ballet flats in sparkly silver or animal print? I know my mum loves bright coloured flat shoes with all sorts of tassels hanging off them. Feel your energy when you wear different shoes. Which ones make you feel like you can tackle anything?

Powerful Accessories, Hair & Make-up

Accessories – to bling or not to bling? I personally love to wear earrings that match my outfit. It makes me feel completely put together and my confidence skyrockets. A statement necklace or earrings can really lift an outfit and your vibe to the next level. There are so many options out there, don’t be afraid to experiment! This is also an excellent place where you can support local as I find so many fabulous local jewellery makers this way.

Hair – do you have a go-to style? What makes you feel amazing? For many of my friends, they feel their best after being at the hairdresser, freshly washed, cut and blow-dried! As a curly gal, this is my worst nightmare as I usually leave wet and consequently frizzy!! I know my hair, as you would know your own. I know how to style it, so I feel my best. If you don’t, it might be time for a new haircut or style? Another thing I have learned is that other people really don’t know when you are having a bad hair day. Even at my best or worst people still say – oh you always look the same!

Make-up – understated or the full caboose? This is such a personal preference and so individual. I see some of the make-up tutorials online and think how do they ever make it out the door? I am a five-minute make-up girl and it can even be done at the traffic lights! Personally, my power make-up is bright lipstick and lots of eyeliner and mascara. I only wear mascara for special occasions, so I really notice the difference when I do. If you don’t have a go-to look that makes you feel fabulous, enlist a friend or beauty bar to help you create one that is realistic for your lifestyle. I also always keep a lipstick and eyeliner in the car so I can quickly transform my look if needed for an unplanned event.

Mighty Mindset

Now we have your look sorted, let us examine your inner world. There is zero chance you can unleash your inner animal if internally you’re feeling blah.

Music is my best form of motivation and inspiration. Make a badass playlist. I do this by adding a song every time I hear one that lifts me up. When I am feeling like I need a boost, I play my playlist and it helps immensely.

What do you do in your free time? How do you relax? It is difficult to be passionate in life with your cup running on empty. What do you do that makes you feel alive? This will be different for everyone. Swimming in the ocean. Riding a bike or horse? Surfing? Running, animals, bushwalks, reading a book, painting or taking a nap. Know what you need to recharge your batteries.

Ready for Anything

Now we know the clothes, underwear, shoes, accessories, hair and make-up that make you feel confident and passionate. Becoming aware of when you need to take some time out to recharge is equally important. Passionate styling will be a continually evolving process as you grow over time. Styles change, you will change and what is appropriate for your lifestyle will also change. Revisit this process every year to take note of what still helps to fuel your confidence and what doesn’t align anymore. Now you are ready to take on anything and live your best life.

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