The WoW Style

Have you ever seen an outfit on a mannequin and felt inspired to purchase the entire outfit, only to get into the dressing room to see that it simply doesn’t look that great on you? It’s a discouraging feeling and can go a long way in hurting your self-esteem.

While it may make you feel like you are doing something wrong, that actually couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is that the clothes are wrong! Picking out the right clothes for you is just like picking out the right ingredients to make a great meal. All it takes is a little know-how and good judgement.

So, without making you wait any further, here are the best ways to choose great clothes for you!

Decide what features you want to emphasize

One great initial way to find great outfits for you is to identify what parts of your body you would most like to emphasize. Are there things that you would like to make more obvious? Less obvious? How about bigger? Or smaller? There are clothes for every option. Here are a few things to consider:

• Pattern: Using vertical lines will make certain parts of the body look thinner and smaller, while horizontal lines will make them look bigger and wider.
• Waist styles: Low waisted pants can make your body look curvier with a more defined waste.
• Type of hemlines: A-line skirts will go along way in helping you accentuate your curves while straight skirts will do the opposite for your body.
• Fit: Unsurprisingly, baggier clothes will hide your body’s shape more while tighter fitting clothes will help you highlight your shape.

Katie from TheHandsome.com has a quick tip on how to figure out your body type:

“Before you head to your favorite department store or boutique to pick up some new clothes, spend some time looking in the mirror at home. Be honest with yourself about your body shape and what you see. Find out what general shape your body is. The key here is to love your body for what it is and find the clothes that make it look its best, rather than trying to force your body to be something that is isn’t! You are already beautiful, now you just have to find the right clothes to help you look and feel your best!”

Know your measurements

One key way to make sure that every visit to your favorite clothing store is a success is to know your measurements. This is true whether you are simply buying off the rack of have your clothes tailored.

While it might seem hard to get your accurate measurements, it is actually quite easy! Simply make sure that you have a flexible tape measure than can fit to the contour and shape of your body. The most important measurements are as follows:

• Circumference of your head for hat sizing
• Upper arm for sleeves
• Neck (especially for men’s clothing)
• Widest or fullest part of your chest or bust
• Natural waistline
• Hips (especially for women’s clothing)
• Inseam

Make sure the clothing fits comfortably in the store

This might seem like an obvious point but be honest with yourself: There have definitely been times where a shirt of a pair of pants is a little too tight or too loose but you have bought because you want it to fit. Just find something that bits well! It’s that simply. Truth is, the bits of clothing that are the most comfortable to wear are the ones that are going to look the best. And you are going to look the best in them! Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to buying comfy clothes:

• Clothes should not hinder movement of any kind while still not being too baggy or sloppy looking.
• If you are planning on losing weight, do not buy clothes that will serve as motivation. Simply hold off on major purchases until you have achieved your goal weight.
• Be sure to always hem your pants, especially if you are on the short side. A too low hem will make you look even shorter!

Check how your clothes look from behind

Whether you are looking to minimize your curves or accentuate them, it is always a good idea to find a mirror that can show you how you look from behind. If you can’t find a mirror that can help you with that goal, a great way is to open your phone and use your front-facing camera as a sort of mirror. That way, you can get a good idea of what people will be seeing when they stand or are walking behind you!

You don’t always need t follow fashion trends

You may absolutely want to keep up with the latest styles, but if a certain look isn’t flattering on you, you’re probably best served to just stay away. After all, developing your own style is always better than simply following the trends of others.

Find the right colors for you

The simple truth is that there are different colors of clothes for different colors of people! Here are some great tips to find a way to pick the right color for you:

• Choose clothes that will fit your skin’s undertones. People with warmer undertones tend to look better in warmer colors, while people who can cool-toned clothes typically look better in coolly colored clothes.
• Use outfits that incorporate colors that are complimentary to you. These are colors that are opposite to one another on the color wheel. This includes combinations like purple and yellow, blue and orange and red and green.
• Make sure to get some staples that you can wear over and over that include neutral and natural colors. With that being said, you don’t want to wear more than one neutral color at one time. These colors include gray, brown, navy blue and black.
• Perhaps the most important rule to keep in mind when it comes to colors is that you should wear what makes you happy! If you have a favorite color that makes you feel great, that’ll trump any tone that works for you.