There are so many guides about how to dress for your body type, and most of them are fine. There’s value in knowing what makes you taller or shorter, bigger or smaller. But in my experience, these rigid “one-size-fits-all” ways of dressing don’t work.

That’s why my favorite way of finding clothes for my body type is to dress for my strengths. Not sure what I’m talking about? It’s simple.

Most Fashion Tips for Body Types are About Hiding

There’s this pervasive idea that we need to “hide” our bodies.

You’re not confident in your arms? Hide them with these shapeless sleeves. You’re not happy with your tummy? Hide it with a loose top. Don’t like your legs? Don’t worry, wear long pants, even in the dead of summer.

In case you’re not getting my sarcasm, I am so very done with the idea of hiding yourself. Besides, the ~tricks~ are rarely effective. Typically, baggier things make you look bigger than you are. If you’re doing it as a statement (ala Billie Eilish), then live your life. But if you’re doing it out of a place of shame, there are better ways to treat yourself.

I’m also not advocating for hiding your body with tight, restrictive shapewear. In my experience, shapewear makes it hard to breathe, which makes it hard to enjoy myself. Clothes should serve you, not the other way around. And I always feel a little bit like a slave to my shapewear while I’m wearing them.

So what’s the alternative?

Hiding Can Destroy Your Confidence

Hiding parts of your body is also detrimental to your confidence and mental health.

Think about it. Every time you pick out an outfit, you’re focusing on the things you don’t like about yourself. Instead of enjoying your beautiful body that helps you move, eat, laugh, cry, and be creative, you’re always thinking about what you don’t like.

This isn’t good for your confidence, nor is it good for your mental health. When we can come to a place where we accept ourselves and our bodies 85% of the time (because bad body image days do exist), we can use that time and energy on something worthwhile.

Wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident, not what you’re told to wear because your belly is UnSeEmLy.

Flip the Script: Dress for Your Body By Dressing Your Strengths

I want you to do me a favor and look in the mirror. Instead of focusing on what you don’t like, focus on what you like about your body. Maybe you’ve got a booty that don’t quit or some strong shoulders. Maybe you love your neckline or your hands.

Try to come up with two or three things about your body that you love. It might take you a while to reframe your thinking, but give yourself some grace.

When you find those things you love about your body, then these are the strengths I want you to focus on when you get dressed.

For me, I love my natural curves and my hands. So when I get dressed, I focus on my waist and then add rings or nail polish to show off my hands. It helps my confidence throughout the day to look in the mirror, or see my hands while I’m working.

Dressing for the things I like about myself makes me feel more confident in my outfits. Even if people don’t think I should be wearing mom jeans or crop tops because of my belly poof, I feel confident in what I’m wearing. That’s all that matters at the end of the day.

Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment

This is not going to be a one-and-done process. When I first tried this, I thought that my breasts were an asset (which they are!). Because I liked them, I thought I should wear things that drew attention to them.

But I found that I was uncomfortable with this way of dressing. So I backed off low-cut shirts and instead for halter-is tips to show off my strong shoulders. Now I’m comfortable, and happy with my outfits.

Be Kind to Yourself

You won’t learn how to dress your strengths overnight. There will still be days when you want to wear sleeves in 100-degree weather because you’re not feeling great. But the more you work that fashion magic for the power of love and confidence, the less you’ll worry about what you lack. Instead, you’ll feel grateful for what you have.

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