Sarah of Yes and Yes featured Sally of Already Pretty in this great post about Dressing Joyously. Wonderful. We are all familiar with the difference between Good Outfit Days and Bad ones, correct? The former includes a dose of joy that adds a spring to the step and an extra inch of confidence.
Sally says,
I firmly believe that striving to dress joyously is a worthwhile endeavor…. we’ve all got to wear clothes every day, and the clothes we choose broadcast information about us to the observing world. And because the clothes we choose can be protective or celebratory or expressive or soothing, and what we wear can change the path we take for the day. Dressing is powerful. And so it should be joyous.
Right? Clothes are powerful! Sally has five tips (comments are mine):
“Work Around Negativity” – do you get snide remarks about what you’re wearing? A snide remark can be enough to make me want to wear loose black and keep my head down. Fie! If you fear unwelcome comments, start small. Infuse your style with joyous little things that buoy you – some fabulous earrings, beautiful lingerie, nail polish, a luxe scarf.
“Fake it” – there’s wisdom that you should never own something you don’t feel comfortable wearing. That’s good advice… except sometimes we all need to be challenged. Wear something that’s outside your comfort zone, and your style will learn and grow. If you feel like a frumpy fraud by the end of the day, try something different tomorrow.
“Wear sentimental pieces” – wearing jewelry that belonged to my grandma, or hand-me-downs from dear friends, or gifts, make me feel connected and cherished and so, so grateful.
“Embrace color, texture, shine” – pizzazz is eye-catching and confidence-inducing. Give it a try. Neutral colors are great by themselves, yes, but also great backdrops for brightly colored and patterned accessories or statement pieces.
“Flatter your figure” – not everything fits everyone. Research can reveal cuts and styles that flatter your body, whether thick or thin, tall or small. Nothing makes me feel self-conscious quite like ill-fitting garments. Ask for gentle, trustworthy feedback if you’re unsure.
Style Me Minimal 
I’d add also add “flatter your skin and hair colour”. Some years the fashion colours don’t suit about 90% of the population over here, and still they follow the fashion trends like the good little consumers they are, only to look into the mirror and wonder why they look pale and sad.
I agree, and you remind me that I’ve never looked into the optimal colors for my skin tone and hair. Perhaps a future blog post…
I’d love to read your take on that! Especially for a minimalist wardrobe it’s great to know one’s optimal colours. Do you know what season type you are?