“Yes, beauty comes from within, but there is nothing wrong with looking like it comes from the without.”
— HoodSpice
Yes, I understand beauty comes from the inside, but I’d be doing you a disservice and quite frankly setting you up for failure if I told you aesthetics and how we look on the outside didn’t matter. Am I saying you need to meet some impossible beauty, body, or image-standard……no, but you can definitely create your own. There is something about it that stands out to find out what that is and highlight it literally and figuratively. This article will give you some tips and tricks on how you can highlight your best features no matter what they are. Yes, these tips are all-inclusive for he, she, they, and them as well. It doesn’t matter what or who you identify as looking good and feeling great is universal.
Ok, this is gonna be quick because we need to get this out the way. But journal use affirmations, surround yourself with good people or look back at old images of yourself that make you feel beautiful, attractive, or desirable. It would be best if you reaffirmed to yourself that that is what you are, regardless of who you are, what you do or do not have, and regardless of what you’ve gone through. It doesn’t matter how many and days we have got a grip on our self-esteem, whether you feel like you are worth it or not. When your confidence comes from you, it cannot be taken from any external sources because you’ve developed it yourself.No one can take anything away from you that they did not give you; remember that.
Ok, now to the aesthetics.
Let’s start with the basics of hygiene, hygiene, hygiene! To feel good, you need to take care of your body. Making sure there is not dirt behind your ears, on your face, or under your nails. Making sure your nails are clipped, colored, or done. Making sure your body is washed and moisturized, and making sure you smell good as well. Please don’t use your three-in-one body wash on your face; get a face wash specifically for your look; please, we’re begging you. Make sure you feel so fresh, and $o clean is only half the battle. No, but serious hygiene is super important; no matter who you are, make sure your body care routine is what you want it to be, for you, curate it yourself, and I promise you you won’t regret the results.
When it comes to clothes, how do you want to represent yourself? What inspirations do you pull from? How would you want to be perceived? What inspires you to dress the way you do? Is it the catwalk? Is it childhood inspiration? Is it trends of the past? Is it culturally nuanced? Is it Tumblr or Instagram inspired? What makes you, you? Whatever makes you, YOU, express it, life is too short for you, always trying to blend in/ dress averagely. Whatever you do wear, make sure you’re comfortable in it.
“Don’t let your exterior wear you, wear your exterior.”
— Hoodspice
Confidence is Key !
Confidence is key. Whatever you wear, you cannot, and I cannot wear it insecurely. You can have an amazingly styled outfit, with a pair of shoes and accessories that effortlessly complement your outfit but will continue to look average in the absence of this essential asset. This asset will make you look and feel like a million bucks even if your outfit costs ten dollars. What is that, you might ask? Well, the answer is…confidence. If you have an outfit, you don’t necessarily feel the most spirit, that’s okay; do what you need to do to feel your best, then come back to it. Why fake it till you make it when you can genuinely develop your confidence from within. When you feel exceptional about yourself, you can’t help but automatically bring that presence to whatever you wear. Confidence isn’t built overnight, so do what you feel you need to do to develop that for yourself. Plus, being confident in what you wear makes you that more attractive and magnetic. The better you feel about yourself is, the better you’ll look. Trust me.
Some Tip & Tricks!
Always stand with your back straight; I don’t care if your a, he, she, they, or them. Not only does standing up straight create good posture, but it is a sign of high self-esteem.
Develop a signature walk; it doesn’t have to be a runway strut or anything, but it needs to be effortlessly you.
Look people in the eye playfully * If your feeling bold* I do this a lot, and it personally works for me.
Before you leave your house, apartment, condo, etc., just make sure you want to look the way you desire.
Finally, the best accessory that is just the cream of the crop of looking really nice is just smiling. Show us those pearly whites If you want to!
“Originality and authenticity always will get you way farther than replication ever will; why drown out the uniqueness of being and looking like someone else when you can just be yourself .”
— Hoodspice
Don’t Compromise!
I’m pretty sure we’ve all had instances where we’ve felt like we wanted to jump out of our skin. Look prettier, be handsome, have nicer bodies, have the best and latest clothes, be someone else. I’m here to tell you never to let anyone make you feel like you have to conform to looking any other way other than looking like yourself. No two people are made the same, so why act like it. Sadly whether you are in High School, College, or are in real-world settings, especially if you’re in THE INDUSTRY, people will make you feel like being yourself and looking how you want isn’t good enough and try to bully you and borderline break your spirit.
All I have to say is don’t buy into it and ignore them. Keep doing you because they clearly see something in you that they lack. Never let anyone make you feel like you need to change something about yourself to fit in. I’m telling you from personal experience nothing feels worse than betraying who you are to appease people whose self-esteem is below sea level and probably closer to the deepest depths of the pits of hell. I want anyone and everyone to feel their absolute best and not really feel obligated to do anything that would betray their authentic sense of self. Being visually appealing isn’t solely about exterior aesthetics, as cliche as it seems; it really is about have that core sense of self and walking into the room not begging for people to like you but being ok if they don’t.