Head to Toe: How to Encourage Confidence in Your Appearance

There is great truth to the old adage that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Generally, people who are confident in their appearance, exude a sense of confidence that inspires confidence in others. Having confidence in your appearance doesn’t have to mean dressing to the nines or wearing a business suit every day. In fact, many people who wear professional dress every day still look poorly put together and unkempt. Here are four tips to inspiring confidence in your appearance.

Take Care with Your Hair and Skin

You don’t have to spend a great deal of time carefully coiffuring your hair every morning but you should at least make sure it looks nice. Take care to run a brush or a comb through it to keep it presentable. Ensure it isn’t greasy, oily, lifeless or dull. You also don’t have to drop $100 or more on a stylist every month, but you should spend the money to get it trimmed on a regular basis. The busier you are, the more of an easy-care style you want to have. Be sure to invest in a good skincare routine. Visit a dermatologist and ask plenty of questions—especially if you have any problems. Ask about cleansers, upkeep, preventative products, anti-aging help, sunscreens, and more.

Keep Your Clothing Neat and Tidy

It really doesn’t matter how much or how little you spend on your clothing, but presentation is everything. You don’t have to have your clothing professionally tailored, but you should only buy clothing that fits well and pass it on if it becomes faded, misshapen or no longer fits. Take a few minutes every time you do laundry to assess the quality of your clothes. If they develop any rips or holes, don’t wear them again until they are mended or pass them on to a thrift store. The same with stains.

Footwear Matters

You may think that no one notices your shoes, but you would be wrong. In fact, researchers at the University of Kansas found that people were able to correctly judge a stranger’s gender, income level and age just by looking at the person’s shoes, not to mention their political affiliation and even other important emotional and personality traits. Like it or not, people you meet every day are judging you based on every aspect of your appearance. The truth is, we are social beings that are hardwired to make connections. What we also understand, however, is that we can’t connect with every person we see. Instead, we look for small cues that tell us whether another person is a friend or foe, part of our tribe or even a potential mate. The more care you put into your appearance, the more confidence you will inspire in others and the more connections you may find yourself making.