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Confidence is something that people around the world struggle with uncovering each and every day, often leaving many of us stumped with how to gain that all too needed confidence boost we desire when we are left feeling down.
Former beauty queen, Tara Hooper is a self-described “high-heel shoe advocate who has a smidge of diva in her.” Tara certainly knows a thing or two about being thrown into a position where she was a book judged by its cover, as she began her journey as a pageant queen and found that the confidence that was given to her from looking and feeling her best could not be compared to anything else. This granted her with the perfect platform to create and front her very own image consulting business, The Style Signature, where she teaches and inspires her clients with the very same lesson that she learned herself; that internal confidence can actually start externally.
“I came to realize that along with appearance, stage presence and communication became the golden nuggets of a confident image. When those three elements were mastered, success would be inevitable.”
Tara’s idea of confidence is certainly more than being just another pretty face in a crowd, but rather emphasizing upon the internal confident behaviors that stem from putting your best external image forward. We can’t deny that since the beginning of time humans have the tendency to judge a book by its cover at first glance, it’s simply something we can’t escape, not that we all need to always be fully made up and in our best dress at every second of the day, but paying special attention to the way you feel when you think that you look your best is the building block for internal confidence within your daily life, and this is entirely a personal experience. For one particular individual, looking their best may mean that they are dressed in their most comfortable attire, as for others it is going full glam on any given day. The key is to understand what YOU can wear to make YOU feel that confident power that is buried deep within all of us.
Scientific studies have even explored the effect that one’s image has on their overall professional performance and has shown just how differences in one’s clothing choices can actually alter the outcome of students testing scores. Showing that those students who showed up to an exam in more carefree attire like sweatpants actually scored lower compared to those who had taken the time to look a little more presentable. Proving that taking the time to dress in something that feels good to you can develop a clear and powerful personal image or brand that can further encourage the confidence that is needed for personal success. Elements such as clothing and accessories are confidence creators that you may have never considered in the past.
“Lipstick doesn’t make you smarter but sometimes it’s about other people’s perspective about you…”
…says Hooper. The long used phrase “look good feel good” certainly proves true, and while looks aren’t the most important aspect in what makes us unique individuals, it certainly plays a role in our everyday confidence and is a factor of personal confidence that often gets overlooked. The journey to a stronger sense of yourself can be started right at home by taking those extra steps to reflect on what you can put on your body to take care of yourself internally. Think about it, when we are strutting our stuff in our best power suit, you can’t help but feel all the more powerful and capable yourself, and it certainly shows to the outside world. But remember that what matters the most is the strong effect that these simple clothing changes have on your own personal definition and feelings of confidence.
Tara Hooper
Dallas personal stylist, image consultant and executive presence consultant. Effective communicator. Transformation queen. Confidence creator. Those are just a few of the titles Tara holds. She has the tools you’ve been looking for, and she uses each one to help her clients shine in every aspect of their image, both personally and professionally.
Erin Proud is currently a Junior at the University at Buffalo, pursuing a degree in Communications. She previously was a writing intern for Glitter Magazine, and currently is a PR/Marketing intern at Farrow Communications.
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