How to Dress Yourself and Look Good (for Girls)

Choosing Flattering Clothes

Determine your body shape to help you choose flattering pieces. While everybody is different, most female bodies fall into 1 of the following body shape categories: pear, apple, straight, inverted triangle, or hourglass. Start by measuring around the fullest part of your chest, the smallest part of your waist, and the widest part of your hips. Then, rank your bust, hip, and waist measurements from largest to smallest. If your bust and waist are smaller than your hips, you are a pear shape. If your bust is larger than your waist and hips, you’re an inverted triangle. If your bust, waist, and hips are about the same, you have a rectangle shape. If your waist is wider than your bust and hips, you're an apple shape. If your waist is smaller than your bust and hips, you have an hourglass shape.

Emphasize your bust if you have an apple body shape. If you have an apple body shape, wear tops that highlight your bust and show off your shoulders. Try to avoid clingy materials around the waist area, and gravitate toward thin belts rather than thick ones. Solid colors tend to look better than busy patterns on apple bodies, but feel free to experiment! You can also choose to emphasize shapely legs with tights and skirts. Keep in mind that these aren't hard and fast rules—there is plenty of room for experimentation.

Wear formfitting clothes that accentuate your waist if you're a rectangle shape. For rectangle body shapes, try form-fitting tops and scooped necklines to give your body more curves. Skinny jeans and dresses that emphasize your waist are also great options. Stay away from shapeless dresses, shoulder pads, and boxy tops and coats. Cinch loose clothes at the waist with your favorite belt so that your shape doesn't get lost in the fabric.

Choose pieces that hug your curves if you have an hourglass shape. If you’re an hourglass, go with tops, pants, and dresses that hug your curves and emphasize your waist. Avoid shapeless and baggy clothing. Stay away from pieces with extra fabric at the hips or bust to keep your look proportionate. Avoid wearing ruffles or pleats around your waist or hips. Be sure to wear supportive undergarments that fit you well!

Go with clothes that accentuate your upper body if you have a pear shape. For pears, try wearing tops in bright colors and prints to draw attention to your upper body. Stick to dark pants and skirts to slim your hips and waistline. Avoid details, like beads or other embellishments, at the hip or rear, since these can draw attention to those areas. Go with wide necklines, like boat-necks, scoop-necks, and sweetheart necks, to broaden your shoulders and emphasize your bust.

Accentuate your waist and legs if you have an inverted triangle body shape. If you’re an inverted triangle body shape, opt for tops with vertical stripes, A-line dresses, and bottoms that accentuate your waist and legs. Select wide-legged pants and skirts with bold, horizontal patterns to create the illusion of volume. Avoid pieces that make your hips look slimmer, like pencil skirts, skinny jeans, and other tapered cuts. Stay away from boxy shoulder pads and other shoulder embellishments that draw attention to this area.

Opt for clothes that are comfortable and fit you well. Avoid buying clothes just because they’re on sale! Always try them on first and make sure they fit you well. If the item is too long, loose, short, small, or big for you, leave it on the rack. Also, go through your current wardrobe and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit you well. If you own clothes that are too small, donate them to charity or give them to a little sister or cousin. Try to avoid keeping something that “might fit you again one day” if it’s already too small. Toss out baggy clothing unless you think it can be tailored to fit you perfectly. It’s usually only worth spending money on tailoring an item if it’s something really nice, though. Keep in mind that some clothes are supposed to be loose or formfitting! However, if your clothes are dragging on the ground, or if you feel like your movements are restricted, the items don't fit well.

Wear colors that look great with your skin’s natural undertones. No matter what your skin tone is, your skin’s undertones will fall into 1 of 3 categories: cool, warm, or neutral. Once you determine your undertones, choose clothes in colors that complement your undertones for a simple way to look polished and put-together. People with warm undertones look great in reds, oranges, yellows, ivory, browns, and gold. Cool tones match well with greens, blues, pinks, purples, and silver. If you have neutral undertones, you can pull off almost any color! Go with medium shades of any color you want and avoid pastels.

Building Stylish Outfits

Buy staple pieces that you can mix-and-match for an effortless look. Wardrobe staples are items that never go out of style, which means you can rock them at any time and feel confident that you look stylish. It’s really easy to build an outfit around staple pieces, especially if they’re solid colors that you can mix-and-match with other items in your closet. Classic staple pieces are basic white T-shirts, black leggings, neutral-colored cardigans, long-sleeved button-down shirts, blue jeans, and black leather jackets. Don't cater too much to the trends—these usually last just a season. Wear trendy pieces as accents and mix these up with your basic pieces. EXPERT TIP Alena Le Blanc Alena Le Blanc Personal Stylist Alena Le Blanc is the Personal Stylist and the Founder of Le Blanc Label. Based in San Francisco, California, Le Blanc Label is the leading personal stylist brand for sustainable style transformations. Alena and her team specialize in seasonal wardrobe refreshes, closet edits, styling for special events, travel, photoshoots, and general personal needs. Alena has been featured in podcasts including EMPOWERED BY WMN, I Am Fearless, and Mind Power Meets Mystic. Alena received her BFA in Fashion and Apparel Design from the Academy of Art University. Alena Le Blanc Alena Le Blanc Personal Stylist Put effort into developing your personal style. Identify what's missing in your closet and curate a wardrobe that reflects your personality. Beyond just understanding aesthetics, educate yourself on clothing quality and construction. Curating your style intentionally will be both fulfilling and confidence-boosting.

Select a base item to build the rest of your outfit around. Once you determine a base item, you can easily build complementary pieces around it to complete your outfit. This could be a top, bottom, or even a cool pair of shoes. Picking the rest of your ensemble will be a snap once you have the initial element laid down! For example, you might decide you want to wear black skinny jeans, a colorful halter top, or a patterned sweater.

Opt for pieces in contrasting solid colors to create visual interest. Contrasting colors break up your outfit and keep it from looking uniform. When choosing contrasting colors, try to stay within the same shade range. If you start with a neutral, pair it with a contrasting neutral. For example, pair a jewel-toned color with another jewel-toned color. If your base piece is pastel, choose a contrasting pastel piece to go with it. Pairing a white top with black jeans is a simple way to make your neutral outfit pop. Neutrals work in any season. Wear a pastel pink skirt with a pastel blue polo shirt for a cute spring look. A burgundy long-sleeved shirt under a sleeveless forest-green corduroy dress would be great for fall.

Pair print or patterned base items with solid-colored pieces. Avoid wearing multiple patterns or prints simultaneously. If your base item is a cute plaid skirt, make sure your other elements are solid. Choose solid colors pulled from the pattern of your base item to pull your look together. For example, if your plaid skirt is mostly navy blue with forest green and tan as secondary colors, choose a top that matches 1 of the secondary colors to tie the look together.

Try a half-tuck so that your shape isn’t swallowed up by a baggy top. You can always tuck in your shirt completely, but if you’re styling a casual outfit with a loose top, experiment with tucking half of the front of the top into your pants. That way, your waist isn’t lost in baggy layers and your outfit looks a little more polished. For example, half-tuck a loose sweater into regular fit blue jeans for a cozy, stylish look that doesn’t swallow you whole.

Choose a third layer in a complementary or contrasting color and texture. Layers can quickly elevate any outfit and create a more stylish vibe. Cardigans, hoodies, tights, vests, and jackets are typically considered to be third layers. Select colors that tie into or contrast with your outfit. Opt for fabrics with a different texture than your base items. For example, pair a pumpkin-colored cable knit cardigan with a burgundy silk top and dark wash skinny jeans. Elevate a basic white T-shirt and blue jeans with a black leather moto jacket. Top off your outfit with a well-cut blazer or fuzzy cardigan in a contrasting color.

Go with cuts and styles that flatter each other when building layers. Create a streamlined look by selecting layers that make sense with the cut and style of your base pieces. It can be fun to pair contrasting styles, but wearing layers in similar styles always looks put-together and effortless! For example, avoid wearing bulky or baggy layers on top of fitted pieces. If you're wearing skinny jeans and a fitted shirt, top it off with a slim-cut cardigan or perfectly tailored blazer for a polished ensemble. If you're wearing an edgy graphic T-shirt with your favorite band's name emblazoned on the front, pull on a leather jacket and biker boots to complete your street-ready look. EXPERT TIP Alena Le Blanc Alena Le Blanc Personal Stylist Alena Le Blanc is the Personal Stylist and the Founder of Le Blanc Label. Based in San Francisco, California, Le Blanc Label is the leading personal stylist brand for sustainable style transformations. Alena and her team specialize in seasonal wardrobe refreshes, closet edits, styling for special events, travel, photoshoots, and general personal needs. Alena has been featured in podcasts including EMPOWERED BY WMN, I Am Fearless, and Mind Power Meets Mystic. Alena received her BFA in Fashion and Apparel Design from the Academy of Art University. Alena Le Blanc Alena Le Blanc Personal Stylist Invest in well-made garments. Choose clothes made of high-quality fabrics like wool, silk, and cashmere. They last longer and exude luxury. Look for clean stitching, smooth seams, and a well-tailored fit. Focusing on clothes of this quality will help you build a personal style that conveys understated elegance.

Accessorizing and Completing Your Look

Wear shoe colors that complement the colors of your outfit. Black and nude shoes go with almost any outfit, so when in doubt, reach for one of those colors! If your outfit has a lot of brown in it, avoid black shoes and opt for brown or nude shoes instead. If you’re wearing a bright pattern, wear solid-colored shoes. If your shoes are bold, like a leopard print, pair them with solid-colored tops and bottoms. Add another visual element to your outfit by choosing shoes with an interesting texture, like suede.

Match your shoes, belt, and bag for a polished look. If you’re wearing black shoes, pair them with a black belt and black bag to instantly pull your entire outfit together. Do the same with nude and brown accessories. Make sure the hardware matches, as well! For example, if your belt has a silver buckle, your bag and shoes should also have silver elements. Your jewelry, like bangles, necklaces, and earrings, should also match. If your belt has a gold buckle, wear gold earrings.

Grab a pair of statement sunglasses to complete any outfit. Fun sunglasses can take almost any outfit to the next level! Choose sunglasses that flatter your face shape and match or contrast with the colors of your outfit for the best results. For example, try a pair of black cat-eye sunglasses for a classic look. Oversized shades or round lenses are great for bohemian styles.

Stack your rings for a cool, street-style vibe. If you’re into boho or easy glam looks, try layering your rings! Put your biggest ring on your index finger of either hand. Then, layer regular and midi rings on your ring fingers. Finish off the look with 2-3 contrasting midi rings on your middle fingers.

Apply natural makeup for a fresh-faced look if you like makeup. Makeup isn't a requirement, but it can help you feel more confident and put-together if you enjoy wearing it. Apply a lightweight foundation that matches your skin tone and use a dab of concealer to hide any imperfections and breakouts. Sweep on a subtle, rosy blush and a hint of mascara for a fresh, natural makeup look. If you have oily skin, use a little powder to get rid of shine. Go with a nude or berry lip gloss or stain.

Create a neat and simple hairstyle before you head out the door. Run a brush through straight hair to remove tangles. If you have curly hair, use your fingers or a wide-toothed comb to get rid of any knots. Then, wear your hair loose around your shoulders, pull it up to get it out of your face, or apply a texturizing product to shorter styles to provide shape and definition. Try applying a small amount of anti-frizz cream or serum to tame flyaways. If you have limited time in the morning, consider getting a low-maintenance haircut that's super easy to style.

Practicing Self-Care

Wash your face twice a day to keep your skin clear. Wet your face with lukewarm water and gently massage a dime-size amount of face wash into your skin with your fingertips. Avoid scrubbing your face roughly! Then, rinse away the cleanser with warm water. Repeat this process every morning and each night before bed. You should also wash your face after sweating heavily. If you have dry or sensitive skin, you may want to limit cleanser to once per day, preferably in the evening. You can splash your face with plain warm water in the morning to rinse off your skin. Avoid harsh cleansers that list alcohol as an ingredient to prevent dry skin.

Apply moisturizer after washing your face to keep skin hydrated. After washing your face, gently pat your skin dry with a clean towel. Then, use your fingertips to apply a pea-sized amount of moisturizer all over your face. Be gentle around the delicate eye area when you're rubbing the product into your skin. Use a moisturizer with SPF 20 or higher in the morning to prevent sun damage. You can use a thicker moisturizer without SPF in the evening for an extra dose of hydration. Be sure to choose a moisturizer that’s formulated for your skin type.

Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at night before bed. Dental hygiene is important for looking and feeling great every day! At a minimum, brush your teeth every morning before you leave the house and every evening before bed. Follow up with floss in the evening to remove food between your teeth. Rinse out your mouth with a quality mouthwash to kill germs and bacteria that cause bad breath. Ideally, you should brush your teeth after each meal. If you want to brighten your smile, try a whitening toothpaste. Visit your dentist at least once a year to get a cleaning and check for cavities.

Shower at least once per day to keep your body clean. Most people should shower at least once a day; you can do this in the morning or at night before bed, depending on your personal preference. You should also shower after sweating heavily. Be sure to shampoo your hair at least once per week, depending on your hair type and texture. You can use dry shampoo on in-between days to prevent oily hair.

Sleep 8-10 hours every night so that you're well-rested. Getting a good night’s sleep gives your body time to repair itself and helps you look and feel your best every day. Establish a sleep schedule so that you go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day. Try to stick to your schedule on the weekends, too! While adults can get by with 7-9 hours of sleep per night, teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 need 8-10 hours.

Eat a healthy diet that emphasizes nutritious food. A nutritious diet supports glowing skin and healthy hair and nails. Incorporate plenty of fresh fruits and veggies into your diet. Try to avoid processed grains, like white bread, and stick with whole grains. Eat plenty of low-fat protein, like seafood, lean meats, eggs, and legumes. When it comes to dairy, go with fat-free or low-fat options. Avoid skipping meals! Try to eat 3 meals per day or 5-6 small meals per day, depending on your preference, caloric needs, and schedule.

Aim for at least 60 minutes of exercise per day to stay in shape. Exercising every day will keep you looking and feeling your best. For teen girls, 60 minutes of moderate exercise daily is ideal. You can choose any kind of exercise you want as long as it gets your heart pumping! For example, walking, jogging, playing sports, hitting the gym, biking, and dancing are just a few ways to get moving each day.