You can spot a confident woman from a mile away – she’ll be carrying herself a certain way and looking comfortable in her own skin. While it is true that confidence about your body and all its flaws can only come from within, there is one thing which can instantly boost your self-image – fashion.

Have you ever wondered why your favourite jacket or well-loved pair of heels can make you feel sexy, happy and confident, while slipping into out-of-style clothes or fashion pieces can increase your self-doubt? This is because certain accessories and clothes have the power to instantly make you feel more comfortable in your skin, thereby increasing your body confidence and uplifting your mood.

While it is important to change our mind-set and stop viewing our imperfections and flaws as something to be ashamed of, there are certain tips and techniques you can adopt to appear more confident instantly. The first tip involves adding certain fashion items and accessories to your wardrobe.

Here is a list of 6 fashion pieces you can use to increase your body confidence.

A go-to dress

A go-to dress does not necessarily mean a fancy ball gown – this could be anything from a simple dress-shirt to a summer dress that makes you feel good about yourself. The right type of dress for your body shape can make you look smart and elegant, while flattering your body shape and hiding that bit of extra fat. When you look good, you will also automatically feel good about yourself. The best part of having a go-to dress is that you can pair it with trendy or formal accessories depending on the occasion and repeat it as many times as you want. Just remember to choose a classic silhouette which can be easily paired with different items.

Comfortable yet sexy heels

Wearing heels can give us an instant boost and make us appear taller and more confident. For shorter women, heels can be a blessing– they can make their legs appear longer and more toned while taller women can look classy and elegant. However, make sure that your heels are comfortable as you might have to wear them for hours. Uncomfortable heels can cause painful welts or blisters and make your feet hurt.

Tights

We’ve already spoken about how lingerie can make you feel more confident here. Similarly, tights are sexy and can instantly boost your confidence and make you feel more feminine. While these fashion items cannot be worn to the office, at least without inciting a few riots, you can wear them for a romantic evening at home or when going out. There is just something innately sexy and appealing about wearing open crotch tights that can make you feel confident about yourself and your body.

sunglasses

A pair of classy sunglasses which suit the shape of your face can instantly make you appear more trendy and fashionable. Every woman should own at least one pair of statement sun glasses as these can make you appear sexy and confident.

Good fitting denims

From high waisted to low waisted denims, you simply cannot go wrong with jeans. There are so many different cuts that you are sure to find one that not only flatters your figure, but is also comfortable to wear. A good pair of jeans can be paired with formal blouses or t-shirts. These tend to make the most out of your curves and give your butt an extra lift. This can make you feel good about yourself and confident about your appearance.

Structured blazers

Structured blazers with clean lines can be paired with any outfit and can significantly uplift your look. These can be paired with dresses or denims depending on the occasion and can elevate your style, making you appear instantly trendy and fashionable. Pair it with a white silky blouse for an elegant and formal look or throw a jacket over your printed t-shirt. What’s more, these can also hide tummy folds or arm fat successfully while making you look taller and more confident.

While there are numerous other fashion pieces which can make you look sexy, feminine and classy, these 6 fashion items are guaranteed to boost your confidence and body image. If you are unsure of suitable cuts and styles, you can always speak to a stylist or visit reputable sellers for your next purchase. Just remember – when you look good, you will also automatically feel good about yourself.

Are you always battling blisters and pushing through foot pain? Yep, sometimes we take our feet for granted, dashing to the train, to work, to the gym without giving our comfort a second thought, and after a long day on the go, it isn’t until we sit down at night that we truly feel the damage we’ve done, and the blisters really kick in.

If you’re longing for relief, then know that three-quarters of people experience foot pain, so you’re definitely not alone. And this might reassure you even more; you don’t actually need a fancy spa or pedicure to get your feet feeling like a million dollars again. Instead, try this; here’s how to give your feet a treat with these 5 IDEAL tips.

GIVE THEM A PROPER WASH

Merely standing in the shower and letting the bubbles seep over your toes isn’t enough. Bend down and give your feet a good scrub regularly with soap or body wash. Clean out all the dirt underneath your nails and make sure you scrub well on your heels and between your toes. When you’re done, dry your feet thoroughly, and don’t change into socks, stockings or slippers if they’re still wet. A damp, hot place is the perfect environment for things like athletes foot, fungal infections, and plain old stinky feet, too. Avoid it!

TREAT YOURSELF TO A FOOT MASSAGE

If you’ve been on your feet all day, then a short foot massage can work wonders to relieve tension and make your tootsies feel brand new. From reducing anxiety to lowering blood pressure and improving circulation, there are many proven benefits of giving yourself (or better yet, receiving) a foot massage.

Equally effective, it is important to apply stretching into your daily routine if you have sore feet, as this can help ease tension and pain. Try toe curls, a toe stretch, or a tennis ball stretch; here you place a tennis ball between your fall and the floor and gently roll it back and forth, pressing down gently. This is particularly helpful as it combines the relief of a massage with the benefits of stretching.

WEAR SHOES THAT FIT

A half-size can be all the difference between the perfect fit and a heel full of blisters. Avoid rushing through your shoe shopping, especially if it’s footwear that you have to wear daily. If you’ve got wider feet, then don’t squeeze them into narrow flats or heels that will pinch your toes or too-long shoes that could cause you to trip. It goes without saying that cheap, poorly-made shoes can cause a lot of damage, so purchase good-quality, sturdy shoes, especially for everyday wear.

Consider a retailer like widefitshoes.co.uk that specialises in quality shoes for wide or flat feet that will support your arches, steady your heel and fit snugly around your toes without any pinching and rubbing. You’ll also find it easier to stand comfortably longer with these shoes if you are someone who has a very active lifestyle or job where you can hardly find the time to sit down.

ALTERNATE YOUR FOOTWEAR

Wearing the same shoes every day means you’re not giving them time to air out, and the constant use can trigger foot odour or nasty infections. If you’ve got particularly sweaty feet, then use footlets or stocking socks inside your ballet flats, so they don’t slip around and soak up your sweat. It also means your shoes won’t break down as quickly, and if you do have a blister-popping pair you just can’t bear to part with, you’ll give your feet time to recover.

GO EASY ON THE HEELS

High heels are fun, but everyday use can damage a woman’s feet. A pair of six-inch stilettos will wreak havoc on your posture, toes and cause tendon problems, so if you’re an addict for heels, then try to find shoes with a wider heel that gives you support (you should never feel like you’re teetering) that are no more than two inches in height. After a night in heels, give yourself time to put your feet up – numb toes mean the constant compression has affected your blood flow, so give your toes a rub and soak in warm water to get the blood pumping normally again.

Most of what we know about sleep has only been discovered in the past 25 years, but it’s fair to say we’ve made up for it. Scientists and researchers all over the globe are learning more and more about sleep every day (and night), teaching us things we never even dreamed about this process. (Excuse the pun).

The Sleep Matters Club powered by Dreams have put together this amazing list of 22 of the most interesting and surprising facts about sleep that you may not know.

12% of people dream entirely in black and white

Before colour television was introduced, only 15% of people dreamt in colour whilst older people dream in black and white more often than younger people. It’s all here in this study.

Two thirds of a cat’s life is spent asleep

This will come as no surprise to most cat owners. Usually found on your favourite seat or computer keyboard.But that’s nothing compared to snails. Here’s a couple of extra funny facts; a snail can sleep for three years straight, and on the other end of the spectrum, a giraffe needs less than two hour’s sleep a night!

A giraffe only needs 1.9 hours of sleep a day, whereas a brown bat needs 19.9 hours a day

See the amount of sleep other animals need here, including ferrets, cheetahs and three-toed sloths.

Humans spend 1/3 of their life sleeping

This obviously differs depending on the age of the human, but on average it’s around a third, which is quite a lot when you think about it.

The record for the longest period without sleep is 11 days

This was set by a Californian student named Randy Gardner in 1964. This is definitely not recommended, however, as Randy experienced extreme sleep deprivation and others have died staying awake for this long.

It’s not uncommon for deaf people to use sign language in their sleep

There are many instances where people have reported their deaf partners or children using sign language in their sleep.

Dysania is the state of finding it hard to get out of bed in the morning

We’ve all no doubt found it tricky getting out of bed every now and again, but those suffering from Dysania find it particularly difficult. It is most likely to be a form of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Parasomnia is a term that refers to unnatural movements during your sleep

Some people have even committed crime due to parasomnia, including sleep driving and even murder.

The sensation of falling when half asleep and jerking yourself awake is called ‘hypnic jerks’

No-one is totally sure why hypnic jerks occur but they are deemed to be perfectly healthy. However, they may be increased by anxiety, caffeine or physical activity close to bedtime. They are more frequent in young people and decrease as we get older.

It’s thought that up to 15% of the population are sleepwalkers

This is according to the National Sleep Foundation. It’s also a myth that you shouldn’t wake someone who is sleepwalking.

1 in 4 married couples sleep in separate beds

Dr Sarah Brewer told us why this might actually be a good thing.

Sleep deprivation will kill you more quickly than food deprivation

Neither are good for you, obviously, but this article claims that sleep is actually more important than food in the short term.

Those born blind experience dreams involving things such as emotion, sound and smell rather than sight

This is a topic that is really quite interesting and the timing of the blindness in a person’s life may impact what that person dreams about. There’s plenty more on this here.

Within 5 minutes of waking up, 50% of your dream is forgotten

After an additional 5 minutes, 90% of recollection is gone. Sigmund Freud believed this was because dreams represent our repressed thoughts and so our brain wants to get rid of them quickly. However, it’s much more likely due to our brains simply being used much more as soon as we’re awake and so we forget much of what we’ve dreamed about.

Pain tolerance is reduced by sleep deprivation

This study suggests that cutting a person’s sleep in half dramatically reduces pain threshold although it’s not 100% clear why.

41% of the British population sleep in the foetal position

This is from research done by Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, though 5 other sleeping positions have been identified: the log, yearner, starfish, soldier and free faller.

Sleep experts have discovered a direct link between people’s favourite sleeping positions and their personalities

This is also according to Professor Idzikowski, suggesting that those who sleep in the foetal position “may appear tough but are actually sensitive souls right to their core.” See what the Professor says about the other sleep positions.

Ideally, falling asleep at night should take you 10-15 minutes

If it takes you less than five minutes, chances are you are sleep deprived.

Humans are the only mammals that willingly delay sleep

How nice it must be to just be able to go to sleep whenever and wherever you are!

Sleeping on your front can aid digestion

Hands should apparently be positioned above the pillow so you’re in a ‘freefall’ position, whilst laying on your left side can apparently help reduce heartburn.

High earners (£65 – £75,000) get the best sleep

This comes from a report by The Sleep Council. I would certainly sleep better if I earned that much money!

Fear is said not to be the main emotion in nightmares

Instead, researchers have found that it’s most often feelings of sadness, guilt and confusion.