Fashionista: Give yourself a mental makeover

(InStyle.com) -- Style-maker, TV host and opinionated fashionista Carson Kressley explains how to give yourself a complete makeover--inside and out.

Style-maker Carson Kressley spills the naked truth on giving yourself a mental makeover.

Minimize the negative

As Coco Chanel said, "Fashion is architecture: It's a matter of proportions." In other words: No matter which part of your body you dislike, there's a clever way to divert the eye elsewhere. Try different styles and employ horizontal (widening), vertical (elongating) and diagonal (slimming) lines as necessary.

Venture out of your comfort zone

"Many women get used to dressing their body a certain way because they think it's the only thing that works for them," says Kressley.

Find a boutique or department store with well-trained salespeople and try on three styles you've never worn. It might be a fabric such as jersey that you've always deemed too clingy or an Empire-waist camisole that you're convinced looks too young. Not every experiment will be a success, but even one new style or color will prove that there are more ways than you thought to look your best.

Don't be ruled by your insecurities

Don't Miss

If you've been avoiding the beach or missing out on parties because you're afraid of being the largest person there, grab a friend and go to the very place that incites terror--just be sure you're wearing an amazing outfit.

Avoid a blackout

"Have you ever seen a happy goth?" muses Kressley. "I think everyone needs color to feel good." Too many women rely on head-to-toe black as a form of camouflage. But any hue can be slimming if worn monochromatically--so instead of black, reach for plum, gray or chocolate brown.

Clean out your closet

Whether you're holding on to clothes that are too small because you hope you'll fit into them someday, or clothes that are too big for fear you'll grow back into them, you're keeping past wounds open.

"Old clothes stop you from living in the present," says Kressley. "They reinforce what you used to look like." Get rid of anything you haven't worn in two years and replace it with something new that makes you feel pretty. And while you're out shopping, have a house-cleaner swing by for good measure.

Write yourself a love note

Some women are so obsessed with their hips that they fail to notice their flat tummy. Remind yourself of your virtues by writing a note that says something like "Hey, you have a great chest!" Tack it to the bathroom mirror so you'll see it in the morning and before bedtime. "We're so trained to look for the negative that we need a physical reminder of the positive," explains Kressley.

Have a princess moment

Treating yourself to a massage, a body exfoliation, a professional blow-out, a brow shaping or a mani-pedi can elevate your mood by affirming to yourself that you're worth the splurge.

Get naked

Some women on Kressley's show are so self-conscious about their bodies that they're reluctant to be naked around their husbands. That discomfort affects how they feel when dressed too. Before you can move as if you own the room, you'll have to be at ease inside your skin, and spending time in the buff can help. One idea: Take a bath with the (gasp!) lights on--no candles.

"Feeling comfortable with your body alone is the first step to feeling comfortable with your body around others," says Kressley.

If all else fails, fake it

One of Kressley's favorite mantras is "looking cute is feeling cute." So if you're having a low day, force yourself to go through the motions. Put on your makeup, do your hair, wear a great outfit. Sometimes faking it can give you enough of a boost to lift you out of the doldrums.

"Feeling pretty," Kressley says, "changes your whole outlook because you feel good about yourself."

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