C.J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
Feel Happy With My 5 Best Bold Fashion Style Ideas
Dressing boldly is something everyone can do. You don’t even have to have a lot of money to be able to do it. From thrift and vintage store finds, to big box store finds to online shopping, bold and fun fashion style choices are out there waiting for you to discover them.
Dr. Seuss Motivational Quote
I’ve dressed creatively since I was a child. My mom said I was very upset when she wouldn’t let me wear fish net tights with a belted t-shirt to nursery school. You read that right….yes, NURSERY school. She said she never could give me a good reason not to wear the outfit when I asked “why not” a million times.
Now, as an adult, my desire to dress boldly continues and I’d like to share some tips and tricks with YOU!
Read on to learn my top five best bold fashion style ideas that can help you feel happy.
1- Hair
Short Hair Ideas
When you aren’t happy with your hair, you often don’t feel as happy as you normally do. This is true for all genders! Even my husband doesn’t feel great when his hair isn’t right. I guess that’s why he wanted me take over as his stylist. I learned how to cut and style his hair and now he only has good hair days! I also do my own hair (cut, highlight and style) and highlight and cut my mom’s as well.
Red Curly Hair Style
To always have good hair days, I’ve learned that it’s best to stick to what makes you feel good. You should also learn to “listen” to your hair. My best hair days happen when I let it do what it wants to do. If it wants to be wavy, I let it. If it wants to be straight, I let it. Letting your hair naturally do “it’s thing” can be very helpful and save you a bunch of frustration!
Short Hair Styles
As far as hair color, I also suggest sticking to what makes you feel good. Unless you work at a job that doesn’t allow your hair to be in a certain style or color (which makes me question why you want to work for a place that doesn’t let YOU BE YOU), you should feel free to make your hair color and style the way you want it.
I’ve been discriminated against in the workplace for my hair color (it was the same color as I have it now…see my photos in this post) and it (among other issues) ultimately lead to me leaving the company. Your own sanity and mental health outweighs any ol’ job, hands down.
Here’s a cute and easy bandana headband tutorial via my Pinterest account @carolynjbraden!
2- Color + Prints
Wearing Superga shoes with a Target Vineyard Vines dress
Whether you love prints or bright colors, I think you should wear them if they make you feel happy and good about yourself.
Do this experiment: For a week, wear a different bold print or color each day. At the end of the day, write down what you wore and what your mood was like during the day. At the end of the week, look at what you wrote down. On the days you wrote about having feelings of happiness, wear more of those colors or prints.
My cute pink Target dress
I don’t own a lot of pink items, but when I do wear pink, I usually get compliments on what I’m wearing. I believe is true that the color pink makes the human brain think of happiness or sweetness.
Wearing pink can help with happiness
Bold prints or bright colors can be worn by everyone. You just have work a little to find the ones that help you feel happy.
This was my grandmother’s dress
3- Statement Jewelry
Bold Iridescent Statement Necklace
I have loved statement jewelry for many years. I’ve always loved pieces by Tarina Tarantino and have quite a collection from her Sparkle Factory. I like to add statement necklaces, earrings rings to my discount outfits to level them up.
In some of these photos in this article, I am wearing Target dresses paired with costume jewelry (here’s similar necklace on Amazon) as well as Tarina Tarantino pieces.
Me, wearing a large iridescent natural stone ring from a local crystal shop
You can make a $9 dress look like a million dollars if you style it well. I watched the series Younger recently and loved the Diana Trout character. She wore numerous statement necklaces throughout the series and once said the line “I don’t choose the necklaces. They choose me.” That’s how I felt when I saw the huge iridescent waterfall-like bib necklace on a store shelf years ago.
Yes, it is just a necklace, but it made me happy to look at. Sometimes fashion is like that. It seems irrelevant to many, but it’s actually pretty impactful to some people’s lives. It’s a form of art that can be a lucrative career path for many.
My favorite Iris Apfel quote + Lilly Pulitzer quote
The costume designer for the Younger series, Jacqueline Demeterio, chose a mixture of high-end and vintage necklaces, which I fell in love with. This is something I do too.
I also fell in love with the series, written by Darren Star, the same creator of the Sex and the City series. If you like fashion, you may like it!
4- Shoes
My favorite iridescent high tops
There's just something about a beautiful shoe that makes me want to sing a happy song! I have quite a collection of mostly non-designer shoes, but again, when styled well, they look simply fab!
Iridescent fashion makes me happy
If a shoe’s design makes me smile, I will often buy it. Especially if I know I’ll wear it. I try to steer clear of buying shoes just for the heck of it, as I want my shoes to be “smart investments”. I know shoes aren’t really an investment of money, but I like it when I know I’ll be able to wear the shoes numerous times with numerous outfits. I also like to buy “timeless” styles like white Superga sneakers.
Wearing sneakers and a dress is comfortable style
As I now work at home full-time, I don’t quite wear heels much anymore, so I’ve been buying more fun sneakers. I found my iridescent high tops at Urban Outfitters many years ago, but there are similar styles on Amazon and at other retailers.
These are vintage Steve Madden heels
5- Attitude
Feeling confident is a part of fashion
Last, but not least, it’s always a good idea to wear your fashion pieces with a smile. As the characters in Annie sang “You’re never fully dressed without a smile!”. I believe this is true. I see so many people walking around hunched over, not smiling and they just look very sad or appear to be in pain. Maybe they are. But maybe it could be their natural stance due to a confidence issue.
Confidence is the key to elevating any look
Modeling my fashion in my Sanibel Island home
If you are taking a risk and wearing some bold fashion, raise your head up high and walk confidently. The saying “Fake it ‘til you make it” can be applied here. Even if you don’t feel confident, you can act like you are, then eventually you will be. All the time!
Yoga and fashion do mix!
Please let me know how you dress boldly and maybe leave some tips of your own by leaving a comment below.
I love hearing from my readers!
C.J. Braden is a regular contributor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Little Ways to Get Back To You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.