Comfortably me: What I wear to make me feel sexy!

Confidence is difficult to master all the time, but with these fashion and beauty staples, it makes it a little bit easier.

Imogen Smillie - TV Sub-Editor

It is no lie that I am not very confident in my own skin. My day to day style of an over-sized lilac hoodie and matching joggers is proof that I prefer to cover up than bare all. Yet on those rare but special days where dressing up a little more is necessary (going to the pub, socials with the lovely Courier Team), I definitely have my go-to fits that make me feel, well…sexy I guess!

I will happily call myself out and say that I don’t have the biggest chest, so attempting cleavage is a lost cause. However, this does mean that I can free the nip and feel comfy and confident all in one. I find a silky slip dress is my current go to outfit. Recently, I acquired a burgundy, lacy dress from Urban Outfitters (in the sale of course, I am a 3^rd year student after all). On its own, or over a black turtleneck, this dress has been the first outfit in a long time to give me the confidence that everyone deserves – just plain old self-respect!

Throughout discovering my style as a young adult, most ‘nice’ outfits that fill my wardrobe are high-necked and a little shorter round the legs. As long as I have had an ‘everything shower’ (if you know, you know…), and my legs are silky smooth, I feel super confident showing off my long legs. Pair that with some chunky trainers, and I’m ready to wander down Osborne Road for a chill night with friends.

But as always, this is all about personal preference! It has taken me years to find confidence and actually use the word sexy to describe myself – of course after cringing and throwing up in my mouth a little. But on those less self-conscious days, happy days, sad days, crazy days… wear exactly what you want to give you a spring in your step!

Lizzie Yockney - Fashion & Beauty Sub-Editor

Something that I know for sure is that self-confidence is not something that comes naturally to me. Confidence is a skill that I am still learning, and it is something that I have to reinforce regularly – it comes in waves and often wanes when I’m at my lowest. So, over the years, I’ve come to use clothes and makeup as tools to make myself feel a bit better and to boost my confidence (accompanied by regular therapy appointments, of course).

Getting ready is now one of my favourite things to do, as the routine of putting on my makeup, whether that be light everyday makeup or my version of full glam, really relaxes me and calms me down. It is important that I never frame my getting ready routines as ‘improving’ myself, but as a way to enhance the features that I have. It’s not about beating myself up over what I don’t have, but celebrating what I do, and using techniques tailored to my features – finding creators such as Rachel OCool has really helped me here.

For me, one of my favourite tricks to give me an instant boost of confidence is red lipstick. It took me a while, but I finally found my perfect shade, the Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in shade “Uncensored”. I also love this product as it has a unique shaped applicator which makes it really easy to create a flawless red lip that lasts all day. Rihanna really put some magic into this product, as the shade “Uncensored” suits me perfectly and makes me feel way more confident. 

When it comes to clothes, it really depends on how I’m feeling and what kind of mood I’m in. Sometimes, my really baggy zip-neck jumper and flares are so comfy that I feel confident in a more relaxed look. However, when I’m going out and I’m feeling my insecurities a little more than usual, I often like to wear outfits that flatter me, such as mini dresses or even a crop top-flares combination. By putting together an outfit that suits me, it helps me to feel more confident and potentially, a little bit sexy.