How to wear clothes that make you nervous

Dress: Belk | Tights: Target | Boots: Target

I really liked this dress the first time I tried it on. And I still do, months later. But I could never bring myself to wear it. Despite being basically the same cut as a pencil skirt and a short sleeve shirt, it's a lot different for me somehow. But I came up with some rules for wearing intimidating clothing that I thought I should share, because I finally got the balls to wear this thing out in public.

Wear it on a Sunday. I am lucky (?) enough to work one Sunday a month. The library operates on a skeleton crew of 1-5 people per department, public services staff only, so not nearly as many coworkers are around. I find this the best time to try weird clothing for the first time; my department coworker is really supportive of my style, and I think generally people are more forgiving of what I wear on Sundays because maybe I came from church and they don't want to offend what I wore in god's house.

Pair it with something comfortable. I don't mean sweatpants--though if that's what works for you, go for it--but other clothing that you know you feel good in and looks right. I've worn this tights/boots combo before, and I know it looks solid. Now isn't the time to go crazy with new colours and patterns and insanity.

Do one other bold thing. But! Now is the time to one small nibble of vibrancy that you're already comfortable with to offset the clothing. For me, I already know this lipstick is a friend, not a foe, and it's something I can rely on to take a little attention away from the dress. I don't recommend wearing a neon top with a neon skirt if it's your first time out with the skirt, but a bold necklace or something similar helps even out the attention you perceive yourself as drawing to your body.

Don't hide behind your hair. Seriously, don't. First of all, it looks a mess. Second, it's going to drop your confidence tenfold if you think you can successfully hide behind your hair. Pull it back this time and let the clothing shine. It's like ripping off a bandaid.

Remember that no one will remember this tomorrow. Seriously. No one cares.