It’s easy to think the our appearance is merely superficial but in fact it has a high impact on our well-being. Think about how much you enjoy it when someone says “you look stylish” or “you’re looking well”. It really gives us a boost that we can’t quite put our finger on but we certainly know it’s a good feeling that we’d like to have more often. And think about the opposite – if we don’t feel we are looking good then inside we don’t feel so good.

This isn’t to say that looking good is the be all and end all and it certainly can’t solve deep rooted problems on its own but it can definitely help as part of a comprehensive wellbeing plan. So what can you do?

The first step is to get some advice on your personal appearance – from hair and make up down to your shoes. This could be from one of the many tv programmes on style, or a self help book or from a personal stylist. Each has it’s own benefits and you should really weigh up which is the best for you. TV programmes can give you a good overview of the general ideas that are employed to help you dress but of course they aren’t personalised. Best of all it’s fee! A book allows you to absorb information in your own time and gives you the chance to work out to what is right for you. The most comprehensive option is to hire a personal stylist who can bring to bear all their knowledge and skill to really tailor things to exactly what you need. They crucially can give you an objective eye – a skilled second opinion.

So what are the areas to learn about to help you look good on the outside and feel good on the inside? The first is colour – to know which colours are going to make you really look good and the key to this is your skin and hair colouring. The right colours will make your skin glow but the wrong colours will make you look really washed out and bold colours could just dominate if you were pale of example. The next area to consider is the cut of clothing – most of us aren’t blessed with a perfect body shape so we may want to hide bits or accentuate other areas. With knowledge you can dress so that whatever your body shape you look balanced and proportioned – which will certainly help your confidence.

From this you can go on to look at things like accessories which can help on both the colour front and the body shape. For example a long necklace can help hide a tummy. The finishing touches are a haircut that suits your face shape and perhaps makeup in a flattering tone. A top personal shopper could help you find such items.

Most of all you need to not only follow these ideas but also to be true to yourself so that you are reflecting your own personality and not trying to be someone you aren’t. In this way you will be able to look good and feel good.