“Do you know how you get a bikini body? You put a damn bikini on your body and go have some fun!”
This was something a good friend said to me a few years ago and she’s absolutely right! We all have our little things we’re not happy about with our bodies, but that shouldn’t ever get in the way of you living your best life!
Something I learned a year or two after I started drag, that I wish I’d known years and years ago is that you wear the outfit. The outfit doesn’t wear you. A lot of it is about finding what works for you, but the power to rock that outfit is within you, it’s not the outfit that completes you. That means that if you hold yourself right and conjure up the confidence (whether you feel it or not, fake it if you have to) then you can wear whatever the hell you want and people will eat it up! For the first time in my life, I’m not ashamed of being slightly fuller figured or avoiding what I want to wear, because I know that if my head’s held high, I can pull it off – and so can you!
There are, of course, little tips and tricks to creating a good shape, but the key part of any outfit is you. The basics for drag or crossdressing or for folks in the early stages of transitioning are all about dressing to minimise any male shapes and create a more feminine figure. The first thing you’re probably thinking about is minimising the shoulders, but strangely enough, that’s not the most important step, at least not at the beginning.
The waist is where you want to start. A good cincher is a must, as is a pair of padded bum pants. If you saw my video explaining the undergarments I wear, you’ll see the pants I wear that reshape the bum to make it a little fuller and perkier, which, combined with a narrower waist starts to create a more hourglass figure. You can add some shaped hip pads under your tights too if you really want to accentuate this and after a little experimenting, this can make a fabulous difference. It’s all about curves!
If you’re lucky enough to have a good set of legs, you’re really going to want to capitalise on those. I’m really pleased with my legs – I grew them myself, you know! But some of the credit goes to dance tights that make them look smooth and perfect all the time and are much more hard wearing than normal tights. I always say if they’re looking at my hair and makeup and my legs that they’ve not got time to see any of my imperfections. It’s so true. Even those of us who aren’t fond of our bodies have something they like, so put that to the fore and use it! Honestly, if you’re leading with something you’re proud of, you’ll feel way more confident.
Hair is another thing that you might not realise is important. When I first started and my makeup skills weren’t what they are now, flat wigs were not for me. Now, I can, as long as I pick the right one. You’ll want something pretty thick – a high density wig, so it doesn’t look all flat and lifeless. But, here’s the thing – Instantly want to look more impressive? Well, here’s the one time where size does matter. As Dolly says, “the higher the hair, the closer to God!” Tease it up and it’s going to reproportionise your face, neck, shoulders and just about everything else. I’m also a big fan of a lace front wig, as it looks like it’s growing out of your scalp – Hard front wigs are tough to make work. If you’re worried you’ve got a forehead that’s a bit on the large side, I’d take fixing this with contouring rather than a fringe any time. Have a play and figure your best way out.
Finally, now we’ve dealt with the foundation garments and the hair, lets talk about the clothes! Patterns, textures and colours can all play their part in giving a shape illusion and with enough looking and experimenting, you’ll find what works for you. If you can’t hide what you don’t like, as I said before, distract them with something else! Things like a peplum can disguise a waistline or a pattern that creates the illusion of being nipped in at the waist before going out again over the hips will instantly make a waist look smaller. As will a well stacked bra. See, all about distracting again.
Finally, lets look at your posture – the most important part of any outfit! Don’t slouch, you want to give off an aura of confidence and glamour, well pull that chin up, shoulders back, breathe in and move curves first. This is the biggest thing you can do to make any outfit work. The secret is: Don’t give them an opportunity to doubt you. We’ve all read ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ so it’s time to serve us a new Empress for them to worship. Stand or move with confidence and it’ll mesmerise them. Go for it hard enough and they’ll love it and before long, you will too!
With these basic tricks, you’ll be treating every outing like your own personal runway in no time! It sounds like a cliché, but the most important part of any outfit is you and the most powerful accessory is your mindset, so remind yourself that you can do it and get it done!
What are your tricks for boosting confidence with any outfit? How do you reproportionise your figure? Share your tips and tricks with us all in the comments and we can all give them a try! And remember, you’ve got this!
And until next time, stay safe, stay sane and stay Vidalicious!
