Having a Signature Style Will Boost Your Self-Confidence
By: Deante L. Young
Tags: Personality, Self Improvement, Life Lessons, Confidence, Self

For many years, I was more lame than Pee Wee Herman if he tried to rap a 2Pac song.

I’m glad that shit didn’t last.

When I was about 20 years old, I developed a style that has since become one of my most well known qualities. I’d say that it’s an extension of my quirky and at times, oddball personality and it makes me happy.

I believe that we all need to develop a signature style, and the uniqueness of it will boost our self-confidence in surprising ways.

To be clear, nothing will give us everlasting self-confidence because it’s a moving target. But building an intentional style will do more for the way we feel about ourselves than a style by default.

Dennis Rodman is a perfect example of a person who intentionally crafted his own style and it became his signature. Prior to 1994, Rodman was mostly reserved in his demeanor. He was a pro basketball player in the NBA and was tough and physical with opponents.

But there was nothing particularly notable about his appearance and attitude. If anything, he seemed deceptively sensitive. Over the next few years, he massively upgraded his aesthetic and overall style. During his years with the Chicago Bulls, he was fully realized as a pop culture phenomenon:

He consistently dyed his hair a Crayola box variety of colors

He got enough piercings to set off a thousand metal detectors

He wore unusual hats and costumes

He dressed up as a woman and “married” himself

He often bent gender norms and partied with the gay community

To this day, Rodman remains a fascinating human being to listen to and observe. Sure, he clearly did many of those things as a publicity stunt, but it also developed his signature style.

He still has his humble and sensitive moments, but his self-confidence has clearly skyrocketed.

Entertainment icons such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Missy Elliott, Pink and Lady Gaga have all excelled at cultivating their eccentric signature styles. Yours doesn’t need to be “strange” or eccentric, but it should represent the real you-with maybe a bit of embellished flair.

My signature style for more than 20 years has consisted of me wearing a huge variety of stylish shades, two earrings (usually hoops), white medical tape on two fingertips of one hand (tribute to Michael Jackson), stylish sneakers, jeans and a fitted cap. At times, I’ve worn a button up shirt with a sleeveless jacket over it.

My personality is based on a strong sense of humor with a focus on positive optimism.

I have been far more confident within myself over many years and my signature style is a huge reason why.

Here’s how you can develop your own signature style:

Make a list of your likes, interests, talents or inspirations

Decide which of those speaks to the style that you want to represent you (example: Michael Jackson wore shades all the time, I used that as a jumping off point and added my own flavor. Eddie Murphy was the funniest person ever when I was a kid. I implemented humor and made it my own)

Make sure that you modify things that you’re adapting from someone else to put your own unique spin on it.

Above all us, be genuine with your signature style and not an actor

Once you have your style figured out, this will be appearance and personality, slowly but surely slide into revealing it to the world. It might take some getting used to, but it will eventually give you an added pep in your step. Stay true to it and adjust where you need to.

Be proud that you are uniquely yourself. Looking in the mirror often and talking to yourself will allow you to get comfortable walking around as a distinctive person.

Rinse and repeat that shit for days, weeks, months. Wear it as a badge of honor.

Let me know in the comments how it all goes!