written by Emily Buckley, editor in chief

Most people strive to approach each day with confidence, but getting there isn’t always easy. Dressing in expensive clothing may offer a short sense of satisfaction, but real confidence in how one appears is not about the brands one wears or the trends they follow, it comes with accepting and embracing one’s self and playing to strengths, says Cyndi Caldwell, owner of Kaboom Boutique in Logan.

When Cyndi and her daughter, Montanna, decided to open Kaboom Boutique (located at 795 N. Main in Logan) last year, they made it a priority to offer stylish and flattering clothing for women of all ages and body types at affordable prices. “We have loved having mothers, daughters, and grandmothers come into our store to shop together and all find perfect, classic outfits,” Cyndi said. Read on to learn four of Cyndi’s best recommendations to dress with confidence:

PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS

“We all have parts of our body we may not want to show off, but everyone also has great attributes,” Cyndi said. “The key is discovering your strengths and accentuating them.” If you have a beautiful neckline, Cyndi recommends wearing a necklace that draws the eye there. If you want to elongate your body, consider wearing a long cardigan or jacket. Scarves draw attention up to the eyes, and knee-length skirts and slim leg trousers show off great legs.

FIND YOUR COLORS

There are many ways to determine what color palette works best for you, most involve considering your skin tone and hair color. “It is easy to wear black, but color can also be beautiful,” Cyndi said.

To find the hues that flatter you, do a simple color assessment in a room with lots of natural light.

• Look at your veins: To find your most dramatic color, look at the inside of your wrist. Are your veins blue, green, or purple? Whatever color you see will be a high-impact color for you.

• Look at your eyes: To find colors you’ll always look great in, identify the darkest and lightest hues in the colored part (iris) of your eye. You can also find the best black for you by looking at the shade around the rim of your iris.

• Look at your fingertip: To find your most “romantic” color, pinch your fingertip. This is a great way to choose a lipstick color.

CONSIDER YOUR SHAPE

“It is not always easy to know how to adapt styles to complement our different (and beautiful!) body shapes,” Cyndi said.

Fashion is about feeling great, so use your own instinct and follow the basic rules for your shape. “The most important thing,” Cyndi said, “is to highlight the most beautiful parts of your body (we ALL have them!) and minimize attention from the parts you are not happy with.”

• Pear Shape: A pear-shaped woman’s widest parts are her hips and thighs and her waist is larger than her bust. Emphasize the top part of the body and minimize the hips with dresses that have a clear waistline, tunics, and necklaces or scarves around the neck.

• Hourglass Shape: Ladies with an hourglass figure have a clearly defined waist and their bust and hip measurements are similar. This body type looks great in most styles, however they may really like wearing peplum tops or dresses.

• Rectangle Shape: This body type features less visible curves, where shoulders and hip measurements are about the same and the waistline isn’t very defined. You can create more curves and a pleasing silhouette by defining the waist with jackets and belts.

• Oval Shape: Carries the most weight around the waist with slim legs and hips. The goal in dressing as an oval is to make the waist look slimmer and emphasize beautiful legs and arms with A-line silhouettes, v-neck dresses, and flowy tunics.

KNOW YOUR STYLE AND SMILE BIGGER

“Dressing in a way that makes you feel comfortable is the most important part of gaining confidence in your style,” Cyndi said. “If you feel confident you are going to walk taller and smile bigger, which is always the best way to look more beautiful.”