So many people think beauty and fashion is something that's frivolous and makes us feel the need to live up to certain expectations and in a lot of ways I can understand that. We don't need to be constantly preened or wearing the latest trends to fit in with society but there is something so incredible about beauty and fashion and the way it can boost your body confidence. Building body confidence certainly isn't easy and it's something that constantly evolves and changes and here is how beauty and style have helped boost my confidence ten fold.

TIMELESS > TRENDS

I'm a big lover of timeless wardrobe staples because they can see you through all the seasons and they're something that you can have in your wardrobe for as long as they last. Which usually when you invest a little more is longer than your typical Primark purchase. Trends are wonderful for some people and I like to incorporate them into my style in some ways but in general, I try to stay way things that aren't going to last a good few seasons because that's when I think the pressure comes creeping in. Finding the wardrobe pieces that are timeless to you is something I believe has a big effect on confidence.

IT'S MEANT TO BE FUN

When you get involved in the beauty and style world at first it's so much fun and then the more we become immersed in it then all these rules seem to start popping up like you need to do your foundation routine this way or you can't possibly wear these two shades together. I think if there is one area in life that should always be fun it's beauty & style, you can change it whenever you please and it's nothing that's permanent. If it's not making you feel good when you're doing then there is no point as there is no right or wrong way to do anything and it's all just personal preference.

WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA OF WHAT'S FLATTERING

I think the term flattering has got a little bit of a bad rap over the past few years because people presume if you say something is flattering then that means it's slimming. But we all have different ideas of what the term flattering means and to some, they might like to wear super skin tight clothes as that what they feel their best in and for some, they prefer oversized knits to feel awesome.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S NOT POPULAR

Before anything else when it comes to what you wear on your limbs or what you apply on your face it truly doesn't matter if it's popular with other people or not. Of course, it's amazing when other people think you look awesome but it's far more important that you feel good before anyone else thinks so. For some people, they love wearing rainbow coloured crop tops with glittery blue eyeshadow and for some, they feel their best when they wear minimal makeup with an all black outfit. Just because something isn't popular doesn't mean it's wrong.

MY FEEL GOOD STAPLES

We all have those things in our wardrobes and makeup bags that make us feel amazing and over the last few years I've really honed in on what makes me feel great as soon as I use them and here they are although I'm sure no-one will be that surprised by my picks;

BEAUTY

MEDIUM COVERAGE FOUNDATION: Long gone are the days where I relied heavily on full coverage bases to help hide away the bad skin I was dealing with but there is just something about a medium coverage base that I really love. Having that little of extra coverage and generally, a more airbrushed complexion is something that instantly makes me feel more confident and happy. As I forgo makeup so often it's not an issue of not being comfortable in my own skin but it definitely gives me that extra spring in my step.

DUSKY BLUSH & LIPSTICK: I've gone through many stages with my lip and cheek colour but the one that I've found to suit me the most, work in harmony with all my makeup looks and pick my skin up instantly is a dirty pink. As I'm not much a bronzer lover I find that anything that's a little dirty in tone is always the most flattering as it sculpts the skin slightly too. And as for lipstick, my lips are naturally quite purple in tone so anything that's too light never quite sits right but that darker pink always looks the best.

MASCARA: I can happily forgo brows as luckily mine are naturally very dark but something I can't skip is mascara, even if I'm not wearing any other makeup just slicking on a couple of coats of mascara can do wonders for my eyes. My lashes are pretty fair and without some sort of enhancement it can make me look tired and that little bit of extra lift really wakes up my complexion.

STYLE

STRIPED TOP: If you've ever read any of my style posts then you will know this an obvious choice and something that takes up the biggest portion of my wardrobe. I'm not one for patterns really as I find with my tattooed arm that they clash horribly and generally make me appear untidy but a simple stripe sits wonderfully. I like to go for a standard Breton style as it's something that can be used for a multitude of occasions and just works no matter what you pair it with.

A-LINE DRESS: For a long time, all I would wear is dresses as they're so simple to throw on and they're probably the most comfortable thing to wear on a day to day basis. Out of all the cuts and styles that you can have I love the a-line 70's style the most, the slight fit around the arms and the slightly flared cut around the body is something that works incredibly well for me. Whether it's summer or winter I can always rely on an a-line dress to make me feel awesome.

SKINNY JEANS: I don't wear jeans all the time but when I do a good fitting pair of skinny jeans are something I can pull on and instantly feel wonderful about it. Topshop has always been my go-to for jeans, for over 10 years I've been shopping from them and I just don't think they can be beaten. They always fit me perfectly and taking good care of them means I can get a good couple of years out of a pair by washing carefully. So £40 for a pair seems great value for money when you get a while out of them.