Unlocking Confidence: a theoretical and practical study on how the right outfit, make-up and hairstyle can transform your self-esteem.

Abstract

The subject of this thesis is how physical appearance influences self-esteem, with a specific focus on how grooming techniques such as make-up, clothing styling and hairstyling positively impact self-esteem. The aim is to investigate the correlation between the two points: physical appearance and self-esteem. The thesis aims to validate the power of aesthetics as more than a superficial pursuit, positioning it as a meaningful method of self-care. This theoretical and practical study employed a qualitative research approach, using structured interviews for data collection and thematic analysis as data analysis. The result of this study revealed that physical appearance substantially impacts self-esteem and influences social interrelationships. Furthermore, the study showed that awareness of one’s physical appearance influences behavior in social contexts. Finally, the result suggested that participants’ expectations on how others perceive them based on appearance strongly influenced their social confidence and self-esteem.

The social experiment provided understanding of the complex relationships between appearance, body image, self-worth, self-confidence and self-esteem, showing that appearance enhancing practices such as make-up, hairstyling and clothing can have important psychological benefits by boosting confidence and social comfort. Additionally, the study suggested that understanding self-perception in relation to appearance can play an important role in promoting positive self-image and reducing self-consciousness in social contexts.