As you might have already guessed, today we’re talking about fashion. Well, the psychology of fashion, or at least how what we wear changes the way people view us, and even the way we view ourselves. First, we want you to think about a day you’ve dressed a little nicer than you needed to, or were just super put together. How did that make you feel or view yourself? Probably like a real boss babe. Now we want you to think about a day you were dressed a little, well, sloppy? Okay, maybe not sloppy, but you were definitely not going out of your way to look great, how did that ensemble make you feel? Probably a little bit like garbage. (No judgment, we all have those days!) Not only do we have a little insight, but we also have some tips about looking good and feeling good. Let’s get started!
Thanks to research and science, we now know there is a little bit of truth to all of those cliche “dress better, feel better”, “look good, feel good”, and “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” mantras we’ve heard our whole lives; what we wear affects our behavior, attitude, personality, mood, confidence, even how we interact with other people. There’s even a name scientists have given this: enclothed cognition. Enclothed cognition refers to the effect our clothes have on various psychological processes such as emotions, attitudes, and interpersonal connections. Clothes affect a ton of different aspects because as a society, we’ve given symbolic meaning to certain attire; some are fun, some are bold, some are playful, etc.
So let’s look at a few examples.
Power Clothes
(image via: insider)
Clothing that is tailored to fit your body and looks super professional, such as a tailored blazer or trouser, is often referred to as ‘power clothing’; so what do you think happens when a person wears this type of clothing? If you guessed that it increases the wearer’s hormones to make them feel more dominant, then you guessed correctly! Power clothing = power confidence.
Big Chill
(image via: usa today)
in the total opposite direction of power clothes come casual clothes. Studies have found that when people are wearing power clothes, they are unable to relax; however, when people wear a more casual ensemble, they tend to socialize much more comfortably. Hence the whole casual Friday thing. Casual Friday encourages people to relax and talk to peers more than they would on a typical day.
Underneath it All
(image via: my man buns)
You can probably guess where we’re going with this on, and you’re correct! Our undergarments, or otherwise hidden pieces of clothing, can have an effect on us as well. Wearing a matching set will more than likely make us feel more put together, and wearing something we feel sexy in is a great way to go about our days feeling extra self-assured.