Fashion or Psychology

A DEEPER LOOK AT THE LINK BETWEEN THE CLOTHES WE CHOOSE AND WHAT WE THINK.

Have you ever noticed when you put an outfit on, or a piece of clothing, how it can make you feel like you are on top of the world? Or maybe you have felt like you wanted to cringe at the thought of yourself? 

Well, there is a reason for that. 

Science. 

Or is it Psychology? 

Let's find out!

How we dress and what we dress in can highly affect our mood and our perspective. Whether we realize it or not. A study conducted by Social Psychologists, Tomi-Ann Roberts, Jean Twenge, and their team found the link between dress and cognition. The team experimented on two groups of women, one group of women wore a swimsuit, and the other wore a casual outfit with a sweater. Both groups completed a math test, and the group of women who wore a sweater did significantly better than the group of women wearing only a swimsuit. This ties in with the theory of dress affecting our focus. 

Or perhaps, it was just cold in the classroom…

Similarly, Social Psychologists, Mark Frank, and Thomas Gillovich compared both male football players and male ice hockey players in two different studies that tested the correlation between dress and behavior. Half the football players and half the hockey players wore white jerseys, while the other half wore black jerseys. The Social Psychology duo found the players dressed in black played far more aggressively than those dressed in white. 

Curiously, this draws the idea that clothing has some meaning to our perceptions of ourselves. Think about when you wear black, maybe black jeans, or a black leather jacket; you feel cool. Or if you wear lighter colors, a slight tinge of elegance or softness flows through you. You’re careful. Like when you wear white pants, nobody likes dirtying their white pants. 

People use color in their clothing to express something. Whether you realize it or not- clothing and its colors have a significant psychological link between communication and meaning. Between 1959-2018, a 59-year-long study was taking place. This study wanted to find the various purposes clothing served. One purpose found, other than keeping our bodies covered and sometimes being fashionable, this study found that clothing affects, reflects, and interprets something about the wearer and those on the outside. Throughout the 59 years, color in clothing always remained the common factor of what people clung to when choosing their couture. Color in clothing also affects the level of attractiveness and approachability a person has. 

So think about this, what is the popular color in your wardrobe that you cling to? 

Clothing also affects the way people perceive you. Whether they think you are trendy, chic, or just not. Your clothing makes a statement. In 2008, a study recognized how dress affects the behavior of others towards you. This study found that 85% of the cases analyzed, reflected a high correlation between how someone is dressed and how they are treated. 

Consider what image you are portraying with the way you dress. Maybe you are someone who does not think twice about someone else's opinion. But are you representing yourself accurately? 

This even rolls into customer service and retail. Researcher, Sharron Lennon found a link between the way a customer is dressed and how quickly the customer is served. Strange right? You would think in retail, especially clothing, if someone is dressed poorly, you would be quick to help them out and get their style right. I know I would. 

This is the reality. We do not realize the power of our subconscious or predisposed biases. Try it yourself- it may hurt your ego but, it will be a fun social experiment. 

Go to the store, dressed in rags, and see how others react. Then, go to the same store, dressed to the nines, and see how others react (very Vivian Ward). 

Well, in a world of Balenciaga and TikTok, tasteful and timeless fashion is sadly a lost art. 

I leave you with this, take a minute to do some self-reflection. Do you feel like you have a good grasp of who you are? We are endlessly growing and changing, but our core remains the same (usually). Is how you are portraying yourself on the outside a true reflection of what is going on- on the inside? 

And if you are not satisfied, then change it. Don’t beat yourself up for looking horrible in grade school; we all had a weird phase, but you can change that now. 

I encourage you to dive into what clothes, brands, and styles speak to you. If you have no idea where to start, start here. 

Learn to love the life you live which starts, with the clothes you wear, but most importantly, with your mental health.

Here are some brands I love and what they stand for: 

Akris Punto is a third-generation fashion house; it is a fashion house created with family at its core. It comes from a woman from Switzerland, Alice Kriemler-Schoch, who made polka-dot aprons out of her home sewing studio. Soon enough, Alice was making clothing for the area's most fashionable women. Later in life, Alice’s son took over this business Alice created, naming it Akris, after the initials of her name. Later Alice’s grandson joined the family business and is now the Creative Director. This fashion house makes beautiful pieces for women to feel their most fabulous selves, from conservative looks to pieces that stand out. And every piece that is made, pays homage to Alice, by adding her signature dot (punto). Albert, Alice’s grandson shared, “When a woman walks into a room, I want people to notice her personality first and her clothing second.” Your personality shines through your clothing, be fashion-conscious of what you are wearing. 

L’AGENCE is a California-based label with a Parisian attitude. It embodies the California vibes with the sweet elegance of Parisian chic fashion. L’agence has an especially good knack for jeans, their jeans fit your body in all the right places. They make you want to spend the money on a good quality pair of jeans that will last you years! From the L’agence creators, “It's a label that caters to the chic and elegant jet-setter.” A look to always go for. 

In Bloom by Jonquil is an intimate line. This label was created by Diane Samandi in the 1980s and embodies the romantic old Hollywood flare with its delicate lace and graceful fabric. Most women do not think about how what you wear at home can affect your mindset and how you feel. This label gives ladies the opportunity to be flirty and still sexy at home or under their clothing. It is something personal, just for you. In Bloom by Jonquil also offers flirtatious, playful, and cozy loungewear so you can elevate your style even while at home. 

Take the challenge. How can you elevate your look? It starts with your mind. 

This article was originally published on my old blog, Blame Diana on March 22, 2021. It has since been updated to reflect new references.