Can An Outfit Really Change The Way You Feel?

Fashion cops a lot of flak for being superficial and an unnecessary waste of time, money & energy yet there are countless studies that prove these theories untrue. As a Stylist, I’ve known since day dot that my love of fashion far exceeds new trends or what you see instore or online. Instead, I’ve always had a real curiosity and interest in the science behind fashion - how to get more wear out of your wardrobe, how clothes make you feel from the inside/ out and how colour can completely change your state of mind.

‘Enclothed Cognition’ is the best example of clothes being so much more than just pieces of fabric. Cognitive Psychologists, Hajo Adam and Adam Galinksy coined this term after conducting a number of studies to examine the psychological + performance-related effects that wearing specific clothes has on the person wearing them. In a nutshell, they were on a mission to prove that clothes have a huge influence on the way a person thinks, feels & behaves. Enclothed Cognition demonstrates that our thought processes are based on a number of factors, including the clothes we wear therefore a good outfit can be just as effective as therapy by enhancing our psychological state and improving the way we feel.

Turia Pitt is a woman who knows and understands the power of Enclothed Cognition. At 24 years of age, Turia’s life was turned upside down while competing in an ultra marathon in the Australian outback. She encountered an out of control grass fire which left her with full thickness burns to 65% of her body. She lost seven fingers, spent 6 months in hospital, underwent over 200 operations and spent 2 years in recovery. An absolute tragedy yet today she uses that horrific experience to prove to others that when you get your mindset right, you can achieve anything you desire. On Instagram, Turia uploaded a photo of the mask and compression suit she had to wear during her recovery. In the caption, she explained that when she had to wear that suit, she felt really self-conscious about working out, especially at the gym and shared the small, often underrated tool she used to help overcome this feeling - she brought herself some great activewear. This simple switch of clothing triggered a mental change that positively affected her performance, increased her confidence almost instantly and worked wonders for her mindset.

You may have experienced the effects of Enclothed Cognition yourself - anyone who suffers with anxiety will agree that they are naturally drawn to neutrals (beige, sand, stone, grey etc.) because of the calming effect of these colours. What’s more, those who work from home will know that wearing activewear or pyjamas all day (whilst comfy!) does nothing for their productivity. It helps to put on a more polished & considered outfit to improve focus & ambition and create the energetic shift required for work.

Dr. Galinsky says - “It has long been known that clothing affects how other people perceive us as well as how we think about ourselves, in fact, experiments have shown that women who dress in a more masculine outfit during a job interview are more likely to be hired. Further to this, an employee for instance who wears formal clothes is considered to be more intelligent than one who dresses more casually”.

Another interesting crossroad between the areas of fashion and wellness is the work of Fashion Journalist and Psychologist, Anabel Maldonado. Anabel also believes in the power of clothes to help reduce anxiety & depression, increase clarity & focus and slow anger & irritability. Anabel hopes to educate clothing brands on how they can use this knowledge to their advantage when designing and putting together collections to increase the success of their brand. A real win/ win for both brands and us as consumers.

So, how can you use the concept of Enclothed Cognition to change the way you feel?

When you wake up in the morning, ask yourself - How do I want to feel today?

Then, give this feeling a name - friendly, fierce, confident, sexy, sophisticated, loving etc.

Next, ask yourself - What outfit can I wear today that will make me feel [fierce, confident, sexy, sophisticated, loving …]? What colour(s) make me feel that way?

A lot of women tend to dress for the way they feel but if you’re not loving the way you currently feel, it’s so incredibly powerful to dress for the way you want to feel -
Want to feel sexy? Wear something sexy
Want to feel cute? Wear something cute
Want to feel comfortable? Wear something comfortable
Want to feel feminine? Wear something flowy
Want to feel powerful? Wear something structured

Once you’ve created an outfit in your head that reflects the way you want to feel, wear it with confidence. Better still, complete the look by doing your hair, make-up and choose accessories that also align with this feeling. The more you do this, the better you’ll feel - science does not lie.