She believes that men could be affected by clothing choices as well, although they might put more effort into choosing a car to express their personality and mood. And it’s not only for women but for men too. “The strong link between clothing and mood state suggests we should put on clothes that we associate with happiness, even when feeling low,” according to the news release. Dark colours for my depression, anxiety and fear of emotions! So I do think there may be some general similarities, but overall women’s results would probably be more dramatic.”, One of the main parts of the study Pine focused on was jeans and their association with a depressed or sad mood state, and Heathman thinks this could be because jeans are an easy choice that doesn’t require a lot of thought. Change ). Dressing up may take extra effort, but the impact it can have on elevating your emotional state is arguably worth the process. However, first you would need to discover the underlying differences between men and women and how they interpret clothes. Men are much more focused on functionality in their wardrobe than women, regardless of emotional state. So there is no common denominator in real life, no strong connection between clothes and psychological state, imo. It seems that wearing formal office wear and structured clothes puts us in the right frame of mind to conduct business. Mood is typically influenced by the quality and quantity of sleep and food we have and it is likely to influence what we choose to wear. Using clothing as a tool independently to boost confidence, however can act as a cover-up. A convenience sample of 300 employed women from Govt., semi Govt., and private colleges, schools, offices and hospitals was selected for the study. © Copyright 2012 GoodTherapy.org. I don’t need to see clothes to determine a person’s emotional state. Great to see this post and put some merit behind the ‘look good – feel good’ concept which has been around for ages. You’d be amazed at how much mental energy is exhausted pondering about how we look.”, Overall she thinks the study could have gone more in-depth to provide more useful information. Look at Steve Jobs. There are many different types of emotions that have an influence on how we live and interact with others. There’s a reason tailored jackets are associated with being ‘dressed for success’. Researchers determined from the results that there is a possibility that wearing certain clothes can affect emotional states. The author of the study, Karen Pine, who is the coauthor of Flex: Do Something Different and a professor in the School of Psychology at University of Hertfordshire, added in the news release that jeans are more associated with a depressed mood state and that women should consider abandoning them for a different clothing choice in order to feel better. “When we reach for jeans we want something familiar because things around us are stressful.”, Accessories can also affect mood, like the study suggests. Subscribe me to the GoodTherapy.org public newsletter. The research involved three surveys of more than 2,400 people in the United Kingdom and Finland, focusing on the emotions and memorable experiences … However, it generally only has short-term results if working on one’s emotional and mental state is not at play as well.”, “The study mentions that happy clothes include well-cut, figure-enhancing items made from bright and beautiful fabrics,” Heathman said. weight gain). It happens to most people. The purpose of this study was to find out relationship of clothing with personal identity among different clothing style personalities. A new study suggests what many women have experienced: dressing in nicer clothes makes you feel better. For those who are unfamiliar with Feng Shui, it is “the study of how the environment affects those who dwell in it,” according to the American Feng Shui Institute website. Besides the shape of clothes, also the color and material indicates the element. For instance, animal prints are associated with the Fire element and a desire to be noticed and feel alive.”, She said for men, color would probably be more of an indicator of emotional states. Overall she believes the study makes sense and that there is a real connection between clothing and mood. Just like the words “love” and “bike rack” elicit different emotions, colors like red and blue both create different human responses as well. She said that the research didn’t go into certain details, like the fact that some women are more into a “jeans and T-shirt” type of fashion, and other women wear skirts and dresses every day as part of their style. All rights reserved. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Everything that I wear and that I buy really in terms of clothing is built around all of this. In 2012, researchers from Northwestern University in the US found that wearing specific articles of clothing had an effect on the wearer's psychology and performance. Others agree that a person who is not motivated to look good probably doesn't feel very good either. Finally someone writes about hoodies for men. She describes the link between women’s moods and their clothing choices. “The study says when we’re feeling down we’re more likely to reach for jeans and loose-fitting tops. If you have a great fitting pair in a dark wash they can be quite sexy with an elevated heel, high heel, or wedge shoes,” Froiland said. We stop caring. “Whenever I talk to a group, large or small, I always start out my presentation with telling everyone that ‘It’s in less than 3 minutes someone has already decided who and what you are. A woman should walk out of the door and not have to think about what she’s wearing for the rest of the day. Overall, Pine believes the research provides a look into how we can improve our moods. “It suggests we should give more thought to what we wear and even dress for happiness, irrespective of how we are feeling. Prolonged long enough, you then fall in ‘the rut.’ Often, altering one’s mood by enhancing wardrobe can be done. They are often poorly cut and badly fitting,” Pine said in the news release. Any views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. He's also discovered that memories or emotions attached to our clothes can evoke good or bad feelings when we wear them. Sign Up and Get Listed. “With that being said, who knows how other people will interpret it. When we don’t like what we wear, we focus on it throughout the day. Why are baggy clothes associated with a sad or depressed emotional state and dresses and jewelry associated with a happy or positive emotional state? Why are baggy clothes associated with a sad or depressed emotional state and dresses and jewelry associated with a happy or positive emotional state? We should also note that the superficiality of clothing choices are rarely the sole determinant of how people are perceived: Brown's study into clothing and attractiveness demonstrated the influence of body language in addition to clothing choices. People who are depressed often lose interest in how they look and don’t wish to stand out, so the correlation between depression and wearing jeans is understandable. Actually it is quite the opposite and these people often overdress to compensate for their insecurities. If you actually tap into your emotional state and use clothing to super-boost your confidence, I think that’s perfectly fine. Dressing up can take extra effort, but it also feels good, especially if you receive extra compliments. Overall she believes the study makes sense and that there is a real connection between clothing and mood. ( Log Out /  Really loved browsing what ever you had to say. She believes that men could be affected by clothing choices as well, although they might put more effort into choosing a car to express their personality and mood. The researchers also found that 73% of women in the study “shopped for clothes at least every few months.” The majority of women, or 96%, “believed that what they wear affects how confident they feel,” according to the news release. ( Log Out /  2. Bottom line: I would be careful to assume one’s feelings based on what they wear. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. From great first impressions to commanding respect in a presentation, our style choices say a lot. Wearing power clothing makes us more feel more confident [possibly because we call it power clothing]; and even increases hormones needed for displaying dominance. “It’s not that jeans specifically suggest sadness, but that the desire to throw on a pair of jeans can indicate that life’s been too chaotic, there are too many choices and we want some quiet stillness to contemplate what’s ahead,” Stellhorn said. Hypotheses 1. Your style and the clothes you choose reflect and affect your mood, health, and overall confidence. i read this second time..i really like these article. Please fill out all required fields to submit your message. “I wear mine out dancing, dinners at friends or restaurants, shopping, everywhere really, but they fit like a glove and have attitude. “We have the power to wear items that represent our personalities and feelings,” Heathman said. “The strong link between clothing and mood state suggests we should put on clothes that we associate with happiness, even when feeling low,” according to the news release. The “science” of Feng Shui suggests that there are “different energies” in our planet, and learning how to balance these energies can help improve various aspects of life. Mood is a subjective, emotional state which is often less intense and less likely to be triggered by a particular stimulus than emotions and feelings. The core features of emotional development include the ability to identify and understand one’s own feelings, to accurately read and comprehend emotional states in others, to manage strong emotions and their expression in a constructive manner, to regulate one’s own behavior, to develop empathy for others, and to establish and maintain relationships. “Perhaps in other parts of the country or for older generations, jeans that are not designer jeans and that are more comfortable than flattering are a go-to for depressive states. To a certain extent, you can read whether someone is feeling insecure based on their clothing, but body language and nonverbal communication is much more representative of one’s feelings.”, She thinks there could also be a separate study on men that explores their clothing choices and emotional states. Be found at the exact moment they are searching. “Men who usually sport a T-Shirt and suddenly start wearing a button-down shirt in greens or browns has moved from the Earth element to Wood, showing a desire to grow, to add to their life financially and socially, they’ve become curious about the world.”, She agrees that jeans are less effort when people are already preoccupied with other areas of life. “A man in a ball cap might be covering thinning hair, but by wearing the hat he feels more powerful and better able to interact in the world. The best combination is to work on confidence, happiness and self-belief from the inside out. When I am feeling down, the last thing that I want to do is get all dolled up. These clothing choices seem to mean that women who are feeling down put less effort into what they’re wearing, and women who are in a good mood tend to try and look nicer to match their mood. Besides, if you do not agree with your editor, you can easily opt out, which I never had reason to do. Articles like these are a waste of time. Well then skinny jeans here I come. Pine addressed these issues in an email. Women who are happy or positive are more likely to wear a favorite dress, jewelry, and jeans. While clothes may reflect the emotional state, it is not so 100% of the time. However, first you would need to discover the underlying differences between men and women and how they interpret clothes. This research also didn’t seem to account for an obvious likely confounding variable (i.e. “A separate study on men should be considered. “With that being said, who knows how other people will interpret it. “When we are feeling depressed or unhappy, looking our best is not on our minds,” Pine said. Is it because it’s fun? “According to a recent news release, one study has shown…”. ( Log Out /  Overall, Pine believes the research provides a look into how we can improve our moods. 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