The Psychology Of Fashion
For years I worked in the fashion industry. I love it. The seasons. The excitement of the new. The dynamic creatives. The expression. The logistics of it all – even a warehouse or factory can give me a thrill. Most of my friends are still thriving in fashion which makes me something of an anomaly as I went in a completely different direction and became a coach, however, its still a vital part of my DNA.
A couple of weekends ago I had lunch with one of my dear and very beautiful friends, (who would manage to make a bin bag look like old Celine) and we were discussing our winter wardrobes post pandemic. I had just taken on the arduous task of swapping summer with winter, greeting some pieces like much loved old friends and horror at some of my tackier choices. In short, I had been brutal and had thrown probably half my winter wardrobe away.
There were items in my three-bin bag deep discards that I had held onto for far longer than I should have. That dress I wore on my hen do (that I will never wear again unless there is an ageing Barbie themed party at some point) gloriously high ankle boots that I wore throughout my pregnancy (yes, I know) and just fast, cheap fashion that didn’t flatter and looked exactly that – fast and cheap. There were odd colours, dated shapes and just a whole bunch of stuff that just didn’t represent who I am anymore.
I thought I would find it hard saying goodbye to these old comrades as I get such an emotional attachment to clothing, but I didn’t. I couldn’t even tell you what I had thrown away because once they were out of my wardrobe and out of my life they didn’t matter anymore. It was a strange cathartic feeling to look at my new streamlined wardrobe that only held pieces that I love that I have invested in, and feel are representative of the woman I am today.
When I mentioned this over our lunch, my darling girl made an interesting point. ‘We are not who we were post pandemic.’ No, we are not are we . . . In the nearly two years that we have been living through this, my relationship with my body has changed, my friendships have shifted, I am socialising in a different way, my working environment is not the same, and my tastes and ideals have evolved.
We haven’t been investing in fashion pieces nearly as much as we weren’t able to go out and show them off like peacocks. Instead, I now have an excessive amount of ‘loungewear.’ Old me probably would have been a little bit sick in her mouth at this cosy fact, but new me has a far more relaxed approach to life. New me loves a tracksuit – who new?!
When we are hitting another change – in this case a collective change of heading back to the ‘new normal’ and socialising again or even working from the office once more, it is really easy to feel a bit lost and a little bit out of touch with our identity. Clothing is just one of the ways that we express this. Clothing and presenting yourself properly is very much wrapped up in our self-esteem, it’s how we demonstrate who we are, it’s helps us align with particular groups and distance ourselves from others. In short it helps us express ourselves through nonverbal communication meaning the psychological message is a shared experienced between the wearer and the observer. To me clothing matters and it always will.
I urge you to start going through your old things and asking yourself – is this me anymore? Is that favourite cardigan with holes in the elbows really you living your best fashion life? Is everything looking slightly dated? Is this me really doing my best version of me? Does it flatter? Do I want to introduce more sustainably produced clothing into my wardrobe? Who do I want to be and how am I going to show up in 2022? Its only around the corner people . . .
I know for the majority of us, replacing a wardrobe like-for-like isn’t possible financially, however start small if you can. It’s actually a good thing to build over time only investing in pieces that you have lusted after and know you absolutely need. Throw away your 10 bobbly jumpers and just buy two more new ones. Buy quality over quantity – even start with your sock drawer if that’s all that’s possible. I promise you it will make you feel so much better to get rid of old fashion ghouls hanging around your wardrobe taking up space that are never, and should never, be worn again.
Clothes are so much more than just clothes; it really is a form of powerful psychology. It has the ability to make us feel our best selves, it gives us that extra edge of confidence in a presentation and that extra allure on a first date. They are communicating how we want to be seen.
The same friend gifted me the most gorgeous jackets, and when I got home, I tried them on and sent her a photo message; ‘Wow, I actually now look like I understand what the FTSE means.’ I don’t understand the FTSE, I may never understand the FTSE . . . but who cares, I felt confident and that is all that matters, and I liked who I was in that jacket. If one piece of magic tailoring can do that for me, think what a wardrobe overhaul can do for you. The fashion possibilities, as well as the fabulous looks, really are endless so put your best Amina Muaddi foot forwards.*
*Dedicated to Rosalyn . . . naturally