Can the clothing you wear make you feel more or less confident? Does looking good make you feel good? I believe the answer to both of these questions is yes.
Dressing a certain way can boost your attitude and performance. Whether you are leading an important work meeting or spending time out on the golf course, the clothing you choose does matter. When you dress in your “best uniforms” you know you look good and therefore you feel empowered and exude a confidence in the way you carry yourself throughout the day.
(Best uniforms are those outfits in your wardrobe that if no one was looking you would wear again and again because you feel your best in them.)
We have all had those moments when an unexpected social situation sends you running for cover. The thought that stops you in your tracks is, “why did I wear this today?” Ugh! My advice is to only have your “best looks” hanging in your closet. If it doesn’t make you feel confident, out it goes. So whatever you are holding onto that doesn’t make you feel proud to wear; it’s time to send it back out into the world. It could quite possibly become someone else’s best uniform!
I think there is a reason we shop and have the desire to have new clothing. It’s because putting on the right outfit makes you feel like you can do anything!
Dawnn Karen is the youngest professor at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. She is a self-described “fashion psychologist”. She defines fashion psychology as, “the study of how color, image and fashion affects human behavior”. Karen is not the first to explore this blending of fashion and psychology. The University of Delaware offers a course called “Social Psychological Aspects of Clothing”, and The London College of Fashion added an undergraduate major in the psychology of fashion last year.
In my experience of dressing clients over the years, I have come to realize that some things just don’t change. Clients want to fit into the social norms of dressing and to feel like themselves. My job is to incorporate the current styles with the client’s needs depending on their tolerance for color, trends, social status, and personality. This is where I think the psychology comes in. We are all individuals and carry our own biases whether we heard a negative comment from a mother, father, friend, co-worker or fashion expert. It doesn’t matter who said “you can’t wear that color”, it can stick with us.
I think all of this psychology about what we wear and how it affects us does matter. Colors you wear affect how you feel and how others feel about you. Check these insights on the psychology of color, do you have similar feelings when it applies to you?
Black is the power color if you need to exude confidence and control. The negative side of wearing black is you can seem too serious or unapproachable.
Blue is a color of trust. Most people like blue tones and feel comfortable wearing shades from navy to teal. But, if the tone is too pale it can come across as weak.
Red is a color of intensity and it can trigger emotions. If worn during a large group presentation where you need to be the focus, it can be a great color to be the center of attention. At other times its best in small doses if you are in a corporate environment.
Wearing high contrast clothing is a sign that you are very comfortable with yourself. Low contrast or wearing muted colors, depending on the situation, can make you appear to be more approachable.
I have a vivid memory of my own relating to color from early on in my career. While working as a wardrobe consultant, I was interviewing my potential new client proudly in my chartreuse green linen suit and the client (confidently, in her black suit) says “I hate that color green, no one should wear that hideous color, and I hope you are not thinking of putting that color on me!” Of course I convinced her that not every color or style looks good on everyone and that I knew the chartreuse would definitely be the wrong color for her skin tone, and the rest is history.
The bottom line is to wear what makes you feel good in any situation. I’m here to help you find your own personal “best outfits” that are just right for you.