How Dressing Affects Your Attitude and Emotions

By Olivia Rahim | October 25, 2019

They say that clothes don’t make the man, but how many times have you looked at someone for the first time and judged them based on their outfit? Like it or not, our clothes are an important part of our lives. We do our best every day to match our outfit to the occasion. We have casual clothes, fancy clothes, workout and formal clothes and we won’t wear the same thing to a classy dinner party and a night out with our friends. However, did you know that the clothes you wear can affect the way you feel, change your mood and attitude? We have all heard the saying ‘If you look good, you feel good’, but there is actually some truth to this.  Studies have shown that every outfit we put on affects our state of mind and our choice of behavior. Here are just some of the ways your clothes can change the way you feel.

Feel powerful with a suit

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see a person wearing a suit? You probably think that they run some sort of business, right? Well, tailored jackets and formal office wear make us feel more confident and powerful, and put us in the right state of mind to conduct business. What is even more interesting, by wearing this type of clothes you can trigger your brain to increase hormones needed for displaying dominance. Therefore, if you have some negotiating to do, don’t forget to suit up!

Casual attire makes you friendlier 

 

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A great suit will help you become a lion in the office, but it won’t help you make new friends. Studies have shown that formal wear makes you less open and more uptight, so if you want to socialize don’t wear this type of clothing. On the other hand, a casual wardrobe boosts your creativity and helps you make friends more easily. 

Bright colors serve as mood boosters 

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We all have those days when we are feeling down and cranky. When you wake up feeling low, change your mental state by wearing brightly colored clothes. These bright hues work as a pick-me-up and can turn your frown upside down. Therefore, the next time you are in a bad mood, put on something shiny like jewelry from Moon Magic or a brightly colored sweater and you will instantly feel much better. 

Gym clothes motivate you to work out 

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Are you feeling lazy and you have no motivation to get up from the couch and exercise? Well, if you spend the whole day in your pajamas that is not a surprise. If you wish to be more active, put on activewear and chances are you will end up going to the gym. The psychology behind this is pretty simple, when you wear gym clothes you are constantly reminded that you need to make healthier choices. Therefore, if you want to lose a couple of pounds, changing into activewear is the first step towards your goal. 

A uniform helps you focus on your duties

A uniform is always associated with a specific role and wearing one can make people pay more attention to their job, thus making fewer mistakes. Uniforms don’t affect only adults. In fact, schoolchildren in Kenya performed better when they were given uniforms.

Become a copycat

Are you looking for a way to improve yourself? Do you want to possess some qualities people you admire own? If so, check out the dress code of people you consider successful, smart or powerful, and copy it. You will improve your self-image and become more confident in your abilities. 

Every piece of clothing you wear can affect your mental state and change the way you feel. Therefore, learn these facts and put on clothes that bring out the best in you.