How Clothing Can Affect How You Feel

Our clothing choices can say a lot about our personality and often influence how others perceive and relate to us. We may think that the weather or our work uniform policy dictates the outfit we choose to wear for the day. While those factors play a role, it might be surprising to hear that our mood can directly affect the clothing we choose. Similarly, our favorite outfits can affect how we feel.

Here's a look at clothing's effect on feelings.

How Our Clothing Choices Affects Our Mood

What is clothing's effect on mood? We know that our clothing can affect other people's impressions of us. However, our clothing choices can also impact how we feel. The styles, colors and shapes of particular articles of clothing create specific thoughts and mental processes that shape our mood. These three variables can determine how you view yourself, ultimately impacting your mood.

Style and Shape

Our emotions can play a part in the style and shape of the clothing we wear. The opposite is also true. When feeling sad, we're more likely to wear baggy, loose-fitting clothing, and we tend to neglect wearing clothing that makes us feel confident when we're upset. Even if we don't feel sad before choosing to wear these clothes, our association with baggy clothes and feeling down can make us feel less confident and more prone to have negative thoughts throughout the day.

Clothes that can help us feel happy are often fitted items with bright, intense colors that match our body type. We can alter our mood by choosing to wear clothing that we associate with happiness and confidence. In other words, we can become what we wear. Choosing to wear happier clothing, such as a bright floral dress, can positively affect our mood and lead to a more optimistic attitude throughout the day.

Of course, wearing clothes you feel confident in won't cure a more serious issue like depression, but you may feel more yourself when you choose your favorite pair of jeans over a pair of sweatpants.

Colors

Colors have long been associated with affecting mood, which probably isn't a surprise to you. After all, most people have colors they like and dislike, meaning that color impacts our emotions. Here are a few colors and some of the ways they can directly affect our mood: 

• Blue: This color often reminds us of steadiness, peace and composure. While wearing blue can help others think you're calm, choosing to wear blue can also allow us to feel relaxed throughout our day.
• Red: We can sometimes stand out and draw attention by wearing this bright, prominent color. It can also help us feel confident and assertive.
• Yellow: Yellow is often associated with being a bright, happy color. Integrating yellow into your wardrobe can help you feel more joyful throughout your day and lead to more positive energy.
• Gray: Gray is thought of as a neutral color. If you choose to wear darker colors and shades of grey, you might find yourself feeling less energetic and more melancholy throughout the day. However, dark colors can make you feel bold, so it depends on your state of mind and preference.

The color of clothing can have strong psychological effects on our mood and feelings and impact how others might feel about us.

5 Ways Clothing Can Affect Your Thoughts

We know that every aspect of our clothing, from the style and shape to the color, can affect our feelings and actions throughout the day. Here are a few examples of some of the thoughts and feelings your clothing can make you feel.

1. Make You Feel Powerful

Selecting bold colors, such as red or black, can help you feel powerful. Choosing a style that makes you look professional, such as a business blazer or dress, can help you make a statement, letting others view you as someone who's in charge. You may even feel more creative and able to think of solutions quicker than others when you feel this way, increasing your work performance.

2. Boost Your Confidence

Clothing can also significantly boost your confidence. Wearing a style or shape that fits your body perfectly can help make you feel beautiful and radiant. Whether you wear a fitted dress or a trendy blouse that flows just right, your clothing can enable you to feel ready to take on the day. Feeling confident can also generate body positivity and self-worth. Loving the body you're in is crucial to leading a happy and fulfilling life.

3. Become More Motivated

If you want to motivate yourself to start working out at the gym or pursue a promotion at work, clothes can help you reach your goals. A new wardrobe full of workout clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable can make you want to wear them even more. If you purchase a pair of work pants that look and feel great, you may find yourself better prepared for work every day.

Over time, you can develop a habit, and you might start seeing some results from your hard work, which can become another motivator for you to keep it up.

4. Help You Feel Smarter

While clothing can't directly make your IQ higher, certain styles and choices can change the way you think, which could lead you to feel more intelligent and quick-witted. Wearing formal clothing can lead you to think more abstractly by focusing on long-term goals. In other words, formal attire can help you feel brighter, and because you feel this way, your style of thinking can change so you make more informed or thoughtful decisions throughout the day.

5. Give You More Focus 

Similar to feeling smarter, your clothing choices can help you feel more focused and productive. Formal clothing styles can help you focus more, which means you can tackle your to-do list with more ease and can help you boost your productivity levels at work.

Dress Good to Feel Good at Perfectly Priscilla

Shop for your next favorite outfit from Perfectly Priscilla to feel more positive, energetic and confident. We offer a wide range of high-quality boutique clothing options designed to make every woman feel radiant, beautiful and ready to take on the day. If you're ready to choose a style that expresses your personality and will positively impact your feelings and emotions, we can help.

Shop our collection today to see our trendy and exclusive styles. Do you have questions? Contact our friendly team, and we'll be happy to help.