Look Good, Feel Good
Look Good, Feel Good
You are what you wear. Dress it up or dress it down. Believe it or not, your choice of clothing can affect your mood. It may seem silly to think that choosing an oversized t-shirt or sweatshirt over a nice top can reflect upon your mood, but recent studies have proven that “people who spend an abundance of time dressed in baggy, frumpy clothing tend to feel more depressed, whereas those who wear nicer clothing–such as higher quality tops and jeans–tend to feel happier.” If you think about it, things do start to piece together and the relation between clothing and mood becomes more evident. When you’re in a bad mood are you going to want to dress up nicely? The answer is probably no. However, an effective way to snap out of your crummy mood could be to dress up nicely.
This theory can especially be portrayed throughout the work world. Writer Joe Pinsker explains this phenomenon as ‘dressing up the brain’, implying that dressing nicer can change individuals' thought processes. To add to that, psychology professor Abraham Rutchick of California State University, Northridge conducted a study that verified that “putting on formal clothes makes us feel powerful, and that changes the basic way we see the world”.
Not only can clothing style impact your mood psychologically but the colours of your clothing can also affect your mood.
- Red clothing: positive feelings, suggests power, passion, and romance
- Yellow clothing: happy, cheery, and promotes creativity
- Blue clothing: relaxing and calming
- Black clothing: promotes a more serious and professional look and attitude
- Purple clothing: fosters a more sophisticated look.
- Green clothing: calming and stress relieving
As stereotypical as it sounds, your choice of clothing can define what type of person you are. I came across a study that is in support of the above statement. This study uncovered the differential performances among individuals. All subjects were asked to wear a white lab coat; however, some subjects were told the coat belonged to a doctor, and others were told it belonged to a painter. Performance among the individuals with the doctor’s coat was observed to be more attentive and motivated. From this, it became evident that subjects’ levels of performance varied depending on specific occupations.
When picking out an outfit for the day you do not realize how much of a psychological effect your outfit choice can have. So, if you want to feel great then you should dress great!