The effect of fashion on mental health

You might not be aware of it but what you wear can heavily affect the way you feel. The way you look is the way you feel, but don’t get it twisted, you can look good and feel good in anything. It’s all about the mindset. Feel good and be confident in what you are comfortable in. If you feel comfortable in sweats, KILL IT IN SWEATS! If you feel comfortable in leather pants then KILL IT IN LEATHER PANTS! Wear whatever makes you feel happy and confident. Wearing a good outfit can change your perspective on life and when you feel good on the outside, you’ll feel better on the inside too. 

Fashion can be a coping mechanism for many people suffering from mental health issues. Our mental state affects the clothes that we tend to wear, such as wearing darker tones which can relate to being sad or upset. When you are upset, your instinct is to throw on sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt. You can reverse this effect by wearing brighter colours as this can boost both your energy and mood. We generally connect darker tones to being moody, compared to us connecting brighter colours to a happier context.

Have you ever judged someone by what they are wearing? Clothing also affects people’s judgment of you. It is sad to think but the way that someone is dressed can affect how they are treated. First impressions are so powerful, and we always try to dress to impress. BUT WHO? If it’s anyone but yourself, WHAT IS THE REASON?

There isn’t anything wrong with caring about what people think, but it may be having an effect on your mental health. If you are someone who suffers from low self-esteem or anxiety you may feel the need to dress in a way to attract people. Perhaps you are afraid of having your own style and to stay in the safe zone you follow trends and may feel as though you need brands. The thought process through this can be that you feel like you won’t be judged and can just fit in with everybody. There is nothing wrong with wanting to follow trends but the downside of this can be that you can feel as though sometimes you really want to wear something, but are scared to be too out of the box and get noticed.