WHAT YOUR CLOTHES SAY ABOUT YOU?

It's no surprise  that your wardrobe says a lot about you. To a stranger walking down the street, your wardrobe can depict your employment, emotions, ambitions and spending habits. You are a walking billboard for everyone to see!

A whole new psychology as been launched in this area spear headed by Clinical psychologist, Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner, who literally wrote the book on this phenomenon, which she calls the "psychology of dress." In "You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You,"she explains not only how psychology determines our clothing choices, but how to overcome key psychological issues your wardrobe might be bringing to light in your everyday life, or even at work.

"Shopping and spending behaviors often come from internal motivations such as emotions, experiences and culture," says Dr. Baumgartner. She believes that shopping behaviors and how we put outfits together is rooted in something deeper. That rings true for most of us, as we tend to refer to shopping as "Retail Therapy".  On our lowest days, a new sweater or fashion forward accessory purchase, just seems to make everything feel just a whole lot better. 

Why are clothes so revealing (of our personalities, that is), and what messages are they sending? Can we use our wardrobe to change how others perceive us, or how we think about ourselves?

Absolutely! I know when I use to go for job interviews, I always tend to rely on my navy power suit that for me, depicted professionalism and confidence. Although I may have been under-qualified for some positions, the outfit always helped me to mask my uncertainties, while demonstrating to the employer that I was serious and ready for any new challenge. 

Nowadays, we are also relying on clothing as an economic and social indicator. "When you don’t have a specific system, people come up with their own," Dr. Baumgartner explains. It's what "helps you figure out where you fit in. Especially now, with the current economy, with people losing status, maintaining a sense of who we are becomes even more important. Our clothes help place us where we think we want to be. " That's rings a whole of truth for so many people today, who are living beyond their means just to fit in.  Wearing labels and brands that they feel depicts who they are and how they feel they want and deserve to be treated . It's all a false representation of reality. LABELS DONT DEFINE WHO WE ARE, WE DO!!

Dr . Baumgartner recommends we all just stick with the "classics". With classics pieces, history has done the work for us. It has lasted throughout time , and is appropriate for all age ranges, and body types. It works for everyone no matter who you are. Examples of classics are  "the little black dress",  "the blazer" or "the pumps". If we all have one of these in our closets, it will help simplify many uncesscary wardrobe woes and keep us always current and classic with fashion.

On the other hand, there's no one piece or style that makes a person look unsuccessful.  Any outfit, where it looks like you didn’t take the time or make the effort always comes across badly. The worst clothing is the kind that tries to undo, ignore or hide where or who you are, or the kind that shows you didn't pay attention to your body/age/situation. I think we all know a few people in our own circles, that dress inappropriate for their age or body type. We shake our heads and ask ourselves, "doesn't anyone tell her that she looks inappropriate?".   Like wearing skin tight lululemon track pants at a corporate board meeting. In my opinion, thats a complete fashion NO NO! However I am very old school and a firm believer of corporate dress-code and think that we all need to bring back the suits and banish anything lululemon or made of lycra materials in the workplace. I know many of you will disagree on this topic however, we can have another discussion a later time regarding this matter. Makes for a great new post!! lol
For now, lets just agree to disagree.

What Your Clothes Say to You, Not About You

Another study from Northwestern University examined a concept called "enclothed cognition." Researchers were looking at the concept of what your clothes are saying to you, not about you. And how they make you feel. When your friend drags you out of the house and asks you to get dressed up, you automatically feel better, eventhough you may have just experienced  a breakup/failed interview, or a lousy day.  The study showed that when you dress in a certain way, it helps shift your internal self and your mindset. We see it often in makeover shows. How the makeover recipient goes from feeling depressed, with little self worth and confidence to radiant, energized and renewed. Its all how we feel in are own skin and how we choose to cover our skin, that affects what we think of ourselves.

So next time you have the blues or feel like you've hit a new all-time low, do some retail therapy, get a new hairdo, get a facial at the spa with an eyebrow wax, its the perfect pick me up and medicine for the mind and soul. 

Happy shopping and happy Friday. 

Thanks of taking the time to read my post. It comes straight from the heart.

Fashionably yours, Liana 

Dr. Baumgartner outlines common wardrobe and perception problems in the chart below.
Do you recognize yourself in any of these? 

If you …	You might …	Consider:
Keep every piece of clothing you've ever owned	Be clinging to the past through the sentimental value of your pieces	Adopting the Golden Wardrobe Ratio: Get rid of 2 out of 3 items you own, including anything too big/small, ripped/torn or outdated.
Wear only neutrals, largely devoid of accessories	Be stuck in a psychological rut, too comfortable to shake it up, or too afraid to draw attention to yourself.	Deviating from your routine in small ways (a different route to work, a few new spring accessories--like these inexpensive ways to incorporate trendy polka dots--to jog your brain into feeling excited
Dress in clothing too large for your body	See your body differently than others see it, or as a reflection of the way it once was.	Bringing an honest friend shopping to find out what looks great on you, ignoring sizes and getting used to wearing clothes that really fit.
Have been told you're dressed inappropriately or too sexily	Consider the same outfit appropriate for every occasion (i.e. clubbing and family barbecue), or be looking for the wrong kind of attention.	Consider the image you want to project in given situations (at work, on the town) and choose outfits based on cues from those around you
Dress too young (or too old) for your age	Be trying to express the age you feel you are, but getting caught between your actual and internal age	Gearing your outfits toward your goals (like getting a promotion, meeting a significant other, traveling the world), rather than a specific age.
Are always in work clothes	Value yourself primarily through your work and work-related accomplishments	Recognizing your talents outside of work (great artist, compassionate, fun to bring to parties, etc.)
Covered in designer logos	Think you need to broadcast wealth in order to be treated well by others	Practice wearing "blank canvas" pieces and only accenting with logos to emphasize that people value you for more than your labels
Live in your "mom outfit" of jeans and a hoodie	Put the needs of your family before your own	Take more "me time." Remember: When mom isn't happy, nobody is.