What Your Clothes Say to YOU

What are your clothes saying about you?
And TO you.

One of my downfalls in clothes shopping is if I touch something and it’s soft. Like, really really soft. I then HAVE TO buy it. No questions asked. It is even a reasonable explanation for those who know me.

“Lucy, why did you buy that shirt/blanket/hat?”

“It was soft”

Given the choice I’ve always dressed in clothes that made me feel the most comfortable, either because they fit wonderfully or because they are soft and cozy.

I remember, long ago, at our Church confirmation class, the Sunday they confirmed us all- the girls had to wear white dresses. I don’t remember where I got mine, but it was a hand-me-down I think, and I had to wear the only white shoes I had, which I didn’t like. So I was uncomfortable, and you could See it. Wow. Besides looking at old pictures and me being able to tell, there was some friend of my parents and they said something to my mom as I stood there. She said, “you don’t really like dresses do you”. I looked so uncomfortable that anyone could tell. And it wasn’t that I didn’t like dresses, but I didn’t like This dress and shoe combination on this day.

My point is, I Know that people can tell things about what you wear (or how you react to what you are wearing). Something I hadn’t thought about before, not really, was How your clothes make YOU feel.

I read an article on some random website that Facebook offered to me, “What your clothes day about you”
(http://www.youbeauty.com/body-fitness/what-your-clothes-say-about-you), and I wouldn’t be suggesting it at all but they had a clinical psychologist that was making a lot of sense. Below is an excerpt from the article.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner 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,”. Americans rely on clothing as an economic and social indicator because there aren’t official marks of rank such as a caste system or aristocracy, says Dr. Baumgartner. “When you don’t have a specific system, people come up with their own,” she explains. It’s what “helps you figure out where you fit in”

(AND from the same article, what clothes say TO you.)

A study this year from Northwestern University examined a concept called “enclothed cognition.” Researchers define it in their report as “the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer’s psychological processes,” meaning what your clothes are saying to you, not about you. And how they make you feel.

The researchers distributed standard white lab coats to participants, telling some that it was a doctor’s coat and some that it was a painter’s smock. All participants performed the same task, but those wearing the “doctor’s coat” were more careful and attentive. Their actions were influenced by their clothing.

Enclothed cognition gives scientific proof to the idea that you should dress not how you feel, but how you Want to feel. Which clothes make you feel powerful? Sexy? In control? Wealthy? The clothes you choose are sending a message to those around you, but also to you, yourself.

[end excerpts]. They also had a fun little chart with an “If you [blank]”, “You might [blank]” ,“Consider [blank]”. Mine was obvious, it was; “If you keep every piece of clothing you’ve ever owned (exaggerated but basically true), you might be clinging to the past through the sentimental value of your pieces [of clothes] (no duh). Consider Adopting the Golden Wardrobe Ratio: Get rid of 2 out of 3 items you own, including anything too big/small, ripped/torn or outdated.” I don’t think I have things that are too big/small or ripped/torn, but maybe some outdated things. After this Golden Wardrobe Ration cleansing, I’m assuming you maintain it with a one in- one out policy?

So all signs are pointing in the same direction, besides cutting back on my spending (splurging) I also need to cut back on what is already clogging up my closet and drawers.

Reprised: Step one, collect underpants. Step two… Step Three, big profit! (OMG I say this all the time and this time, it actually applies!)

No really, Step one is to consolidate and count everything by type.
Step two is to get rid of 2 out of 3 items, until I’m at a reasonable level.
And step three is to keep the ratio in check with a one in- one out policy that will hopefully also curb the spending.

In the mean time, I’m still going to get to the bottom of my materialistic drive. Justin suggested a book, that he just finished from a class, called Blur. It’s something about journalistic skewed news, but I think he has a point in that once I know what to look out for in persuasive language and gimmicks I will recognize them in advertising and be less susceptible.

One last thing from Dr. Baumgartner “Shopping and spending behaviors often come from internal motivations such as emotions, experiences and culture,”. As I already know, I shop to feel good, but that is a problem for another day.