How you dress affects how you think and behave

Hi! Today’s blog post is about how the outfit you choose to wear will have a profound impact on how you will feel and behave throughout the day.

Sound far-fetched?

It isn’t at all.

The style, shape, fit, colour, fabric, feel and print all have a direct effect on our mood, thoughts and actions for the day.

Think about how you feel the next time you wear…

  • A fun print, you’re more likely to feel light-hearted and free spirited.

  • A dark suit and you’ll feel empowered and professional.

  • Jeans and a T-shirt to feel relaxed.

  • Slinky, close fitting, short, low neckline dress to feel sexy.

Clothes are powerful tools to get you in the right frame of mind for whatever your day demands of you.

The right outfit can enhance creativity, focus and negotiation skills.

Research shows how getting dressed up promotes abstract thinking and provides perspective. This can be useful when things aren’t going the way you expected. When you look your best, it’s easier to see the big picture and not take criticism too personally. The right outfit can help you feel a whole lot stronger when you need to—it can serve as both protection and inspiration. A great excuse for wearing your favourite party outfit or business suit! 

Not only do clothes affect how you think, feel and act but how others will think, feel and behave towards you. 

A 2014 study by Kraus and Mendes* demonstrated that people who wore suits in a business setting, negotiated better and got more out of a deal compared to those wearing more casual attire. The reason being they felt more confident and more powerful, particularly when negotiating with someone wearing less formal business attire. In fact, the study went as far as swapping the people in the business suits with the people in the more casual attire, and the same thing happened!

When we dress for success, we gain confidence in not only wearing something that we feel good in, but also in the way others treat us and the way we perceive ourselves, and so confidence becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The opposite is also true.

Feeling our best by wearing clothes that suit us and we feel good wearing, will create a perpetual state of confidence, better social engagement and lead to success in all aspects of our lives.

If you have any questions on how to look your best and feel more confident, please feel free to drop me a note or a comment on the Image & Wellness Company Facebook page or you can drop me a PM. I’m happy to help and answer any of your questions.

Here’s to your image and wellness!

Tanya

*Michael W. Kraus and Wendy Berry Mendes, “Sartorial symbols of social class elicit class-consistent behavioral and physiological responses: A dyadic approach,” Journal of Experimental Psychology 143, no. 6, 2014, 2330-2340.


As an Image Consultant, I focus on more than just fashion. That’s what Stylists do. Image Consultants FOCUS ON YOU and then take from fashion the styles and looks that will:

~ flatter your body,
~ express your personality,
~ work towards achieving your life and business goals,
~ be practical with your lifestyle
~ work within your budget.

What you wear should support and enhance YOU. From your shape and age, to how you want the world to see you.

If you would like assistance to find the styles, clothes and outfits that work for you please feel free to complete the inquiry form by clicking on the link below and let’s have a chat:

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