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A Psychological Perspective on Fashion

While not every kid dreams of being a big-shot designer or on the cover of Vogue, no one

can deny how prevalent clothing and personal style is in our everyday lives. Clothing can signify

personal values, political and religious beliefs, gender and cultural identity, socioeconomic class,

occupation, and so much more–consider the punk rock movement of the seventies and eighties. It

was not just rowdy kids listening to loud music, dressing head to toe in leather, dyeing their hair,

and making body modifications. Punk ideologies included individual freedom and

anti-establishment views, and distaste for “selling out.” Fashion is a powerful, nonverbal way of

communication. Whether it be cultural garments or used to make a statement, clothing has

always played a role in self-expression.

My relationship with clothing and fashion started the day I was born. My mother, while

she may disapprove of my “outrageous” style choices now, always made sure I was the most

fashionable baby at daycare. While that might be an exaggeration, the prevalence of clothing in

my life is not. When I finally convinced my mom to let me start dressing myself in elementary

school, I instantly started putting myself in bright pink monotone outfits, patterned Justice

leggings, and lots and lots of sparkles. I lost touch with my love for clothes in middle school due

to the classic insecurities of puberty and pressures to fit in. I wore the same black leggings,

skinny jeans, and black sweatshirt practically every day. But, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I

fell back in love with the creativity of personal style. Clothing became a creative outlet for me

during quarantine. Sometimes, putting on an outfit before Zoom class was the only motivation

that got me out of bed that day. I began exploring every style out there. Preppy, hippie,

streetwear, retro, grunge, feminine, masculine, etc. Even to this day, I could not precisely tell

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anyone what my style is. My personal style is whatever makes me feel good, confident, and

beautiful.

Fashion is a creative way of self-expression and I cannot deny how much it has helped me

explore who I am. During quarantine, it was kind of a light at the end of a long and dark tunnel.

Sometimes putting on an outfit I feel confident in is what keeps me grounded for the day. In my

freshman year, I realized I wanted to pursue psychology as a career. Last year, my AP

Psychology teacher recommended that I read about the psychology of fashion out of general

interest. I was surprised to learn how simple choices people make in curating their personal style

say a lot about who they perceive themselves to be and how they desire to be perceived. It led me

to question: How does fashion impact identity and affect people psychologically?

Fashion and psychology, an art and a science, are two topics that seem vastly different.

But really, “Fashion and psychology are both part of the long series of interrelated social

phenomena that configure the Modern Age” (Fuentes et. al.). It is important to stop thinking of

fashion as merely a social phenomenon and rather start looking at it from an analytical

perspective. Historically, fashion has been essential in understanding an individual's identity and

it is certainly a prominent aspect of modern Western society. Clothing is intertwined with many

aspects of the human experience such as “culture, symbolism, neuroscience, sexuality… our

perception of ourselves, how others react to us, our confidence and self-esteem” (Sarda-Joshi).

Think of clothing as a second skin. Clothing is a tool humans use to convey aspects of their

personality and to make them comfortable and confident. Enclothed cognition, a term coined in

2012, describes the “systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological

processes” (Adam et. al.). The original experiment called for two groups of participants to wear a

white coat and perform a series of cognitive tests. Participants who were told what they were

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wearing was a lab coat performed better than those who were told it was a painter’s coat. One’s

psychological processes such as emotions, self-evaluations, attitudes, relationships, and behavior

change depending on the associations we make with different garments, colors, and styles.

Clothing plays a vital role in first impressions and the confidence to face different types of

circumstances. The Halo Effect is a social psychology term that describes the tendency for an

impression created in one area, such as a trait of a person, which is used to make an overall

judgment of that person or thing: “What we wear says a lot about us. In fact, we make a

judgment about whether we like someone or not in under a second, and then seek evidence to

support and extend that judgment to relate to nonphysical characteristics such as temperament

and abilities” (“Psychology and Fashion”). As a society, people put such a heavy emphasis on

first impressions. That is why certain expectations and dress codes, like for job interviews, exist.

Certain neural regions are involved in the instant process of impressions such as “the amygdala,

which responds to… appearance-based cues, such as trustworthiness” (Gilron & Gutchess).

Biologically, humans are coded to assess and process the situation at hand in order to make the

best judgments. Now, in most cases, it may not be about survival, but people use appearance as a

way to guide their impressions of others. Clothing is one way people assess others when they

first meet. Garments like suits and ties are associated with professional behavior. Clothes can put

people in the right mindset for different situations:

If we're really worrying that it's appropriate or it's suitable or we don't feel confident in

what we're wearing. It stresses us and this means that we don't have the cognitive

capacity to deal with the problem at hand. This is why lots of very successful people tend

to wear a work uniform in inverted commas, not necessarily as suits but maybe t-shirt and

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jeans as we've seen with Mark Zuckerberg who wears the same items every day to allow

this freeing up of cognitive capacity for more important issues. (Luna)

There is a reason that tailored suits are associated with success. Formal office wear gives people

confidence and puts those in the right state of mind for business, but it can go both ways. If one

were to attend a party in formal clothes, the worry that one is wearing inappropriate clothing

might take away from fully experiencing life and having fun. Though, the associations made with

different garments can change from person to person. While one person may feel confident in a

suit, it might limit another persons uncomfortable and limit their cognitive capacity. Their work

uniforms might be in “inverted commas,” or less traditional, like simple, comfortable clothing.

Moods can change depending on what someone wears and is based on the associations one

makes with the garment. It is all about being in tune to how one feels in different garments, and

dressing to fit one’s needs.

Fashion is a nonverbal form of communication that people can use to express personal

and social identities, thoughts, feelings, and desires. Identity is described as characteristics

determining who or what a person is: “Each person has different characteristics and carry their

own identity… used to highlight non-instrumental modes of action; to focus on

self-understanding rather than self-interest” (Thao). Every person owns their own cultivated

identity, whether their identity is influenced by outside sources such as socialization agents and

culture, it is still uniquely theirs. The Social Identity Theory “explains that individuals define and

evaluate themselves, taking into account the social groups they are members of, and classify

themselves. At the end of this classification they become identified with the group they are placed

in. This identification leads to social identities” (Akdemir). Naturally, humans conform to a

larger group. One’s society is made of large social classes, such as race, gender, religion,

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language, socioeconomic class, and profession. What people align or do not align with is what

makes up their identity. Michelle Koski, a long time costume designer and visual arts teacher at

Carondelet High School also teaches fashion history in her design classes. Since the beginning of

time, clothing has been used to express individuality and to stand out: “and so how are people

editing clothing and moving away from what the general norms are? [Take Flappers, for

example.] You’re looking at a great transition from Victorian corsets to drop waisted, unshaped

dresses where, often, they didn’t wear undergarments at all. And it was a way to distinguish

themselves in this new generation. Partly as a response to the Great War…[and] Spanish

Influenza” (Koski). The 1920s was described as a time of rebirth and renewal after a time of

tragedy. Flappers identified that, not with the constricting silhouettes of the Victorian and

Edwardian eras, but instead rejecting social norms and finding joy in jazz, free flowing dresses,

cutting their hair into a bob all while flaunting their disdain for “acceptable behavior.” Flappers

paved the way for future generations of independent women as they pushed for economic,

political, and sexual freedom. Subculutures are created by people who refuse to conform to a

larger group. Humans have been expressing themselves through garments throughout history. It

is fair to say that the basic expression of identity starts with clothing.

Clothing is famously used to express belongingness to a group, distinguishing social and

economic classes, and cultures. Grant Wyborny Psy.D, in his 43rd year as a practicing

psychologist, emphasizes the importance of alligning with a group not just to benefit one socially

but mentally aswell: “It’s really important to feel like you have a community…And clothing can

be one of those things that is shared. The most healthy people are not isolated, we are hardwired

to affiliate.” A feeling of belonging is key to feelings of self worth. Historically, there are many

examples of people using clothing to express group identity. Take zoot suits, worn by Young

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Afro or Mexican Americans that consisted of “added padding, broadened jacket shoulders,

extended jacket length and cinched trouser waists” (Lisby). The zoot suit was not just for style, it

solidified black and brown communities in society. Its purpose was to create a distinctive,

positive, political identity for themselves. Recent examples of how people express belonging to a

group might include sports teams or university merchandise. It is certainly not uncommon to see

various garments representing a team, school, country, or religion in the average person’s closet.

Though, in the past, expression of group identity was not as it is today. Instead of being used to

represent being a fan of something or belonging to an institution, clothing was used as an

indicator for socioeconomic class. Historically, there is a distinction between higher and lower

social classes through what clothing was accessible to them. Clothing has always been used to

discern those who held power and those who did not. Many aspects went into recognizing social

class such as jewelry, quality of fabric (for example, cotton was not as precious as silk), color,

and types of garments. Reflect on the togas of ancient Rome for example. Togas were white

coverings draped over the bodies of men that were “important social representations; denoting

power, occupation, and social place of upper class Roman citizens because foreign, prisoners and

slaves were wearing a simple [tunics]” (Akdemir). Togas separated the social classes of ancient

Rome. Even those who wore togas were differentiated by the color of its lining. Togas that had

purple lining were seen as more valuable because it was not an easy color to obtain. Even now,

the symbolism of color has carried on. Purple is still seen as a color of elegance whereas black is

associated with mourning. In modern times, distinguishing social class is still apparent in terms

of what clothing is accessible from class to class. Mass market products change depending on the

class being marketed to. Now, what defines one’s social and economic class is their lifestyle and

what they consume. People of lower classes cannot afford Chanel, Gucci, or Louis Vuitton. Of

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course, one cannot ignore how people have been expressing their culture through clothing as

well. Usually very distinctive, traditional clothing is unique from culture to culture. For example,

Japan’s traditional kimono is “T-cut and embroideries…Its colours and selected motifs - mostly

taken from nature - are loaded with strong symbolic side meanings and show many things about

age, status, and give much knowledge to the observer about wearer” (Akdemir). The expression

of culture goes beyond one’s identity but it also symbolizes history, tradition, morals and beliefs.

It is important to embrace differences in culture as it is a significant part of one’s identity.

Clothing is used to express group identity, socioeconomic class, culture and it one should not

look past the benefit it has.

Unfortunately, the fashion industry has a significant negative impact on the development

of children’s identities and mental health. A fatal flaw in the fashion industry is the marketing of

gendered clothing, contributing to the false narrative that clothing has a gender in the first place.

Though parents are not at fault for reinforcing the social construct of gender, limiting children to

clothes fit for the gender they were assigned at birth takes away a vital part of identity

development. Take into account Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. During

adolescence, one enters the Identity vs. Role Confusion stage, where one starts to “refine their

sense of identity… usually try out different “selves: in different situations” (Myers). It is

important for those to explore different identities for themselves. Adolescents usually try on

different ‘hats’ to explore who they are. There is no shame in not fitting into the box one was

born into. Identity is entirely personal and its development should not be restricted:

taking the autonomy of dressing away from a child could also take away a child’s time of

cultivating how they do their daily ritual of dress, and how their choice fits into the

system of social code dressing. Any failures or success in dressing lies with the parents

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and removes the child from the relationship with their clothing and the consequences of

their would-be-choices. Identity issues arising rapidly around age 9 are already

exacerbated by the lack of diverse role models in the media and leadership. (Maxely)

The fashion and cosmetics industries are infamously known for their lack of diversity. It can

greatly impair a child’s view of themselves and the world around them. People are so customized

to this idea of gendered clothing and ideal body types that they might not recognize how harmful

a lack of inclusion is. People who do not align with the gender they are assigned at birth may

experience gender dysphoria and the psychological distress can negatively affect many aspects of

one's life. They might have difficulty socially due to the pressures to dress in a way that aligns

with the gender they were assigned at birth out of fear of discrimination. Gender dysphoria can

lead to anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.

To slowly disassemble this false narrative, it is important to understand that “labeled gender of

the clothing is a marketing strategy only” (Maxely). Gender-based price discrimination, like the

“pink tax” that was popularized around the mid-nineties, has been a consistent issue. It should be

important to emphasize that gendered clothing's sole purpose is to market to a specific audience,

for profit.

The fashion and cosmetics industries consistently depict harmful beauty standards. The

lack of diversity in the industry has vastly contributed to the development of self-esteem issues:

“Many researchers have found that rates of body image concerns and disordered eating increase

rapidly in early adolescents, with over 45% of early adolescent girls reporting body

dissatisfaction” (The Psychology of Fashion 25). It is concerningly normalized how much

exposure young people have to harmful beauty standards. Adolescents are more susceptible to

media influences and marketing. The negative effects of constant exposure to a slimmer body

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standard can surface in early childhood: “Psychologists have found that girls aged 5 to 8 years

reported a lower body esteem and increased body size dissatisfaction after exposure to images of

Barbie dolls” (The Psychology of Fashion 25). Slimmer body ideals are extremely normalized

and can lead to body dysmorphic thoughts and tendencies such as disordered eating. A child’s

mind can be compared to molding clay. They are constantly absorbing their environment and a

lack of diversity can cause poor self image from a young age. Teresa Jacobs Psy.D is a licensed

clinical psychologist and expressed the negative effects that body standards have on mental

health. Depictions of harmful body standards through social media can be very isolating and it

can cause anxiety, depression, suicidality. Jacobs emphasized how overly saturated the media and

industry is: “It’s not even real, these images are photoshopped. [They] make people’s legs like

20% longer, they take out every blemish.” It is important to recognize how the fashion industry

enforces negative body ideals and how dangerous it is to young people in their formative years

who are constantly exposed to almost unachievable beauty standards. A lack of diversity and

over-saturation in the fashion and cosmetics industry reinforces the myth that there is an “ideal”

or “perfect” body type.

Fashion plays an important role in one’s expression of identity and psychological

processes. Humans take clothing into consideration when making first impressions and wear

certain types of clothing to elevate one’s moods, freeing cognitive capacity to be efficient, and to

exude confidence. Individuals express multiple aspects of their identities such as belongingness

to a group, socioeconomic class, culture, and gender through garments. But, the fashion industry

has weaponized people’s insecurities for targeted marketing. The industry can stunt one’s

development of identity from a young age by pushing the false notions of gendered clothing and

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harmful beauty standards. Mental health problems of gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia

may arise. As someone who regularly expresses an interest in fashion, clothing can bring people

together by connecting those through a shared interest and by mutually uplifting each other's self

esteem and confidence. Take the humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of

Needs. To reach “self-actualization” one’s needs for love, belonging, and self-esteem need to be

satisfied. If one is aware of how they can use fashion as a tool to enhance themselves, one can

better understand what goes into making one’s own cultivated identity and better themselves.

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Works Cited

Adam, H., & Galinsky, A. D. (2012). Enclothed cognition. Journal of Experimental Social

Psychology, 48(4), 918–925. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-06477-001

Akdemir, N., (2018). Visible Expression of Social Identity: the Clothing and Fashion, Gaziantep

University Journal of Social Sciences, 17 (4), 1389-1397, Submission Date: 30-03-2018,

Acceptance Date: 27-09-2018. Araştırma Makalesi.

Fuentes, J. B., & Quiroga, E. (2009). The "fashion-form" of modern society and its relationship

to psychology. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12(1), 383-90. Retrieved from

https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/fashion-form-modern-society-relationship/d

ocview/274574107/se-2

Gilron, Roee, and Angela H Gutchess. “Remembering First Impressions: Effects of Intentionality

and Diagnosticity on Subsequent Memory.” Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral

Neuroscience, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2012,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3267862/.

Jacobs, Teresa. Personal Interview. 12 April 2023.

Koski, Michelle. Personal Interview. 18 April 2023.

Luna, Kaitlin. “Psychology of Fashion with Carolyn Mair, Phd.” American Psychological

Association, American Psychological Association,

https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/fashion.

Lisby, Darnell-Jamal. “How the Zoot Suit Got so Much Swag.” PBS, Public Broadcasting

Service, 2 Mar. 2022,

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/zoot-suit-riot-how-zoot-suit-got-s

o-much-swag/.

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Mair, Carolyn. “Psychology and Fashion.” Public Seminar, 10 July 2020,

https://publicseminar.org/essays/psychology-and-fashion/.

Mair, Carolyn. The Psychology of Fashion. Routledge, 2018.

Maxey, Georgia. “Fashion Psychology: The Relationship Between Clothing and Self.” Regis

University.

Myers, David G. Myers; Psychology for AP. Worth Publishers, 2014.

Sarda-Joshi, Gauri. “Psychology of Clothes: What You Wear Changes the Way You Think.”

Brain Fodder, 27 Dec. 2022,

https://brainfodder.org/psychology-clothes-enclothed-cognition/.

Thao, J. (2021). Cultural Impact on Identity and How it is Expressed through Dress. Apparel

Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/ampduht/18.

Wyborny, Grant. Personal Interview. 12 April 2023.

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