About clothing and self-confidence

What we wear and how we choose our clothes varies from day to day. Sometimes we wear something because it's expected of us. Other times, we are guided by what others consider chic. Perhaps we even dress without thinking about it at all. In the process, culture and society significantly influence our clothing style.
We all have ideas about what others think of our appearance. Am I too old to wear these jeans? Am I too young for the beige sweater? This article clarifies the connection between clothing and self-confidence, and what clothes do to our minds.

Of Ideal Images and Self-Images

Why are we more confident in certain clothes than in others? Why does it seem as if we could suddenly conquer the world in our favorite dress, while we don't even want to leave the house in a baggy sweater? Is it because in the new dress we look a little more like the societal ideal we have internalized over the decades? In a suit, we look a bit like the boss. In these pants, a bit like the type of person we always wanted to be.

Clothing shows what we think of others – and of ourselves

We all have attitudes, ideals, and goals. We orient ourselves towards people or groups that represent these values for us. Unconsciously, we associate certain items of clothing with people we appreciate and admire. And ultimately, the values that such a garment can bring us closer to are also decisive. We signal our belonging to subcultures, social strata, age groups, or professions.

Clothing and Social Media

The difference from before? Today, social media makes it easier to spread ideals. We see role models on Instagram and wish we were like them. It is not uncommon for us to pursue unrealistic ideals. But at the same time, it has become easier to find people and groups who share the same ideals. Young people feel empowered by communities and idols. Fast fashion brands and retailers enable them to buy their favorite garment within two weeks for a tenth of the price.

The Maturation of Taste

Sure, teenagers, we think. But what if we are more experienced? If we have formed values and opinions based on personal experience and our personality is more mature? When it comes to clothing, we orient ourselves – mostly intuitively – towards people of the same age. Perhaps the circle of people whose style we share has become smaller. But the unconscious search for role models remains. Perhaps they are people from our acquaintance – or those with comparable incomes – that we now orient ourselves towards.

Workwear – More Than Overalls and Gloves

In many professions, we slip into roles every day. We become a person with whom certain characteristics and traits are associated. Uniforms, for example, convey authority. If a pilot or a paramedic wore everyday clothes, trust in their abilities would only be half as great at first glance.

We put on our work clothes and suddenly also outwardly display the responsibility that comes with our profession. Consequently, we try to live up to expectations. So, do work clothes make us better people?

Suit Wearers Equal High Achievers?

In a study by Adam Galinsky and Hajo Adam, subjects had to solve a series of concentration tasks. Some of them wore white lab coats, while others kept on their everyday clothes. The subjects in white performed significantly better – strengthened by the effect of the coat and the properties associated with it. This psychological effect is called enclothed cognition. It describes the influence of clothing on mental processes.

All of this, of course, depends on the associations we connect with a garment. A white coat can – regardless of the garment as such – express various skills. A doctor's coat, for example, stands for professionalism, a painter's coat for creativity. With a suit, we associate seriousness, because people in suits make important decisions. They 'hold' high offices and lead companies. When we wear such a suit, the possibility of being such a person ourselves does not seem so far-fetched. Our appearance is right, self-confidence and a sense of duty follow.

Psychology of Colors

Color also has an effect. Which clothing color suits me depends on the individual type. Blue combines calm and depth, but also stands for distance, coolness, and seriousness. Red, on the other hand, is considered a signal color. It attracts attention, signals strength, vitality – and sometimes aggressiveness. Yellow is very lively and dynamic.
The two extremes on the color spectrum, black and white, are associated with special occasions, such as funerals and weddings. While white is considered innocent and pure, black symbolizes ambition and seriousness, radiating both formality and elegance.

Unwritten Rules of Clothing

Our society knows many unwritten dress codes that we adhere to and rarely question. Hardly anyone goes shopping in their pajamas, although it would certainly be more comfortable. Appearing at a meeting in running pants would probably be considered impolite. Dressing appropriately for an occasion shows that it is important to us and that we make an effort. We take the matter seriously and emphasize it. In a blazer, we simply make a professional impression. We radiate seriousness. People perceive us differently and treat us more respectfully. If we wear a high-quality suit, we automatically stand straighter, not least because that is the posture expected of us. In pajamas, on the other hand, the pressure of expectation is much lower – but if you want to feel comfortable on the couch, you will hardly find a better garment. In short: clothing allows us to slip into roles.

What Values Are Important to Me?

Clothing is always a personal decision. In addition to cut, color, and style, very different things can play a role: Where was an item of clothing made? What material was used? How well does it suit me – and will I still like to wear it in a few years?

Which of these questions are important to us is individual. Perhaps this is precisely one of the most exciting aspects of fashion: We decide what we wear and what we want to express with it.

Choosing Clothes: More Than Just Looking Good

Some clothes actually change how we feel. A special dress can change our posture, accompany memories, or let us show a different side of ourselves for an evening.

Perhaps that's why choosing a garment is less about following certain rules. But about finding something in which we recognize ourselves.

Because in the end, what a dress is supposed to say about us is not decisive.

But how we feel in it.