Blessed, un-stressed and always well-dressed: How do your clothes affect your health and wellbeing?
Life has been pretty crazy for most of us since the pandemic, and though now we’re out the other side (thankfully!) it’s important for us to be mindful of our mental wellbeing. Anxieties about returning to normal life are common and normal, and at TWAN we believe that we should be taking good care of all our homes: our planet, our bodies and our minds. As the saying goes, "There is no physical health without good mental health" we firmly stand by that. Engaging in positive activities, like meditation, can be a big help as well, but have you considered the clothes that you wear and how they may affect your wellbeing?
When we think of the fashion industry linked to mental health, we’re bound to relate to many negative perceptions of the industry. Whether you work in the fashion industry, or simply scroll through social media each day, the negatives of the fashion world may have impacted you in some way, a prime example being body image. Historically, this has been a problem for many, though in recent years we’ve done a full 180 and are now in an era of self-love promoting brands and businesses.
Lack of confidence can seriously affect your wellbeing and your mental health, and it may lead to issues with anxiety. But your clothing can make a big difference here, because the way that you dress can help you to boost your self-confidence in a big way. Many of us realised that during the pandemic, we could prioritise comfort in a new way. Comfortable clothing became fashionable, and it served a dual purpose of looking good and feeling good too. Research tells us that the majority of women, or 96%, “believed that what they wear affects how confident they feel,” and that wearing certain clothes can certainly affect emotional states.
Creativity can help us to focus, relax, and feel engaged. By dressing well, you’re also allowing yourself to be creative, because you yourself are the art! Those of us who have a difficult time expressing ourselves with words, or who naturally tend toward introversion can benefit from using fashion expression to show their personalities, resulting in a mental health boost.