How fashion effects how we
feel.
Written by Sarah Eve Whyte.
How fashion effects how we feel.
In my essay that I am writing I am
going to look at the influences and the reasons
Why clothing can impact on one’s mood
and emotions.
I will look at how clothing can
effects both positively and negativity and how the fashion
Industry can have an effect on self-esteem
and body image, the good effects and bad.
There has been much research into
this topic, and leading experts claim clothing has a Significant effect on your
self Esteem and how you view yourself,
One of the researchers that
researched into this subject is Professor Karen pine, she is one of The
researchers that have looked into how a person’s appearance can affect them and
how They feel.
In her research experiments, she was
able to provide evidence, of how wearing certain clothing has an impact in how
we feel and how it effects are confidence.
She conducted an experiment where a
group of student’s from the University of Hertfordshire, where a group of
students wore a superman t-shirt for the day.
In her findings of the experiment
professor Karen pine, found the students that wore the Superman t-shirts for
the day, felt more confident and self-assured while wearing the Clothing.
Could this be because they felt more
super wearing the t-shirts?
Professor Karen pine, later wrote a
book called Mind what you wear, Explaining her Experiments and her conclusions,
Her findings conclude that logos and
what we wear can have an impact on how we feel.
This can be seen in some popular
brands such as Nike,
Nike has a popular tick sign, which
has been one of the most recognisable logo signs in the World.
The Nike logo sign has become so
popular because a tick represents well done feeling Within?
A feeling of success,
a feeling were doing a good job,
The tick sign brings back Childhood
memories of when we were given a tick for good work in school or by our
parents.
In Another experiment conducted by Professor Karen pine, at the University
of Hertfordshire, A group of girls wore swimsuits while conducting a maths
test.
In the results of her findings it was
found that the girls that wore the swimsuits done considerably worse than the
girls who didn’t.
Professor Karen pine, concluded in
her book Mind what you wear, that the right or the Wrong clothes do affect your
attitude in how you feel.
This is a big breakthrough in finding
out the reasons why and how clothing does affect us.
Does some clothes make us feel more happy
and self-assured and is their other clothes that Make us feel not so good, and
even potentially make us feel unhappy, and not
so confident.
The earliest account
I could find were clothing had a big impact on how one felt, was from biblical
Times, where people who claimed to of
sinned walked around in sack cloth, to humble themselves and to show that they
are ashamed of their sins.
The Bible verses
are as follows 
1 kings 21.27. He rent his clothes - He was penetrated with sorrow, and that evidently unfeigned.
Put sackcloth upon his flesh - He humbled himself before God and man.
And fasted - He afflicted his body for his soul's benefit.
Lay in sackcloth - Gave the fullest proof that his repentance was real.
And Job 16:15
"I have sewed sackcloth over my
skin and thrust my horn in the dust.
Royal and wealthy people adorned
themselves with jewels and rich colours like reds and Golds to show others
their status and wealth.
These days in modern time’s people no
longer where sack cloths,
And the rich clothing has been
replaced with designer clothing.
Decades have passed with every decade
having a different style trend fashion and an idealism of the perfect image
changes with each decade that passes.
For instance in the Victorian times
it was not expectable for a women to show her ankles,
Even when out
swimming the Victorian women would wear black tights to
Cover her legs and Ankles.
In the Victorian day she will wear
long dresses and tight corsets to get the perfect shape desired in that decade,
she will faint and be uncomfortable.
Cover her ankles in the heat, just to
fit in to society and Feel desirable.
Thankfully to Chanel the famous
French designer who got rid of the corset and introduced more comfortable
styles.
We no longer feel a need to put
ourselves through that much uncomforted, now it’s more about labels
According to
http://www.mostluxuriouslist.com/most-expensive-handbag-brands-in-the-
World/ who say
“Some Status conscious people prefer to carry
to expensive bags to maintain their Status and show off others as well. “
So are clothes a status symbol?
And Are some people prepared to pay a
very high financial price for this feeling of status and Wealth?
For instance the most expensive bag
in the world is,
Louis Vuitton that started it their
company in 1854, the highest price bag of the brand was sold for 55,000,
A simple bag made from very durable
materials?
That has a distinctive Louis Vuitton Logo
classic signature style design.
I think it’s interesting to look at
the psychology of why someone would want to spend so Much on a bag, when so
much more bags of even more preferable designs could be Brought,
In purse.com it describes why it is
worth buying a bag for over 1000 is worth it.
They Claim
1.
Because it is made from better material.
2.
Because it can make you feel good.
3.
They quote it can work out cheaper than therapy.
I have recently learnt that designer
bags have increased in their prices, so
Buying a very expensive designer bag
could be an investment for the future if
The bag increases in values and is
marketed and sold at a correct price.
Linda Nguyen marketing director at
Gold tinsel, says
“It all comes down to how they are
advertised, their worth, and whether or not they seem
'Exclusive”.
“A woman carrying a one of a kind handbag
is like a man in his top of the line Sports car. It just makes us feel good”.
So maybe to feel or look a more of a
richer status make us feel good about ourselves.
But designer handbags or lookalikes
can now be brought by anyone wealthy or not, with seconds and fake copies
selling even the most expensive brands at a fraction of the Price,
It is accessible for everyone nomater
of a person’s wealth or status to have a Louis Vuitton or another expensive
brands name bag.
Unfortunately most bargain buys at a
ridiculously cheap price turns out to be mostly fake.
But how does this affect the fashion industry
well the designers or designers loose profit on their designer goods,
Plus it demolishes the brand as it
makes their brand look cheaper as their brands or fake copies are brought for
much cheaper.
But not everyone thinks so and some
claim that this is good for the brand promoting its Logo.
In the telegraph their have been
written an article based on a Eu funded study, that claims that fake Goods are
fine.
The report was co-written by a home office officer, who
claimed that, the industry benefits from the counterfeit goods and the fashion
industry exaggerates on their losses.
They also continued saying that
buying counterfeit goods can actually help promote the Brand.
Professor David Wall who helped write
the report advised the police not to waste their time,
And there is also evidence that it
actually helps the brands, by quickening the fashion cycle and raising brand
awareness."
But now there is evidence of research
that shows that fake goods can have an effect of how we feel.
An article from
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/faking-it/
In the study the participants were
given fake Cloe sunglasses, half of the women wore the real thing while the other
half wore fakes,
They were given a task which enabled
them to lie and cheat if they chose to one of tasks them were displayed a
difficult mathematical task and they were told to complete it in a short Time,
They were then told to score
themselves after; they found that 70 percent
of people wearing the fake designer glasses lied in their results.
And only 30percent cheated that was wearing
authentic designer goods.
They was then given
another task where scientists asked participants to look at a screen,
They were asked to spot and count if there were more dots on
the left side of the scream or the right.
Choosing the left hand side gave them
half a century was the right side gave those 5cents.
They found most of the women who wore
the fake designer glasses pocketed more cash on
The right, than the people who wore
the authentic sunglasses.
The study concluded that it was the
act of wearing fake brands that triggered dishonesty in the participants.
There have been for a long while a trend to be
individual while still looking cool. The trend to have a customised style can
be seen in mobile phone covers,
Customising Nike and converse and
Adidas trainers, this increase trend of
Customising clothes have increased
the need for bespoke clothing that is made and Customized to order.
There are lots of effects of how
clothes make us feel this is why stylists and colourist are so important to
those that are in the limelight and public eye.
The stylists create an image and colourist
chooses clothes that are suitable the client.
In http://www.vogue.com/869076/intelligent-design-how-clothing-affects-the-
Mind/
Explains how science is now
discovering how clothing makes us feel.
And how clothing may alter our
approach to the world.
In preliminary findings from a study
published on the Journal of Experimental
Social Psychology’s website, Participants
were told to put on white coats, they were told that they belonged to Doctors
performed better on tests than those who wore street clothes, or those who Thought
the coats were associated with artists.
In the finding they found that the
participants has heightened focus, which was
Evident only when subjects actually
put on the coat in question (not merely when
They were in the same room).
Vogue quotes “It’s no secret that
assembling an outfit is like selecting social armour, “
Louis
Vuitton that started it their company in 1854, the highest price bag of the
brand was
Sold
for 55,000, a simple bag made from very durable materials? That has a
distinctive Louis
Vuitton
Logo in their classic signature style design.
I
think it’s interesting to look at the psychology of why someone would want to
spend so
Much
on a bag, when so much more bags of even a more preferable design could be brought,
In
purse.com it describes why it is worth buying a bag for over 1000 is worth
it. They
Claim
1. Because it is made from better material.
2. Because it can make you feel good.
3. They quote it can work out cheaper than
therapy.
I
have recently learnt that designer bags have increased in their prices, so
Buying
a very expensive designer bag could be an investment for the future if
The
bag increases in values and is marketed and sold at a correct price.
Linda
Nguyen marketing director at Gold tinsel, says
“It
all comes down to how they are advertised, their worth, and whether or not they
seem
'Exclusive'. A woman carrying a one of a kind handbag is
like a man in his top of the line Sports car. It just makes us feel good”.
So
maybe to feel or look a more of a richer status make us feel good about
ourselves.
But
designer handbags or lookalikes can now be brought by anyone wealthy or not, with
seconds and fake copies selling even the most expensive brands at a fraction of
the Price,
It
is accessible for everyone no mater of a person’s wealth or status to have a Louis
Vuitton or Another expensive brands name bag.
Unfortunately
most bargain buys at a ridiculously cheap price turns out to be mostly fake.
But how does this affect the fashion industry
well the designers or designers loose profit on their designer goods, plus it
demolishes the brand as it makes their brand look cheaper as their brands or
fake copies are brought for much cheaper.
But
not everyone thinks so and some claim that this is good for the brand promoting
its logo.
In
the telegraph is written an article based on a Eu funded studied, that claims
that fake goods are fine.
The report was co-written by a home office
officer, who claimed that, the industry benefits, from the counterfeit goods
and the fashion industry exaggerates on their losses.
They
also continued saying that buying counterfeit goods can actually help promote
the brand.
Professor
David Wall who helped write the report advised the police not to waste their
time,
And
there is also evidence that it actually helps the brands, by quickening the
fashion cycle
And
raising brand awareness."
But
now there is evidence of research that shows that fake goods can have an effect
of how
We
feel.
An
article from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/faking-it/
In
the study the participants were given fake Cloe sunglasses, half of the women
wore the
Real
thing while the other half wore fakes,
They
were given a task which enabled them to lie and cheat if they chose to one of
tasks them
Were
displayed a difficult mathematical task and they were told to complete it in a
short
Time,
they were then told to score them after; they found that 70 percent of people wearing
the fake designer glasses lied in their results. And only 30percent cheated
that was wearing authentic designer goods.
They
was then given another task where scientists asked participants to look at a
screen,
They
were asked to spot and count if there were more dots on the left side of the
scream or the right.
Choosing
the left hand side earned them half a century was the right side earned those
5cents.
They
found most of the women who wore the fake designer glasses pocketed more cash
on the right. Than the people who wore the authentic sunglasses.
The
study concluded that it was the act of wearing fake brands that triggered
dishonesty in the participants.
There
is a evident need to feel good in what we wear and be accepted can be very
damaging
Financially
and how we feel about ourselves. Due to recent fashion industry disasters and
some officially wrong fashion brands being
Revealed
to the public. There is an increasing amount of people becoming more fashion conscious
aware on the effects of consumerism of high end designer clothes.
Particularly
as the sad facts of landfills and Textiles industry problems also the increased
awareness of unacceptable Working conditions and the tragic discovery of child
labour.
Fashion
designers and companies are looking at ways of changing these long standing
problems in the fashion industry.
Second hand clothes are
becoming more desirable as designers such as Star Raw Jeans: Pharrell is
collaborating with G-Star Raw 
To
create a fashion line of denim jeans, the denim material is made from recycled
plastic that is salvaged from the sea.
It
is very clever that plastic bits are woven into a hybrid cotton-plastic
material called Bionic Yarn, and are able to make denim jeans from that.
At
Macy's which is an expensive high end department store at Bloomingdale's
carries organic cotton tops and jeans,
And
at Saks Fifth Avenue offers a $2,815 Behnaz Sarafpour organic wool coat.
Second
hand clothing can seem more desirable if described as vintage, real vintage
clothing is from a different era William vintage has clothes so old some are in
a museum.
Yet
some just clothes are just a few years old and sold as vintage.
Bespoke
fashion is becoming more trendy with people with the duchess of Cambridge and
Cameron
Diaz being a big fan of bespoke.
Bespoke
is a made to measure garment.
There
is a made to measure dedicated bespoke Atelier on the womenswear
Floor
at Selfridges.
There
have been for a long while a trend to be individual while still looking cool and
being on trend.
The
trend to have a customised style can be seen in mobile phone covers,
Customising
Nike and converse and Adidas trainers, this increase trend of
Customising clothes
have increased the need for bespoke clothing that is made 
And Customized to
order.
There
are lots of effects of how clothes make us feel this is why stylists and colourist
are so important to those that are in the limelight and public eye.
The
stylists create an image and colourists choose clothes that are suitable the
client.
In
http://www.vogue.com/869076/intelligent-design-how-clothing-affects-the-
Mind/
There
is an article that explains how science is now discovering how clothing makes
us feel.
And
how clothing may alter our approach to the world.
In
preliminary findings from a study published on the Journal of Experimental
Social
Psychology’s website,
Participants were told to put on white coats,
they were told that they belonged to Doctors
performed better on tests than those who wore street clothes, or those who thought
the coats were associated with artists.
In
the finding they found that the participants have heightened focus, which was Evident
only when subjects actually put on the coat in question (not merely when they
were in the same room).
Vogue
quotes “It’s no secret that assembling an outfit is like selecting social
Armour,
“
In
my conclusion, a conscious choice about the type of clothing we choose to wear
can have a significant effect on how we feel.
This
can be by the colours and cuts and logos we choose. That suits us best and
gives us the most
Confidence
while wearing them. And also the effects of the history of the garment and
Textile.
Such
as if it’s real or fake or if other has suffered as a result of making it. I
think the ethics of where the garment is from, can have an effects on us
subconsciously and researchers have concluded this can have an effect on how we
feel and how we behave.
So
I conclude we should choose clothes we feel good in inside and out.
References.
http://www.mostluxuriouslist.com/most-expensive-handbag-brands-in-the-world/
http://www.vogue.com/869076/intelligent-design-how-clothing-affects-the-mind/
Journal
of Experimental Social Psychology.
http://www.sheilaswheels.com/media/news/DESIGNER_KIDS_LEAVE_THEIR_PARENTS_BEHIND_IN_THE_FASHION_STAKES.html
Linda
Nguyen marketing director at Gold tinsel the mail online
Dr Jane Pilcher of the University of
Leicester
Professor
Karen pine, book, Mind what you wear.
May
issue of Psychological Science
www.purse.com
The
telegraph Tuesday
21 June 2016 issue
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/faking-it/