The Psychology of Fashion
The psychological study of fashion encompasses a wide range of subjects, including how individuals perceive or judge one another, their identity or personality, buying motivators and market research on consumer behavior. The field is rapidly growing and includes professionals with degrees in a variety of areas who are gaining recognition and experience.
Understanding the Psychology of Fashion
Psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell says, “Fashion is more than a style statement. It’s a way to express one’s identity and self-confidence. It can be a tool to communicate and promote one’s ideas.”
Fashion is also a very social phenomenon, as shown by the way people interact with each other when wearing certain clothing styles. Distinctive styles and colors denote gang membership, for example.
There are a number of other ways that fashion can have an impact on a person’s life, from what clothes they wear to the way they dress and the way their family treats them. For instance, if parents and children dress up together, it can lead to greater trust and closeness in the relationship.
A woman’s style is also a form of communication with other women and men, influencing them to treat her well. As a result, she may have a more fulfilling and successful career.
For a psychologist, it’s important to understand why we are the way we are, and to make sure that we are doing things in a way that is helpful for ourselves and others. For example, if someone tells me that they don’t like the way I dressed for work, it’s a good idea to look at my own behavior and try to figure out why it’s bothering them.
The psychology of fashion is a fascinating field, and we are only beginning to fully understand it. There are many studies that can help us understand how and why we choose to dress as we do, and it’s important for everyone to be aware of this.
Objectification Theory
Several researchers have used objectification theory to study the effects of clothes on body image. The theories suggest that wearing revealing clothes can trigger self-objectification, which results in performance detriments on a task (e.g., math) after the experience. To test this theory, Frederickson, Hebl and Martins (1998; 2004; 2007) had models wear revealing or provocative clothes for a short time while they completed a shopping task that involved trying on different types of clothing in a dressing room.
They also had participants complete a math performance task, asking them to calculate the perimeter of a given rectangle. The results showed that people who were wearing the revealing clothes had more objectified gaze directed at their bodies than those who wore the plain clothing.
Despite the fact that objectification theory can be a difficult topic to get people to discuss, it is an essential part of understanding why we do the things that we do. It is a key reason why we choose to wear the clothes that we do, and it’s important for all of us to think about this when making choices about our appearance.
