You should never underestimate the power of style; How we dress is so much more important than you may think… What are you wearing right now? How does it make you feel? Does what you wear affect your behavior?
Cognitive dissonance is a technical term that describes the mental discomposure we feel when we dress in a way that doesn’t feel like ‘You.’ You feel a sense of disconnect. We’ve all done it… gone out wearing something that perhaps wasn’t our first choice… something we didn’t feel right in…, and it negatively affects how we think about ourselves.
Science now confirms that what we wear influences our behavior, personality, attitude, mood, confidence, and how we interact with others. “Enclothed Cognition” is a scientific term to describe the effect that clothes have on the wearer’s psychological processes.
In simple terms, what you wear can shift your thinking and behavior, filling you with confidence and dynamism. Now, how powerful is that?
Wearing an outfit that makes you feel ‘hot,’ which you like, looks good on you, and fits with your personality will empower you and instils confidence and energy.
So go girl, “Put on your Power,” and “Dress to Impress.”
What is even more assertive about how we dress is the opportunity to manipulate other people’s perceptions of us. We make assumptions within the first 3 seconds of meeting someone based upon appearance. So it goes without saying that what we wear and how we wear it plays a considerable role in the ‘personal impact.’
Ask yourself, “What article(s) of clothing make me feel [fierce, powerful, confident, sexy, composed, loving …]? What color(s) make me feel that way? What makeup works.”
I always think about how I want to be perceived when I go to meetings or a party. So I dress with that in mind. If I want to be sassy, I get out my leggings or fitted pants, high boots, and fitted jacket. I accessories it to suit the look, put on makeup that works, and immediately feel bold.
Think about how you want to be perceived… strut over to your wardrobe, identify the article(s) of clothing that matches your thinking, and pull out those pieces. Go all out: do your makeup, hair, and adorn yourself with the accessories that accurately match. Now look at yourself in the mirror and tell me- “What do you see? What emotions are exploding from of you?” You control your body and how you look from the way you dress, which in turn governs your emotions.
Clothes dictate our self-image to others.
Absolutely Patsy 
Absolutely Patsy
Fashion is an important to of self-expression, a way to express our unique selves. Much more than materialistic goods, clothes are a potent tool that can enhance performance and influence how others see us.
So never underestimate the power of style!
‘Cognitive psychologists Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky from Northwestern University have examined the psychological and performance-related effects of clothing on the person wearing them. They coined the term, enclothed cognition, for this phenomenon. Enclothed cognition captures the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer’s psychological processes. It is part of a larger field of research that examines how humans think with both their brains and their bodies, an area of study known as embodied cognition.’
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