She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
Proverbs 31:25 New International Version
How to Dress Well to Improve Your Mood
Sometimes living our best life is heavily impacted by the circumstances on our jobs, at our schools, and within our interpersonal relationships. And when these various conditions collapse, it’s easy to let ourselves go emotionally and in our outward appearance. This is where active mood management comes into play.
Fortunately, many of us had a mother who raised us on the basic principles of cleanliness and pride in our public presentation. When we’re feeling down, it’s best to take mama’s advice and brush our teeth, comb our hair, and put on our prettiest dress. In our worst emotional times, looking our best can be the salve that helps to heal our spiritual wounds.
The Psychology of Dressing Well
The way you dress not only affects how people perceive you, but it can also have significant psychological effects on how you feel. Your clothing choice is more than vanity. Credible studies have demonstrated that human emotions are impacted by colors, textures, scents, and sounds. These are all variables that we can control each day to boost our own mood.
The first step in dressing to improve our mood is to acknowledge how we actually feel. Ask yourself, “How do I want to feel today?” Of course, it will be easier to dress nicely when you feel nice. The challenge that we’re addressing is how to dress well when you don’t feel well.
A few psychologists recommend against the practice of dressing well during tough emotional episodes, recognizing that some patients use this method to disguise their true feelings. But that’s not what we’re doing here. We’re facing our feelings head-on and acknowledging that there is something we can do to combat whatever is depressing us. We’re putting our faith into action, realizing that faith without works is dead.
How Dressing Well Affects Your Mood
Caring about the things that you drape over your body allows you to empower those garments as a balm to your feelings. If yellow is your favorite color, it should be harder to feel down in a beautiful yellow blouse. Do you love the way silk feels against your skin? A silk scarf around your neck can massage you all day long.
Let’s face facts. It’s nearly impossible to be in a good mood with hurt feet. So how could we expect to improve our emotions with uncomfortable shoes? It just wouldn’t work.
Most of us are so busy with our hectic lives that we don’t take the time to notice that how we dress is typically a reflection of how we feel. Consequently, people tend to treat us how we look, which can easily make a bad situation worse.
Feeling Motivated
Have you ever bummed around the house in a t-shirt and sweatpants because you had no plans for the day? Getting “dressed up” subconsciously makes us feel like we should be doing something important. It has a way of reminding you of things to do, such as getting out of the house, stopping by the store, or going to visit a friend.
Looking good spurs us to action. It has a way of making us feel empowered because regardless of our mood, we look like our best selves.
Does Clothing Reflect Personality?
Your clothes don’t necessarily reflect your personality. However, they will affect how people perceive your personality. People make assumptions about others based solely on the clothes they wear or their choice of hairstyle. Appearance matters – and it should.
T-Shirt and Jeans
People naturally believe that t-shirts and jeans are signs of easy-going personalities. But just adding a stylish blazer to this combination will convey a totally different message. A t-shirt and jeans with a blazer says, “I’m easy-going but organized and I pay attention to details.”
Boots
Boots typically exude power and strength. Adding boots to any outfit can significantly change the appearance. For example, high-heeled boots accentuate femininity, while low-heeled or cowboy boots demonstrate a down-to-earth or rustic personality.
Solid Colors
Solid colors represent boldness, especially bright colors that draw attention. This is often preferred by simple and to-the-point personalities.
Suits
Suits have a long history of appearing sophisticated and smart, complex and even formal. Suits exude a sense of success, especially in places where they are not typically worn. Everyone should have at least one high-quality suit because this feeling is unmatched.
Clothing has the power to make us feel a certain way. Likewise, we often dress a certain way because of how we feel. So how do we harness the power of apparel to improve our mood? Here are a few steps worth trying to boost your bad mood by dressing well:
Step 1: Wear clothing that has earned you compliments in the past.
Few things spontaneously improve our mood better than a random compliment. Try wearing something that people admire you in to improve your mood. Even if you stay in the house, you will be reminded of the past reactions of others.
Step 2: Wear your favorite color
Favorite colors are rarely chosen or changed as adults. Usually, they reflect an affinity from our childhood surrounded by fond memories. Conjure up those memories and good vibes by draping yourself in your favorite color.
Step 3: Win the shoe game
Sure, you could prance around barefoot if you planned to stay indoors. But why not go the extra mile and complete your outfit with your best pair of shoes? Whether your preference is high, stiletto heels, Jesus sandals, or UGG Boots, just make sure they twinkly your toes with positive vibes. It’s hard to stay depressed in your favorite kicks.
SAVE THIS IMAGE TO PINTEREST
Conclusion
Know why it’s easy to dress like a bum when you’re depressed? Because the clothing fits the mood. Being in a bad mood is natural. It happens to the best of us. But it’s also a choice. If you want to improve your mood, dress in a way that matches how you want to feel.
It’s hard to feel bad in your best dress. It’s easier to laugh while wearing your favorite color. And like I always say, “the higher the heel, the closer to God.” So the next time you’re down in the dumps with the moody blues, challenge yourself to look your best. Drape yourself in happiness and force those bad emotions to flee. You are God’s chosen vessel.
Thank God I Don’t Look Like What I’ve Been Through
How to Dress Well to Improve Your Mood
Sometimes living our best life is heavily impacted by the circumstances on our jobs, at our schools, and within our interpersonal relationships. And when these various conditions collapse, it’s easy to let ourselves go emotionally and in our outward appearance. This is where active mood management comes into play.
Fortunately, many of us had a mother who raised us on the basic principles of cleanliness and pride in our public presentation. When we’re feeling down, it’s best to take mama’s advice and brush our teeth, comb our hair, and put on our prettiest dress. In our worst emotional times, looking our best can be the salve that helps to heal our spiritual wounds.
The Psychology of Dressing Well
The way you dress not only affects how people perceive you, but it can also have significant psychological effects on how you feel. Your clothing choice is more than vanity. Credible studies have demonstrated that human emotions are impacted by colors, textures, scents, and sounds. These are all variables that we can control each day to boost our own mood.
The first step in dressing to improve our mood is to acknowledge how we actually feel. Ask yourself, “How do I want to feel today?” Of course, it will be easier to dress nicely when you feel nice. The challenge that we’re addressing is how to dress well when you don’t feel well.
A few psychologists recommend against the practice of dressing well during tough emotional episodes, recognizing that some patients use this method to disguise their true feelings. But that’s not what we’re doing here. We’re facing our feelings head-on and acknowledging that there is something we can do to combat whatever is depressing us. We’re putting our faith into action, realizing that faith without works is dead.
How Dressing Well Affects Your Mood
Caring about the things that you drape over your body allows you to empower those garments as a balm to your feelings. If yellow is your favorite color, it should be harder to feel down in a beautiful yellow blouse. Do you love the way silk feels against your skin? A silk scarf around your neck can massage you all day long.
Let’s face facts. It’s nearly impossible to be in a good mood with hurt feet. So how could we expect to improve our emotions with uncomfortable shoes? It just wouldn’t work.
Most of us are so busy with our hectic lives that we don’t take the time to notice that how we dress is typically a reflection of how we feel. Consequently, people tend to treat us how we look, which can easily make a bad situation worse.
Feeling Motivated
Have you ever bummed around the house in a t-shirt and sweatpants because you had no plans for the day? Getting “dressed up” subconsciously makes us feel like we should be doing something important. It has a way of reminding you of things to do, such as getting out of the house, stopping by the store, or going to visit a friend.
Looking good spurs us to action. It has a way of making us feel empowered because regardless of our mood, we look like our best selves.
Does Clothing Reflect Personality?
Your clothes don’t necessarily reflect your personality. However, they will affect how people perceive your personality. People make assumptions about others based solely on the clothes they wear or their choice of hairstyle. Appearance matters – and it should.
T-Shirt and Jeans
People naturally believe that t-shirts and jeans are signs of easy-going personalities. But just adding a stylish blazer to this combination will convey a totally different message. A t-shirt and jeans with a blazer says, “I’m easy-going but organized and I pay attention to details.”
Boots
Boots typically exude power and strength. Adding boots to any outfit can significantly change the appearance. For example, high-heeled boots accentuate femininity, while low-heeled or cowboy boots demonstrate a down-to-earth or rustic personality.
Solid Colors
Solid colors represent boldness, especially bright colors that draw attention. This is often preferred by simple and to-the-point personalities.
Suits
Suits have a long history of appearing sophisticated and smart, complex and even formal. Suits exude a sense of success, especially in places where they are not typically worn. Everyone should have at least one high-quality suit because this feeling is unmatched.
Clothing has the power to make us feel a certain way. Likewise, we often dress a certain way because of how we feel. So how do we harness the power of apparel to improve our mood? Here are a few steps worth trying to boost your bad mood by dressing well:
Step 1: Wear clothing that has earned you compliments in the past.
Few things spontaneously improve our mood better than a random compliment. Try wearing something that people admire you in to improve your mood. Even if you stay in the house, you will be reminded of the past reactions of others.
Step 2: Wear your favorite color
Favorite colors are rarely chosen or changed as adults. Usually, they reflect an affinity from our childhood surrounded by fond memories. Conjure up those memories and good vibes by draping yourself in your favorite color.
Step 3: Win the shoe game
Sure, you could prance around barefoot if you planned to stay indoors. But why not go the extra mile and complete your outfit with your best pair of shoes? Whether your preference is high, stiletto heels, Jesus sandals, or UGG Boots, just make sure they twinkly your toes with positive vibes. It’s hard to stay depressed in your favorite kicks.
Conclusion
Know why it’s easy to dress like a bum when you’re depressed? Because the clothing fits the mood. Being in a bad mood is natural. It happens to the best of us. But it’s also a choice. If you want to improve your mood, dress in a way that matches how you want to feel.
It’s hard to feel bad in your best dress. It’s easier to laugh while wearing your favorite color. And like I always say, “the higher the heel, the closer to God.” So the next time you’re down in the dumps with the moody blues, challenge yourself to look your best. Drape yourself in happiness and force those bad emotions to flee. You are God’s chosen vessel.
Additional GospelChops Articles