1 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Hello everybody. I'm Jemma Spake and welcome back to the 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: Psychology of Your Twenties, the podcast where we talk through 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: the biggest changes, moments, and transitions of our twenties and 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: what they mean for our psychology. Hello everybody, Welcome back 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: to the show. Welcome back to the podcast. It is 6 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: so great to have you here, back for another episode 7 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: as we, of course break down the psychology of our twenties. 8 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: I'm going to give a little heads up to you 9 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 1: guys today. I am I'm quite ill. If you're watching 10 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: you on Netflix, you will see I have this cup 11 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: of tea in front of me, and there's a little 12 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: secret to this cup of tea. There's actually three tea 13 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: bags in it. I mixed to lemon and ginger and 14 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: then one throat sooth, so I've invented an entire new 15 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: tea flavor. And I also don't have any taste buds 16 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: right now, so it's honestly doing the trick. But throughout 17 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: this episode, I'm sure you're going to hear some horrible 18 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: nasal noises and I'm so sorry, and I wish I 19 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: could fix it, but the show must go on, especially 20 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: because there was no way I was missing. There we go. 21 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: We just got some There's no way I was missing 22 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: today's episode because it is a long awaited episode, probably 23 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: one of my most personally researched. We're talking about the 24 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 1: psychology of personal style. I have been so drawn into 25 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: the psychology of fashion recently. I'm not a particularly fashionable person. 26 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 1: I don't really think about it that often, but like, 27 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: just the psychology behind why we wear what we wear, 28 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: why we choose certain colors, why we are drawn to 29 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: certain accessories, even certain animal prints, like, there is a 30 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: massive rabbit hole that you can fall into looking into this, 31 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: and I want to share some of my findings. The 32 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: thing is, what we choose to wear, isn't It's not 33 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: the most important thing about us. And I'm sure there 34 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: are some people who would disagree with me. There are 35 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: some die hard like fashion fans out there who would 36 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: say it's the most important thing in the world. But 37 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: you know, there's definitely plenty of more that matters what 38 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: you do with your time, your values, your hobbies, etc. Etc. 39 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: But when you think about it, getting dressed is incredibly 40 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 1: psychologically revealing because it is a ritual. It is a 41 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 1: thing that we do every single day, and what we 42 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: choose to get dressed in every single day, that decision 43 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: can reveal some really significant things about our personality, about 44 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: our insecurities, how we were in childhood. It's honestly so 45 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: mind blowing what we're going to get into today. Whether 46 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: you care about fashion a lot, you have a Vogue subscription, 47 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: whether you care about it a medium amount or not 48 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: at all, I really don't care, because you're going to 49 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: hear a fact today that is going to blow your mind. 50 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: I promise you that. And you may also learn how 51 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: to make better style choices based on your identity and 52 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: your personality. And you may also save yourself some money 53 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: and some time by being able to curate a wardrobe 54 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: based on what you're gonna what you're gonna find out 55 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: about yourself today. So, without further ado, let's get into 56 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: the psychology of personal style. I think the magical thing 57 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: about fashion and personal style is that clothing is obviously 58 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: one of the most immediate and obvious forms of self 59 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: expression that we can have, and that is what makes 60 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: it so mentally significant, because it's basically looking at what 61 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: somebody wears every day can help us decipher so much 62 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: about how they want us to see them. Your clothes 63 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: aren't just pieces of fabric. They are a first impression, 64 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: they are a profession. For some people, they are an 65 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: identity hallmark, and they cause a reaction in other people. 66 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: A twenty twenty three Canadian study found that people immediately 67 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: make some pretty rapid and pretty on the nose conclusions 68 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: about everything from our cognitive state, to our social status, 69 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: to our esthetic status within seconds of seeing what we're wearing. 70 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: And they're very accurate assessments. And as people, we know 71 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: that we know that, whether we like it or not, 72 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: people are making broader assessments about us based on our clothes. 73 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: It's why we agonize over a first date dress, or 74 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: we agonize over what to wear do a job interview, 75 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: or what color of genes is best when they all 76 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: kind of look the same. Those reactions we get to 77 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: our clothes are part of what actually informs our personal 78 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: style from a very very young age. I think we 79 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: take personal style for granted sometimes and we think that 80 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 1: it's just kind of like appeared, or it's just based 81 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: on trends, But from very early on, we are actually 82 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: conditioned to choose the kinds of clothes that we continue 83 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: to wear for the rest of our lives, and I 84 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: think that is something not many of us know. Our 85 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: childhood is a huge fundamental part of our fashion choices, 86 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: and this is because of a very fundamental psychological process 87 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: called associative learning. Essentially, at some stage, your brain begins 88 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: to link clothing choices with certain feelings and certain outcomes 89 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: that were either good, bad, neutral, exciting, terrible, or something else. 90 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: So this starts actually fairly randomly, most associative learning does. 91 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: But obviously when we're young, when we're kids, like, we 92 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: don't pick our clothes. Our parents pick our clothes for us, 93 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: and their style is essentially our style. My mom was 94 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: born in Wisconsin, my dad was born in Queenscience, and 95 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: so when I was a kid, I was always dressed 96 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: in like a mix of Oshkosh Bergosh overalls if you 97 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: know what those are, and like beachware and T shirts. 98 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: You know you don't really have a choice. But what 99 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: you do start to realize and notice is when certain 100 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 1: items get a positive reaction and when certain items don't, 101 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: or how certain items make you feel. What made you 102 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: feel comfortable, what made you feel safe, what made you 103 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: feel close to your parents, what made you fit in? 104 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: I remember there was this certain long dress I used 105 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: to wear that my grandma bought me, and the first 106 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: time I wore it, like everybody in my family made 107 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: such a huge fuss about how nice I looked in it, 108 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: and I would wear it all the time. I would 109 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: literally twirl in it. I would go up to strangers 110 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: to show them my great dress, and they'd be like, 111 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: where the hell is this child's parents? But that was 112 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 1: such a learned association, and it was so funny. Last week, 113 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: I was looking for an outfit for a friend's wedding 114 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: and I found a dress that looks really similar, and 115 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: it was like this gravitational pull, like this is something 116 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 1: that I know, This is something that like I have 117 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: this long ago positive association with, and I ended up 118 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: buying the dress for that reason alone. I also remember 119 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: feeling the most myself in like my buzz light your shirt. 120 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: I knew that was comfortable, I knew I could move around, 121 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: I knew I could be a child in that. That 122 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: was my safety blanket. So that's how you learn. But 123 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: on the other side, you also learn, yes through positive things, 124 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: also through negative things. You learn what gets you teased, 125 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: what illicits negative reactions. Maybe it was wearing a crop 126 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: top in your childhood and you were teased for it, 127 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: you were shamed for it. Some kids said terrible things 128 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: for you. And so you grow up thinking you can't 129 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: wear that, and you never do. Or you wear a 130 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: type of pant or a type of jeane that ripped 131 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,239 Speaker 1: or gave you a rash and for some reason you've 132 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: avoided that for the rest of your life. Clothes, Carrie 133 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: Learnt associations. That is why certain clothes like we were 134 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: talking about, feel emotionally relevant because they are often tied 135 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: to memories, the same memories that our identity is built on. 136 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: In fact, researchers from the University of College London looked 137 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: at this in great detail and they basically said in 138 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: this article they wrote, and I can't remember the name 139 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: of it, but they said that clothes are instruments for 140 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: anchoring the self and remembering the past, and through that 141 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: they enhance our well being. They are like this weird 142 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: rope that ties together who we want to be, who 143 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: we are now and who we were in the past 144 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: in like one long line. Close are a mix of yes, 145 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: practicality and what's affordable, but also of mood and memory, 146 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,839 Speaker 1: and that is constantly playing subconsciously in the background of 147 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: the choices you make around fashion every single day. It's 148 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: incredibly emotionally evocative. It's incredibly representative of the past. It's 149 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: why I think we struggle to throw out items that 150 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: we don't wear anymore but used to be our favorites. 151 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: It's why we have really distinct childhood memories, not just 152 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: of moments, but of the clothes that we wore in them. 153 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: They are not neutral items Beyond these past memories. Research 154 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: also shows that your baseline personality can also predict how 155 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: you'll dress. Essentially, there is this kind of theory that 156 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 1: if you were to take somebody's outfit, you could pick 157 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: it apart and basically make a composite of what their 158 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: personality is like based on some pretty amazing correlations between 159 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: personality attributes and clothing choices. We can specifically look at 160 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: this through the Big five personality domains or personality principles, 161 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: So just as a little refresh, the biggest theory on 162 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,319 Speaker 1: personality is that our personality is made of five traits. 163 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: Those are extraversion, openness to experience, neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. 164 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: And if we look at the profile of each of 165 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: these where you sit on those ladder, well, where you 166 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: sit on that spectrum for each of those traits is 167 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: going to essentially reveal your clothing choices. So starting with 168 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: openness to experience, people high in this trait often value play, 169 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: and they value esthetics, and they are creative and they 170 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: are curious and inquisitive and unconventional because of that, according 171 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,599 Speaker 1: to a paper published in the Polish Psychological Forum in 172 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, if you are high in that, you 173 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: are more likely to seek original items of clothing. You 174 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,959 Speaker 1: are typically more fashionable, as they called it, You are 175 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: most likely to be somebody who adopts the new trend 176 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: first because of that intellectual curiosity and that kind of 177 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 1: experimental personality that you have. People in contrast, who are 178 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: low in openness to experience, there's actually been all this 179 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 1: research that they wear more subdued clothes, They're more likely 180 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: to want to capsule wardrobe, They're more likely to gravitate 181 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: towards the same shapes, colors like yeah, silhouettes, or features 182 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: of clothing that they have for a very long time. 183 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 1: So openness to experience is this first thing that we 184 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: can kind of divide fashion profiles by are you more colorful, creative, experimental, 185 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: or are you more do you kind of more dress? 186 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to say subdued, because that's kind of 187 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: I think that has negative connotations, but in a more 188 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 1: subtle way, in a more ordered way. Next up are 189 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 1: the extroverts. According to a twenty twenty one Frontiers and 190 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 1: Psychology study, extroverts do, in fact dress differently from the 191 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: rest of us. For this group, clothing is a significant 192 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: social signal. The study looked at almost eight hundred women 193 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: and found that extroverts preferred clothing that is seen as dramatic. 194 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 1: They are more likely to combine styles and combine color palettes. 195 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: They are less likely to choose clothes that camouflage them. 196 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: And that really makes a lot of sense. I feel 197 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: like extroverts are the ones like holding up the fun 198 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: jewelry atsy shops and like the word of T shirt 199 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: stores because they're looking for a way to display their 200 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,599 Speaker 1: personality as vividly as possible, to kind of almost like 201 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: a butterfly, like attract people. In let's go in the 202 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: opposite direction. If extroverts lean more that way, what is 203 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: to say about people whose clothes are always professional and 204 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: pressed and very neat and tidy. These people are like 205 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: the hallmarks of conscientiousness. According to that same twenty twenty 206 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: one study, these individuals, although they are very socially aware, 207 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: although they are confident, they seem to gravitate more towards 208 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: classic formal styles. They seem to represent themselves as organized, 209 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: as reliable, as punctual. They use fashion to signal competence 210 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: and order. You want to know the weirdest fashion psychology 211 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: I learned the other day if someone is wearing a 212 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: wrist watch, that can actually tell you something about their personality. 213 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,439 Speaker 1: So a twenty fifteen study looking at i think over 214 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: seven hundred people found that people who wear wrist watches 215 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: are more conscientious, more responsible, more real following. Compared to 216 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: people who don't wear risk watches, they're typically less conscientious 217 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: and they're less likely to follow the rules. So there 218 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: you go. If you want to look good in a 219 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: job interview, shot up wearing a wristwatch because it signals 220 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,559 Speaker 1: a lot of really good things. It's just so weird 221 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: how you fashion and personality kind of connects in that way. 222 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: Something as simple as a risk watch, like that's like 223 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: a peek into who you are as a person. Two 224 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: final conclusions from that same study, just because it was 225 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: just such a magnificent one, we have to go into 226 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: detail on a little bit more. People who are high 227 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: in agreeableness, they were also more likely to wear less 228 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 1: traumatic or unusual clothing, so likely to want to blend 229 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: in or wear traditional clothing. Obviously, they want to be 230 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: friends with everyone. They're agreeable. Anything that makes them stick 231 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: out or makes them controversial is not something they're going 232 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: to be leaning towards. And people who are high in 233 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: neuroticism actually used clothing as a form of emotional regulation 234 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: or security blankets, So apparently these individuals are more likely 235 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: to be self conscious. People hiring euroticism are more likely 236 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: to be self conscious and to engage in body surveillance, 237 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: so they may actually use specific clothing styles to manage 238 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: their body image. And on top of that their social 239 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: anxiety or general anxiety, often opting for safe choices, often 240 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: opting for things that are comfortable or that avoid drawing 241 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: unwanted scrutiny or judgments from other people. So that's like 242 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: a whole profile of all the big five, and like 243 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: how your measurement on that might turn the dial on 244 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: your clothing choice. Essentially, it's this thing we've been repeating. 245 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: What you choose to wear can be a really subtle 246 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: personality cue. And now that is not permission to go 247 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: and judge or assess every single person you are meeting 248 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: based on this profile, Like that must like if they're 249 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: wearing a riskwatch or if they're not wearing a risk watch, 250 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: like that must say that they aren't a kind person 251 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: or whatever. Like these aren't rules to follow. People can 252 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: very easily be outliers or shift from the norm. Here, 253 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: it's just one singular peak into fashion psychology. I think 254 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: clothing again, why it's so important is because it's one 255 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: of the quickest ways that we can communicate not just 256 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: our personality but our identity before you've even spoken, Like 257 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: your outfit can signal to other people I see myself 258 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: as this kind of person, or I see myself as 259 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: one of you, or I want to be seen as 260 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: one of you, or as one of these kinds of people. 261 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: Clothing and the role it plays in social cohesion and 262 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: social conformity is another major piece of this puzzle. So 263 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: much of personal style is tied up in who we 264 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: want to align with subcultures subgroups, little tribes with their 265 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: own codes and aesthetics and shared references, and their own 266 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: music tastes and values and political views. You know, a 267 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: band tea isn't just a band tea. It's a sign 268 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: of the world or the subgroup that you're in, and 269 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: with that becomes a lot of information about certain likes 270 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: or dislikes. A particular hiking shoe, it's not just a shoe. 271 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: It's a signal that you love the outdoors, but you 272 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: also love the city, and that these are the two 273 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: sides of you like blending in together. There is something 274 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: for everybody in that sense. A certain silhouette isn't just 275 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: a silhouette. It can reference a scene, an error, a movement, 276 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: a set of beliefs about class, about what's what gender 277 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: even means. Clothes are as political and as psychological as 278 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: they are fun. And where we can really see that 279 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: is in women's at leisure wear trends. You know, the 280 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 1: rise of conservatism came at the same time as the 281 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 1: rise in pilates wear and in pink matching sets and 282 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: ballet silhouettes, things that are very traditionally feminine. Now, what's 283 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: trending more in this day and age is especially for women, 284 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 1: trekking pants, double stacked sports bras, practical hardcore hiking shoes 285 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 1: like gore tech. It's like this real signal of that pushback, right, 286 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: this pushback against traditional feminine ideals, the fight back, the 287 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: literal protest against authoritarianism that is like taking place in 288 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: the world. You can really read a lot about what 289 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 1: is happening in society based on fashion trends and based 290 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: on where people kind of present themselves on the spectrum. 291 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 1: Everything you choose to wear has a message contained if 292 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 1: you look for it. Sometimes it's explicit, like a slogan 293 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: or a flag or a badge or a university merchandise, 294 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 1: your literal favorite band on a T shirt. That's an 295 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: explicit message of how you want to be seen. And 296 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: sometimes it is more coded. It's like anytime you see 297 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: somebody with like visible mending or stitching, that might be 298 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: a sign of sustainability values, or you know of class 299 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: or income level, or if you wear athletics were outside 300 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 1: of the gym, you know that might be a sign 301 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: of how you again, how you want to represent yourself 302 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: as a healthy person, or if you blend typically masculine 303 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 1: and typically feminine clothes together that signals gender nonconformity. I'm 304 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: giving you a lot of examples just to say that 305 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: the brain pays attention to this stuff, and it pays 306 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: attention to the stuff, yes, to categorize and to understand people, 307 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: but mainly to use clothing as a mental shortcut and 308 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,360 Speaker 1: to be able to then identify the people you want 309 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: to relate to or the tribe you want to belong to, 310 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 1: and those that you don't see yourself close to or 311 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 1: as a part of your brain often scans for these 312 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 1: familiar cues because we're naturally attracted to similarity. So somebody 313 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 1: who is wearing a similar silhouette, similar colors, similar brands, 314 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: a similar uniform to you, that is a visual marker 315 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: of somebody who's going to be part of your in group, 316 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,959 Speaker 1: and when we find them, that registers as safety and 317 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: that registers as belonging. One distinct example of this and 318 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: how this happens is like and how identity forms through 319 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: clothes is like punk and what made punk so big 320 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 1: predominantly in London in like the seventies and eighties, It 321 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,679 Speaker 1: was like this counterculture reaction to economic and to like 322 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: social unrest this period and designers like Vivian Westwood like 323 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: they really had their rise during this time because they 324 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: utilized a lot of this like anti monarchy, anti establishment, 325 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: anti capitalist messaging that a lot of people were getting 326 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,440 Speaker 1: behind and kind of flocked to, and like the androgynous 327 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: silhouettes and the ripped clothing and the tartan that was ripped, 328 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: and the non traditional hairstyles and the safety pin visual 329 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: that represented to people a kind of philosophy and a 330 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: kind of subgenre of people or people with certain beliefs 331 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: that they wanted to gravitate towards. And so it is 332 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,640 Speaker 1: used almost like a badge. What we wear a symbolic 333 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 1: of how we want to be seen, which then also 334 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: impacts how people treat us, and that in itself either 335 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 1: strengthens our identity or diminishes it, or you know, it 336 00:20:55,160 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: either reinforces the cycle or again, through that learned association, 337 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 1: it kind of teaches us or guides us into being 338 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: somebody else. Here's something super interesting. A twenty twenty five 339 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: study found that we often dress more group aligned when 340 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: we feel socially uncertain. That is why micro trends and 341 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: fast fashion calor is more towards younger people. Yes, because 342 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: it's cheaper, but also because they don't know who they 343 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: are yet or where they fit in. They also don't 344 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: have a sense of personal style because they don't have 345 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: that identity, so they're really quick to buy whatever is 346 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,879 Speaker 1: trending because of that lack of identity stability, regardless of 347 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: whether it's made poorly, because it doesn't really matter. They 348 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: don't need it to fit, they don't need it to 349 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: be something they wear in like three months, because their 350 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: identity is probably going to change as fast as the 351 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: trend is. It's also why teenagers or people in high 352 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 1: school or younger people, that's where subgroups really start. Often 353 00:21:56,560 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: in younger groups of individuals, because their identity is so unstable, 354 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: there is this greatest sense of wanting to align with 355 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: a subgroup or a type of fashion or a type 356 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: of identity that is represented to fashion through fashion that 357 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:17,239 Speaker 1: is stable and that is that means one thing and 358 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: that can be categorized because it's kind of like this 359 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: life raft for them. It's kind of like this thing 360 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: that they can hold on to when everything else about 361 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: them is kind of like floating around. Similar to this, 362 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: it's also why when we enter a new social environment, 363 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: we really feel the need to reinstate or reinforce our 364 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: personal style or reinvent it. So that's why we go 365 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: and buy new outfits for a new job. It's why 366 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: freshmen always buying new wardrobes before they start university. It's 367 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: why someone who just moved to Berlin wants to dress 368 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 1: more Berlin. This is what it's called in clothed cognition. 369 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: It is a psychological phenomenon coined by this man, hardro Adams, 370 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: whereby this symbolic meaning of our clothing actually influences our 371 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 1: cognitive processes, which in turn affects our thoughts, affects our feelings, 372 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 1: affects our behavior. The researcher who coined this term in 373 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: his research, he basically discovered that this can influence everything 374 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: from our emotional state to how we see ourselves to 375 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:24,719 Speaker 1: our intelligence. What you wear can literally influence how smart 376 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 1: you feel and how smart you are. In this now 377 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: very famous twenty twelve experiment, participants were essentially asked to 378 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 1: complete a bunch of attentional and memory tasks either wearing 379 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: a doctor's lab coat or not, and some were even 380 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: told like the lab coat was like a painter's coat. 381 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: And then some people didn't wear it at all. The 382 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: people who went into these tasks wearing the doctor's coat 383 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 1: did significantly better on those tasks compared to the others. 384 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: And there was a large sample size here, and the 385 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: only thing that was different. Yeah, maybe there were slight 386 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 1: personality and intelligence differences, but that was definitely controlled for. 387 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: The only major difference was that they dressed smarter. This 388 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,959 Speaker 1: is why things like dopamine dressing, or dressing up for 389 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: a date, or dressing for the job you want not 390 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: the job you have, can actually change the way you 391 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: feel in those situations. A twenty ten not twenty twenty 392 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 1: twenty ten study from the University of Huddersfield actually found 393 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: that certain clothes, if they were the participant's favorites, actually 394 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: served as emotional regulators like we were talking about before, 395 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: meaning that the participants were more likely to feel able 396 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: to you know, they were more likely to feel in 397 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 1: control of their emotions and in control of their environment 398 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: if their the outfit they were wearing was their favorite. 399 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: Nothing else changed, just the outfit. And again, I could 400 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,719 Speaker 1: cite so many more sources like this that essentially all 401 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 1: say the same thing and reach the same conclusion. Clothing 402 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 1: is a mental leather that we can use to direct 403 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:08,959 Speaker 1: our emotional state, and we can therefore take advantage of 404 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,679 Speaker 1: that knowledge to change our mood in situations where we 405 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: want more control using our clothes, like we can literally 406 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 1: feel more confident, more competent, more safe, more everything based 407 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: on what we're wearing. And you can do that both ways, right. 408 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: You can yes, choose what you're going to wear to 409 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: best embody an emotional state you want to have. You 410 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 1: can actually also examine the clothes that you are unconsciously 411 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: choosing at a certain time in your life to tell 412 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 1: you what you're avoiding or tell you what you're feeling. 413 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: Like when you suddenly find yourself unable to wear your 414 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 1: favorite pair of jeans or completely avoiding any tight clothing, 415 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: that's saying something about your self esteem. That's something you 416 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 1: need to focus on. Or when you find yourself leaning 417 00:25:55,880 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: more towards revealing tight, colorful clothing, maybe this is a 418 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 1: natural sign that, like you're really feeling yourself right now, 419 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 1: maybe it's time to like schedule some dates. Maybe it's 420 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: time to get out there because people are going to 421 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 1: see this like enigmatic, amazing side of you and like 422 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 1: the side of you that feels very, very alive. You 423 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 1: know what I find interesting, though, What I really find 424 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: interesting is that despite all this, like we know, personal 425 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,160 Speaker 1: style is supposed to be self expression and it has 426 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 1: this effect and it's so emotionally powerful, and yet there 427 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:31,919 Speaker 1: are so many moments where like, we know what we 428 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 1: want to wear, and we know it's going to make 429 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 1: us feel good, and we know that this is something 430 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: we like, and then we don't do it. This is 431 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: this weird contradiction with personal style. We have personal style, 432 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: and sometimes we avoid our style. I feel like, right now, 433 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: I have all these really cool clothes that I really 434 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 1: like in theory, that I think represent me, but I 435 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: never wear them because they're too out there or they're 436 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: too different. And I'll try them on every few weeks 437 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: and I'll seriously consider wearing them, and then I'll put 438 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: them back in my closet. We so often choose the 439 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 1: safe outfit, the one that we yes, no, we feel 440 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 1: comfortable in, but the one we know won't get any comments, 441 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: the one that won't make us feel too visible. Because 442 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: a lot of the time I think we're dressing not 443 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: for ourselves, but we're dressing for the imagined audience. Right 444 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:25,160 Speaker 1: most of us. I know I do carry around with 445 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: us a mental panel of judges, whether they are colleagues, 446 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 1: whether they are strangers, whether they are friends or on 447 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: ex people on Instagram. There's this panel of people who 448 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: we almost present every outfit we wear too before we 449 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: walk out the door. It's this weird like they're not there, 450 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:44,359 Speaker 1: but it's this weird social monitoring that we have in 451 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 1: our head. How is the general public going to feel 452 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:50,439 Speaker 1: about my outfit? We put that before how we're going 453 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,880 Speaker 1: to feel, and that is why we constantly come back 454 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 1: towards three or four outfits that we feel the safest 455 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: in because we feel they are the easiest. What's important 456 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,959 Speaker 1: to know is that we tend to really overestimate how 457 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 1: much other people notice. Us. Psychologists I think we spoke 458 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 1: about this only a couple of weeks ago, call this 459 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: spotlight effect. It's that feeling that if you wear something bold, 460 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,919 Speaker 1: everyone's gonna stare, everyone's gonna comment, everyone's gonna judge you 461 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 1: or remember you. Everyone will see how you know, the 462 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:24,360 Speaker 1: fabric pools slightly, or like that your bra sticks out 463 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,159 Speaker 1: a bit like that, it's a bit different from what 464 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: you're used to. They know it, We know it like 465 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 1: it's this weird thing, so we should just take it off, 466 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: like we just shouldn't wear that. It's so funny because 467 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: in reality, most people do not give a flying f. 468 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 1: They're not thinking about you, they're thinking about themselves. If 469 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: you listen to our how to Stop taking things personally 470 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,479 Speaker 1: episode like, you'll know this very well. Only twenty two 471 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: percent of our daily thoughts are spent thinking about other people. 472 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 1: And often even when we are thinking about other people, 473 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 1: we're thinking about their behavior and relation to ourselves. So 474 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: if we're judging somebody else's outfit, it's not really about them, 475 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: it's about us and our lack of confidence to wear that. 476 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: If we are looking at somebody else's coat, perhaps part 477 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: of it is because we wish we had the boldness 478 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: to wear it. Social media has definitely exacerbated this. It's 479 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:21,479 Speaker 1: definitely made this harder, and it's partially responsible for I 480 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 1: also think how fast trends come and go these days, 481 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: because we are all judging ourselves based on this impossible 482 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 1: what's hot what's not that changes every few weeks, Like 483 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 1: what was the print that was like trending a couple 484 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 1: of weeks ago, like dear print I was seeing all 485 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: these articles about like dear print is in, dear print 486 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: is the next thing, and then just last week there 487 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: was this TikTok being like dear print is cheap, dear 488 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: print is last season. You can't win when you are 489 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: judging yourself against the imagined current status or current state 490 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: of what is cool and what's not. As soon as 491 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: like you adopt the trend and the trend goes out 492 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: of style because the moment that more than fifty percent 493 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: of people are wearing what is cool, it's no longer 494 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: cool anymore, because it's gotten to public and it's no 495 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:15,239 Speaker 1: longer something people can gatekeep. The author Paula D'Elia. She 496 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 1: talks about the fact that social media fashion culture has 497 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: actually increased self objectification and comparison pressures, and that actually 498 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: means that style and fashion has suddenly become incredibly basic, 499 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: and that a lot of our personal style choices are 500 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: really based on what looks good, based on a trend, 501 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: what we think will photograph well, what we think will 502 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: get likes, or what we think will look right next 503 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 1: to everybody else. Most of our fashion choices are for 504 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: the feed, and the more you lose touch with what 505 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: you actually enjoy or feel best in the worse it becomes, 506 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: and the harder it is to come back, and the 507 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: harder it is for society as a whole to have originality. 508 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: I read this other article that talks about this thing 509 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 1: called esthetic convergence, or a narrowing of what is most 510 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 1: often shown, liked, copied, and worn. So essentially, this researcher 511 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 1: did all this analysis and found that we're all starting 512 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: to look the same, not just like physically in terms 513 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,800 Speaker 1: of our faces and our bodies, but fashion because it's 514 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: becoming more and more trend based, and competitive brands know 515 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 1: that the only way to make a profit is to 516 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: follow what is trending and what people like in the moment. 517 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,719 Speaker 1: They're not going to create something different or new because 518 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: that's going to be less likely to sell. It's not 519 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: the current style, and who's not wearing the current style, 520 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: So all our options are becoming increasingly similar and increasingly 521 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 1: siloed into categories. So there's like the cool girl brand 522 00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: the athletic brand, and they don't really have as much crossover, 523 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: which is why we feel like we have less and 524 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 1: less choice. It also explains why I know I've personally 525 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: noticed trends are always just one degree, a one degree 526 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: shift from the last trend, like they're never that revolutionary. 527 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: Take like animal print. A couple of years ago it 528 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: was cow, and then the slight change was that it's cheetah, 529 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 1: and like now it's deer, or like it went from 530 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 1: like matching gym sets to like cling girl polarate sets 531 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: to like why two K yoga mom set. Nothing is 532 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 1: ever a full sweep. It's always just this tiny change. 533 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: No brand, no fashion house is ever gonna move too 534 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: far because they don't want to fall off the balance 535 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: of something that is fresh and new without being too 536 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: different and therefore difficult to market. Like this is a question, 537 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: I genuinely want you to ask yourself, when was the 538 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: last time you saw something new. It's not because people 539 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 1: aren't inventive. It's definitely not because people are boring. It's 540 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: because we are social learners, and fashion is one of 541 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: the fastest moving social signals that we have to conform to. 542 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 1: You know, in social psychology, conformity is what happens when 543 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 1: we adjust our behavior to what the group expects. That 544 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 1: is what's happening with our fashion choices. Sometimes that's because 545 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 1: we genuinely believe the group is right. This is known 546 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: as information or influence, so you know, if everybody's doing it, 547 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:27,160 Speaker 1: they probably know what's good. And sometimes it's just because 548 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: we don't actually like the trend, we just fear rejection. 549 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 1: This is known as normative influence. So I don't want 550 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 1: to look weird, even though I hate those added our 551 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: stampers or whatever. Like everybody's wearing them, so I better 552 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: wear them. Either way. The result is the same. We 553 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:46,800 Speaker 1: all drift towards the center of what feels socially safe, 554 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,600 Speaker 1: and clothing is especially vulnerable because it is so public 555 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 1: and because it is tied in yet again to our 556 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: identity and to how we see our elves. If you 557 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 1: want to reclaim your personal style, here are four really 558 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:15,800 Speaker 1: easy ways to do it. Number one, reduce the wardrobe clutter. 559 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 1: You know those pieces that I was talking about that 560 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 1: we own and we would never wear, but we just 561 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 1: keep them because they're cool or because we bought them 562 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,440 Speaker 1: because they were like the trend, Like we want to 563 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 1: be the kind of person who's gonna wear them, but 564 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 1: we don't. For me, it's like this big fluffy hat 565 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 1: and a couple other things, but the fluffy hat in particular, 566 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,399 Speaker 1: these pieces are mental clutter, and they are blocking your 567 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 1: personal style by increasing a sense of decision fatigue, essentially 568 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:46,600 Speaker 1: giving you more options to consider when that option isn't 569 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 1: really a true option, but you feel like you have 570 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 1: to consider it, you feel like it's kind of there, 571 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,920 Speaker 1: and when you do finally choose it, you're never going 572 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 1: to be comfortable in it anyways. So basically you're just 573 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: slowing down the process of gain geting dressed every morning. 574 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,799 Speaker 1: So I need you to do a closet perche. When 575 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 1: you do a closet perge, what I need you to 576 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 1: ask yourself is have I worn this in the past 577 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,840 Speaker 1: three months or have I worn it at all? And 578 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:13,239 Speaker 1: if it's not something like a big winter coat or 579 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:15,400 Speaker 1: like your wedding dress or a summer dress, you know 580 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,719 Speaker 1: you're gonna wear heaps when the sun is back up. 581 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 1: Sell it on deep Up, give it to a friend, 582 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 1: sell it on vinted. Start not from scratch, but from 583 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 1: your favorites. Basically, get down to that capsule wardrobe. And 584 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 1: speaking of favorites, also notice the things you keep rebuying 585 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:39,720 Speaker 1: in a slightly different font or in a slightly different version. 586 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: I realized this the other day when I was looking 587 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 1: back at pictures of me from twenty twenty two for this, 588 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:47,239 Speaker 1: like I don't know something I was doing on Instagram, 589 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,720 Speaker 1: and I was looking at this photo and I realized 590 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 1: I was wearing the exact same outfit in those pictures 591 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,399 Speaker 1: as the one I was wearing just that like as 592 00:35:56,400 --> 00:35:59,359 Speaker 1: I was looking on my phone, and none of those 593 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 1: items were the same items. Like I had replaced my 594 00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:07,319 Speaker 1: wardrobe from twenty twenty two to twenty twenty six, and 595 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 1: I was still wearing the same thing, just not with 596 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:11,799 Speaker 1: the same clothes. And I genuinely I wish I could 597 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 1: you could see this side by side. It was like bootcut, 598 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: baggy white jeans, cropped kind of like cream gray cashmere 599 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:22,799 Speaker 1: type V neck sweater, literally the same shoes, And I 600 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:24,919 Speaker 1: was like, why did I throw those pieces away only 601 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:29,239 Speaker 1: to replace them like three years later. I think it 602 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: was because at some stage, like I tried to reinvent 603 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 1: my style and I tried to like do this whole 604 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: like overhaul of what I wore, And it was this 605 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:41,040 Speaker 1: weird thing where it's like, this is my equilibrium that 606 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 1: I keep coming back to, like as much as I 607 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 1: try and be this kind of person or whatever, like 608 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:47,759 Speaker 1: there are some core things that I'm always gonna have 609 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:49,840 Speaker 1: in my closet. I know for me that is like 610 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: a chunky blue sweater, a stripe blue collar shirt. I 611 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:56,279 Speaker 1: literally used to wear them to high school when I 612 00:36:56,280 --> 00:37:00,839 Speaker 1: was fifteen. I looked like a little business woman and 613 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:03,319 Speaker 1: like a pair of blue jeans. And if you go 614 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,840 Speaker 1: through your pictures, you will notice the things you always 615 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:09,560 Speaker 1: end up buying and wearing even as the trends change. 616 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 1: And that is your personal style. That is the base 617 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 1: of your wardrobe. So if you're going to invest in anything, 618 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 1: invest in having good quality versions of those historical style 619 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: pieces that you can structure the rest of your wardrobe around. 620 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:30,359 Speaker 1: I would also say create your own style archetype. Archetypes 621 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: are everywhere in society, everywhere in psychology, from jung to 622 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:39,360 Speaker 1: Greek mythology to the seven feminine archetypes. You know, the maiden, 623 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 1: the mother, the mystic, the huntress, blah blah blah blah blah. 624 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 1: It is such a great mental shortcut for figuring out 625 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 1: what you want to wear and why you want to 626 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 1: wear it. And you can make your own fashion archetype. 627 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:53,399 Speaker 1: This is how you're going to do it. You're gonna 628 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 1: begin with some descriptors. What do you need your clothes 629 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:59,239 Speaker 1: to do for you day to day? What are your 630 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:04,840 Speaker 1: clothes need to make you feel like and look like? Comfortable? Flexible? 631 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 1: Do they need to make you look effortless? Smart? You know, 632 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:11,319 Speaker 1: if you're an artist, what does that mean? Maybe if 633 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: you're a social worker, it has to be understated, grounded, 634 00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:19,440 Speaker 1: if you work in carpentry. Choose three words that are 635 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 1: essentials for your clothes, and those are your basis. So 636 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:25,440 Speaker 1: mine are like comfortable, smart, and I would say unassuming. 637 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 1: That's just what the preference for what I need my 638 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:31,640 Speaker 1: clothes to do for me. Then add your aspirational words. 639 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,160 Speaker 1: So think of five people whose style you like, really admire. 640 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 1: Steven Nicks, Jennifer Lawrence, Asap, Rocky, Emma Chamberlain, I don't know, 641 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:44,280 Speaker 1: Adam Sandler, whatever. Five people who's clothes you really admire. 642 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:48,320 Speaker 1: Get on Pinterest, get on any platform, make a PowerPoint presentation. 643 00:38:48,719 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 1: Put a bunch of their outfits that you love on 644 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:55,200 Speaker 1: that PowerPoint slide. What are the core like words or 645 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: themes that define all of those pieces or all of 646 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:06,920 Speaker 1: those outfits? Bold, branded, colorful, maximalist, chaotic, athletic, simple, like whatever, 647 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:11,280 Speaker 1: it is, find the connecting words, choose two of those words, 648 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:15,200 Speaker 1: and then identify the word that would best describe your 649 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:18,160 Speaker 1: personality or how you want to be seen or how 650 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: you see yourself. So like dreamer, mystic, intellectual, adventurer, natural, entrepreneur. 651 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:28,080 Speaker 1: What word if you could choose just one, just one 652 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:30,680 Speaker 1: word sits at like the center of your identity, as 653 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:35,800 Speaker 1: your archetype, then you put it all together. The effortless 654 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 1: but bold entrepreneur, the sleek, flowy mystic, the smart, colorful intellectual, 655 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 1: the unassuming, accessorized creative. This sounds so cliche, It sounds 656 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 1: so silly, I know, but you have no idea how 657 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:55,880 Speaker 1: helpful this is mentally how much of an identity shortcut 658 00:39:55,920 --> 00:40:00,320 Speaker 1: this has been for me in realizing my personal style. Actually, 659 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 1: in a trend heavy society, if I find myself wanting 660 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 1: to buy something, especially an impulse purchase, especially if it's 661 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:12,080 Speaker 1: a micro trend, I go back to my archetype and 662 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:15,200 Speaker 1: I basically ask, is this something like a smart, playful 663 00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:17,960 Speaker 1: scholar would wear? That's my archetype, by the way, that 664 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:22,279 Speaker 1: feels very private to share. But smart, playful scholar, That's 665 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 1: how I make all my clothing choices. And it really 666 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:29,399 Speaker 1: really helps if it doesn't match that and if that's 667 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 1: how I want to be seen, and obviously you could 668 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:33,839 Speaker 1: have a couple if you want, but I'm not gonna 669 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:35,799 Speaker 1: wear it. Like I'm not gonna wear something that like 670 00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:39,840 Speaker 1: a maximalist entrepreneur would wear, because I'm not a maximist entrepreneur. 671 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:43,560 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna wear something that like a bold I 672 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:45,400 Speaker 1: don't know what's what's some of the words like a 673 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:48,640 Speaker 1: I don't I was gonna say simple scientist, but that's 674 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 1: kind of rude. But you know, like all these other archetypes, 675 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:54,000 Speaker 1: they're wonderful and I'm sure they all dress well, but 676 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 1: they're not me, and so it stops me from this 677 00:40:58,200 --> 00:40:59,719 Speaker 1: is so cliche, but like trying to be something that 678 00:40:59,719 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to be, like trying to dress a 679 00:41:02,280 --> 00:41:04,799 Speaker 1: way that like I'm just never going to enjoy. I 680 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:07,280 Speaker 1: would also say, kind of as part of this as well, 681 00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:12,400 Speaker 1: pick a uniform similar to that kind of historical analysis 682 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:15,160 Speaker 1: of past items. We were talking about, what is the 683 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:20,320 Speaker 1: staatepole outfit you wear almost every day? Like blue jeans, blazer, sneaker, 684 00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:26,719 Speaker 1: midi skirt, tight top, boots, soup pant, cool shoe, tope bag, like, 685 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:31,080 Speaker 1: what is your uniform when in doubt, just change one 686 00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:34,279 Speaker 1: item from your uniform every day. You know, I didn't 687 00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:36,440 Speaker 1: come up with that advice. I heard somebody else speak 688 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:39,240 Speaker 1: about it. But again, it stops you from buying pieces 689 00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:41,680 Speaker 1: that you have nothing to wear with because if they 690 00:41:41,719 --> 00:41:44,600 Speaker 1: wouldn't go with the uniform, chances are like they aren't 691 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:46,920 Speaker 1: going to go with the other things that you own either, 692 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:52,200 Speaker 1: And it keeps everything kind of centered around what you 693 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:56,120 Speaker 1: know you already lean towards. Finally, I feel like this 694 00:41:56,200 --> 00:41:59,440 Speaker 1: is such an underrated tip, but pay attention to what 695 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 1: you are drawing onto outside of clothing and fashion. If 696 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:06,880 Speaker 1: you are committed to finding your personal style, Often things 697 00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:09,640 Speaker 1: that are seemingly unrelated to fashion are the most inspiring 698 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 1: things because of the feelings they evoke. I and I'm 699 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:15,160 Speaker 1: saying that is somebody who doesn't understand fashion at all. 700 00:42:15,239 --> 00:42:17,440 Speaker 1: I've just been told. But it might be like a 701 00:42:17,440 --> 00:42:21,359 Speaker 1: certain color, or like a mood, or your favorite film, 702 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:24,719 Speaker 1: or an album cover or a music video, or like 703 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:27,520 Speaker 1: even nature. The one I always think of is like 704 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:29,800 Speaker 1: the Mum and Beer movie. How many people dress the 705 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:31,560 Speaker 1: way they do because of the Muma mea movie or 706 00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:36,960 Speaker 1: abba look at tons of different things, look at all 707 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:41,040 Speaker 1: these different influences, and allow that to inspire you. Because 708 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:43,840 Speaker 1: I think fast fashion can make our pool of inspiration 709 00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:48,240 Speaker 1: so narrow. You're going to try your best to broaden 710 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:52,640 Speaker 1: this in whatever way you can by looking elsewhere so 711 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:54,960 Speaker 1: that I don't know if this is an ambition. Maybe 712 00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:57,719 Speaker 1: you're happy to look like everybody else and honestly power too. 713 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:00,279 Speaker 1: But if that's not your ambition, this is the way 714 00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:05,319 Speaker 1: to prevent that from happening. Seek inspiration from beyond what 715 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:07,520 Speaker 1: is the easiest thing to sell you, and what is 716 00:43:07,560 --> 00:43:10,120 Speaker 1: the easiest thing to sell you because everybody likes because 717 00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:15,000 Speaker 1: it is trending. Also vinted, deep hop, op shops, charity 718 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:17,520 Speaker 1: shops do that as much as possible. This has nothing 719 00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:20,440 Speaker 1: to do with psychology. I just think the most stylish 720 00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:23,200 Speaker 1: people I know know how to hunt for their clothes, 721 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:26,720 Speaker 1: and they know how to find yeah, really basic things, 722 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 1: but versions that very few people have, Like the white 723 00:43:30,640 --> 00:43:33,360 Speaker 1: T shirt. My friend found like this crazy white T 724 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:35,400 Speaker 1: shirt from like the seventies the other day, I'm vinted 725 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:39,200 Speaker 1: for like five pounds, Like that's incredible. Nobody else has 726 00:43:39,239 --> 00:43:42,799 Speaker 1: that white T shirt. Like it's about taking yeah those 727 00:43:42,800 --> 00:43:47,000 Speaker 1: fundamental things and just making it more fun and enjoyable, 728 00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:50,080 Speaker 1: because I think that's what fashion should really be about. 729 00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:55,240 Speaker 1: Our final golden rule for personal style is about impulse shopping. 730 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:57,919 Speaker 1: And I have to sneak this one in here because 731 00:43:57,960 --> 00:44:00,480 Speaker 1: it is so important. I used to have a huge 732 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:03,520 Speaker 1: problem with impulse shopping. I think a real reason why 733 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:09,359 Speaker 1: our personal style gets diluted and gets mashed up and 734 00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:14,400 Speaker 1: like ripped apart is because we just like because of 735 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:17,239 Speaker 1: emotional regulation in a way, Like this is something that 736 00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 1: I found. I would just shop when I felt sad 737 00:44:22,719 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 1: or lonely, and I wasn't being intentional with the pieces 738 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:28,640 Speaker 1: I was buying, so I would just have all this 739 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:30,719 Speaker 1: like crap, and none of it went together, and I 740 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:33,359 Speaker 1: felt I'd feel like guilty one week, and then I'd 741 00:44:33,360 --> 00:44:35,560 Speaker 1: feel the emotions come back and I'd overspend the next week. 742 00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:40,839 Speaker 1: Then I'd feel guilty. Wait seventy two hours forty eight 743 00:44:40,920 --> 00:44:43,680 Speaker 1: seventy two hours before you buy anything you want to buy, 744 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:47,560 Speaker 1: unless it is something that you literally could not live without, 745 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:50,000 Speaker 1: Like if you genuinely are on holiday and you've run 746 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:53,319 Speaker 1: out of underwear, you can obviously break the forty eight 747 00:44:53,360 --> 00:44:58,600 Speaker 1: hour rule, but nobody needs like another pair of your 748 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:01,719 Speaker 1: fourth pair of blue jeans instantly as soon as you're 749 00:45:01,719 --> 00:45:04,520 Speaker 1: seeing them. And even if you do, even if, for example, 750 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:06,239 Speaker 1: you need a skirt or you need like a suit 751 00:45:06,320 --> 00:45:09,320 Speaker 1: jacket for like an upcoming event. If that is the case, 752 00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:12,680 Speaker 1: make it your mission then to find the best version 753 00:45:12,719 --> 00:45:15,759 Speaker 1: of that at the price point you can not just 754 00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:19,280 Speaker 1: the first one you see. I think when it comes 755 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:23,479 Speaker 1: to personal style and the psychology behind personal style, yes, 756 00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 1: it is about understanding your personality, and yes, it is 757 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:31,319 Speaker 1: about understanding how style and identity contribute to each other 758 00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:33,839 Speaker 1: and go hand in hand. I also think then there's 759 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:36,440 Speaker 1: this like second element where you understand it and then 760 00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:39,680 Speaker 1: you put it into practice. And if this is a 761 00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:42,120 Speaker 1: priority for you, and if you want to look, if 762 00:45:42,160 --> 00:45:43,960 Speaker 1: you want to have like that brand, if you want 763 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:51,000 Speaker 1: to have that real, identifiable Steve Jobs esque kind of 764 00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:54,560 Speaker 1: look like people know that those are the clothes you wear. 765 00:45:55,040 --> 00:45:57,800 Speaker 1: You've got to be intentional, You've got to be focused 766 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:01,640 Speaker 1: on what it is that you actually like, and in 767 00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:04,799 Speaker 1: many ways you have to actually buy less. All of 768 00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:07,200 Speaker 1: those tips that I kept coming back to for that 769 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:10,080 Speaker 1: won't just mind that as tips from like stylists and 770 00:46:12,320 --> 00:46:14,440 Speaker 1: I don't even know the words, so obviously I'm not 771 00:46:14,520 --> 00:46:17,520 Speaker 1: as included as they would be. But like fashion editors 772 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:24,040 Speaker 1: and fashion journalists, that's the word. They're all about consuming less, actually, 773 00:46:24,080 --> 00:46:27,279 Speaker 1: and I think that's really this real thing. The thing 774 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:31,480 Speaker 1: that's making us have less personal style. Is this just 775 00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:36,920 Speaker 1: like periodic blasting of the trend of the season, and 776 00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:43,000 Speaker 1: this like periodic, this periodic like I don't know, I 777 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:46,480 Speaker 1: don't want to say archetype, but yeah, like archetype, like 778 00:46:46,520 --> 00:46:49,480 Speaker 1: this year, this month we're fairy core, and next month 779 00:46:49,520 --> 00:46:52,239 Speaker 1: we're cottage core, and then we're like grunge core, and 780 00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:55,000 Speaker 1: all these things and all that is just asking you 781 00:46:55,080 --> 00:46:59,240 Speaker 1: to buy more and to keep these big, fast fashion 782 00:46:59,320 --> 00:47:03,360 Speaker 1: businesses in business, and it's not doing great things for 783 00:47:03,360 --> 00:47:05,239 Speaker 1: your personal style. It's obviously not doing great things for 784 00:47:05,280 --> 00:47:08,319 Speaker 1: the planet either. If you want to break out of that, 785 00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:10,560 Speaker 1: you've got to kind of look away from trends. You've 786 00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,640 Speaker 1: got to consume more slowly and more intentionally, and you've 787 00:47:13,640 --> 00:47:16,520 Speaker 1: got to focus on like the real soul of your 788 00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:19,279 Speaker 1: clothes and how that is like a direct peek into 789 00:47:19,320 --> 00:47:23,120 Speaker 1: your personality. This is going to sound so woo woo. 790 00:47:23,160 --> 00:47:25,719 Speaker 1: Maybe I've gone too far here. Maybe it is time 791 00:47:25,719 --> 00:47:27,960 Speaker 1: to end this episode, but like, this just came to 792 00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:31,120 Speaker 1: my mind. Honestly, maybe that's the assessment you have to 793 00:47:31,120 --> 00:47:33,400 Speaker 1: do before you buy anything. You have to genuinely look 794 00:47:33,440 --> 00:47:35,640 Speaker 1: at this item and be like, does this say something 795 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:39,439 Speaker 1: about me? Like could somebody say? Could somebody tell you 796 00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:42,359 Speaker 1: something about the person I am? From this item? And 797 00:47:42,400 --> 00:47:46,080 Speaker 1: why I'm choosing to buy it? A bit wacky. I 798 00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:47,680 Speaker 1: don't know you can take that or leave that, but 799 00:47:47,760 --> 00:47:49,319 Speaker 1: I think I'm going to start doing that. I think 800 00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:52,080 Speaker 1: that is a great way to make more intentional purchases. 801 00:47:52,239 --> 00:47:54,400 Speaker 1: So thank you for listening if you have made it 802 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:56,160 Speaker 1: this far. Our question of the day, if you are 803 00:47:56,200 --> 00:48:02,200 Speaker 1: listening on Spotify, what is your unifor slash? What is 804 00:48:02,239 --> 00:48:04,840 Speaker 1: the item of clothing that you have had the longest 805 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:09,680 Speaker 1: and why? I will go first. It is a Brandy 806 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:16,799 Speaker 1: Melville Khaki snklet that I bought in twenty thirteen, and 807 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:20,319 Speaker 1: I actually don't own it anymore. I only recently threw 808 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:24,040 Speaker 1: it out, and that synklet has not been wearable outside 809 00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:27,960 Speaker 1: slash doesn't didn't even fit for years. But it was 810 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:29,680 Speaker 1: this weird thing where I was like, really, I was 811 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:32,359 Speaker 1: really holding on to it tight and I couldn't let 812 00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:35,240 Speaker 1: it go. So what is your version of the Brandy 813 00:48:35,239 --> 00:48:38,200 Speaker 1: Melville Khaki singlet? I want to know? Leave a comment. 814 00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:42,440 Speaker 1: Thank you, as always to our lovely, wonderful researcher Libby Cobbett. 815 00:48:42,480 --> 00:48:45,799 Speaker 1: She really did some amazing research for this episode, so 816 00:48:46,000 --> 00:48:48,600 Speaker 1: we appreciate her so much. Make sure as well that 817 00:48:48,600 --> 00:48:50,840 Speaker 1: if you're listening and you're in the US or Canada, 818 00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:54,000 Speaker 1: you give us a watch on Netflix. That is correct. 819 00:48:54,160 --> 00:48:56,600 Speaker 1: Video episodes of the podcast are now on Netflix, and 820 00:48:56,640 --> 00:48:59,200 Speaker 1: we would really appreciate it if you are in those 821 00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:02,359 Speaker 1: two countries checking it out and telling us what you think. 822 00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:04,959 Speaker 1: You can also follow us on substack if you want 823 00:49:05,160 --> 00:49:09,759 Speaker 1: the episode transcript for this episode, including links to any 824 00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:14,560 Speaker 1: of the studies. But until next time, be safe, be kind, 825 00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:18,640 Speaker 1: be gentle to yourself. We will talk very very soon.