PSYCHOLOGY OF FASHION

Name Victoria Walter

Roll no: 16-10341

Course code: PSYCH 240

Date: 30th April 2014

PSYCHOLOGY OF FASHION

Abstract:
PSYCHOLOGY OF FASHION

According to Oxford dictionary(n.d) “fashion is a popular or the latest style of clothing, hair,

decoration or behavior”. Lundberg said that “Fashion is folk ways that survive for only a short

time” (scociology guide). Ross writes “Fashion is a series of recurring changes in the choices of

a group of people which thought, they may be accompanied by utility are not determine by it”

(Sharma, 1997,2007). Young, 1930 young defines “fashion as the current or prevailing usage

mode, manner or characteristic of expression, presentation or conception of those particular traits

which custom itself allows changing”.

There are much kind of fashion and trends that people can wear, depending on their way of

living. A great deal of people in the world used to feel good wearing the same way that a certain

group of people or like the media shows how to dress (quarta-feira, 2012).

Our question is that why people like or follow fashion? Fashion comes when women wanted to

look and feel better. (ksstarfashion, 2013). Some people wear trendy dresses because they see

others wearing those and think it’s cool and will suit them too. But there are people who want to

look different or catch people’s attention; they sometimes wear weird cloths that may shock

others. Everybody wants to look beautiful and attractive which explains why fashion keeps

evolving. People think that society judges them on their appearances because they think it is a

method of self expression. A psychological science research shows that we are motivated to pay

closer attention to beautiful people. There could be many reason including curiosity, romantic

interest, desire for friendship or social status. So not only we judge books by their covers; we

read the ones with beautiful covers much closer than others. Our appearance makes a huge

difference to what people think of us. People form a perception about others in their first few

seconds after seeing someone. Terminologies of judgments can start in childhood as, teachers

often make assumptions about child’s academic abilities and his family background based on
PSYCHOLOGY OF FASHION

their clothing (Williams, 2011). Another study about adults showed that a group of people were

exposed to an image of a gentleman wearing traditional and casual clothing. They saw this man

as more self controlled and trustworthy. People clothed in a dressier style conveyed a sense of

social unease and people dressed in a daring style are found to be attractive and distinctive.

(Paek, 1986). In a recent study, it was pointed out that fashion serves at least four different

purposes and that meaning conveyed by clothing may be different depending on the purpose

sought. The four purposes include fashion as wearable and, as a way of forming, or maintain

identity as a commentary on the body, or as a reflection of body image. (Alladi Venkatesh,

2010). That is why people think fashion is important to catch with this world. Our clothing is a

reflection of what we are thinking and what we are feeling. Often, wardrobe mishaps are simply

our inner conflicts bubbling to the surface. (Baumgartner, 2012). Professor J. Pine 2010 reveals

that what individual choses to wear are deeply reliant on the present emotional state. These

findings mean that the clothes are not only important to convey first impression to third parties

but also have the ability to amend an individual’s mood. Mostly people are more likely to wear

their favorite clothes when they are in a cheerful or happy mood. There is also a great possibility

that the chosen item of outfits is well cut, made of bright, beautiful fabric and is more likely to be

paired with other accessories. In this regard it is also worth revealing that the right shoes and

accessories help in conveying a happy mood.

When a person wearing something that makes him/her feel good, they are more likely to feel

confident and better able to get over their depression. Because on other side people who are

depressed don’t bother, or lose interest of how they look. Many researches suggest that females

are more fashion conscious than males (Adam). Kwon (1991) found that females are more

sensitive to different mode states than males, affecting their choice of clothing but reverse also
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have deep impact on our frame of mind. People often make assumptions of other person’s

position and emotion based on their clothing, because a study showed that 51% women wear

jeans when they felt sad or depressed. Only 33% of women would wear jeans when felt happy.

Professor Pine pointed out that “jeans don’t look great on everyone; they are often poorly cut and

have imperfect fitting. Jeans are also an indicator that the wearer isn’t bothered about their looks

and when a person is depressed they have no intention of standing out, so the connection

between depression and wearing jeans is understandable” (Pine, 2012). The

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References:

Bibliography
(n.d.). Retrieved 04 23, 2014, from Oxford dictionary:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/fashion

Alladi Venkatesh, A. J. (2010). Journal of consumer psychology. The aesthetics of luxury fashion, body
and identify formation , 460-469.

Baumgartner, D. J. (2012). You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal about You. Da Capo Press,
2012.

ksstarfashion. (2013, 02 10). Retrieved 04 23, 2014, from http://ksstarfashion.blogspot.com/

Paek, S. L. (1986). 1986, Effect of Garment Style on the Perception of Personal Traits, Clothing and
Textile. Effect of Garment Style on the Perception of Personal Traits, Clothing and Textiles , 5(1): 10-1.

Pine, P. K. (2012, 01). Happiness: it’s not in the jeans. Retrieved 04 25, 2014, from
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quarta-feira. (2012, 11 07). fashionflavia . Retrieved 04 23, 2014, from fashionflavia.blogspot:

http://whyfashionflavia.blogspot.com/

scociology guide. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 23, 2014, from http://www.sociologyguide.com:

http://www.sociologyguide.com/sociology_of_fashion/meaning_of_fashion.php

Sharma, R. K. (1997,2007). Social Change And Social Control. In R. K. Sharma, Social Change And Social
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Williams, R. B. ( 2011, 08 06). Psychology today. Retrieved 04 23, 2014, from psychologytoday.com:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201108/why-we-pay-more-attention-beautiful-
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