Ever wonder why you keep reaching for the same handful of outfits, or why your closet feels overwhelming with countless options? A month ago, Dr. Carolyn Mair, Puja Mj, and I held an online panel titled “Inside Fashion’s Mind: Choices, Behaviour, and Branding.” We discussed the evolving fashion landscape and the slow fashion movement, emphasising the importance of conscious choices, changing consumer behaviour, and brand accountability around sustainability.
Here’s a break down from the panel discussion, that has influenced our decision making, through our clothing habits, perceptions, and feelings. I break down the 7 truths about why you really wear what you wear, backed by behavioural and psychology theories.
- Attachment Theory: Clothes as Emotional Anchors
According to attachment theory, we assign emotional significance to our possessions; this applies to what we wear too. Certain outfits may evoke feelings of safety, confidence, or nostalgia. These emotional bonds influence what we wear, often choosing familiar pieces that provide comfort or a sense of identity, not just aesthetic appeal. It’s natural for us to seek comfort.
2. Default Bias: The outfit picked you
Our brains crave routine to minimize stress and decision fatigue, a theory known as default effect. When faced with numerous clothing options, our default is to stick with familiar, easy choices. This mental shortcut simplifies daily routines and preserves cognitive resources, especially when we are feeling overwhelmed, stress and low in mood. Often this results in sticking to the same outfit repeatedly.
3. Impression Management: The Goffman Perspective
Drawing from sociologist Erving Goffman, impression management suggests we dress intentionally, to influence the perception of ourselves, through how we curate our outfits to project a desired image, aligning how we want to be perceived. This management is particularly important when making a first impression. How we dress has a significance in how we ‘show up’ to the world vs how we actually feel, creating a projection we have an intent to change how others see us, by the associations we make with clothes i.e. wearing a luxury brand makes me look wealthy, for example.
4. Enclothed Cognition: Clothes Influence Thought
Enclothed cognition reveals that what we wear can influence our cognitive processes. For instance, donning formal attire might boost confidence and focus, while casual wear may induce relaxation. This phenomenon explains why dressing for a particular role or mood can physically alter our mental state.
5. Cognitive Dissonance: When Actions Clash with Values
If your clothing choices conflict with your personal values—say, wearing fast fashion despite caring about sustainability—you experience cognitive dissonance. Your brain hates inconsistency, which can lead to discomfort. Resolving this dissonance might involve changing your clothing habits or justifying your choices internally.
6. Scarcity Bias: The Allure of Limited Offers
Brands leverage scarcity bias to trigger your brain’s reward system. Limited edition releases or “only a few left” tags create a sense of urgency, making you more likely to purchase out of fear of missing out (FOMO). This bias hijacks your decision-making, often leading to impulsive buys that temporarily boost feelings of satisfaction.
7. Flow State and Mindful Dressing
Achieving a flow state, a feeling of complete immersion in a task etc., can be cultivated through mindful dressing. When you feel in control of your wardrobe choices, you experience satisfaction and attachment, which nurtures a sense of calm and mindfulness. Cultivating this awareness helps mend impulsive habits and fosters a healthier relationship with your clothes. There is an alignment to your choices based on your values, comfort, association with your comfort and expression etc.
In Summary
Your wardrobe habits are far from random, they’re deeply rooted in the way your mind and emotions work. Recognizing these psychological drivers can empower you to make more intentional choices, build a wardrobe that truly reflects your identity, and foster a healthier, more mindful relationship with your clothing. This I hope, provides an insight that empowers your decision making and choices in the future. Next time you open your closet, remember: your brain is guiding that decision, so choose consciously, and dress with purpose.
REFERENCES
Panel Discussions: Inside Fashion’s Mind-Choices, Behaviour and Branding, You Tube, 9th June 2025, Slow Fashion Movement
Attachment Theory In Psychology By Saul McLeod, PhD Published on May 20, 2025
The Default Effect: A Hidden Persuader in Everyday Life, Posted by Denys A November 6, 2024, Psyhco Tricks.com, https://psychotricks.com/default-effect/
Impression Management: Erving Goffman Theory By Charlotte Nickerson Published on January 29, 2024, https://www.simplypsychology.org/impression-management.html
What You Wear Influences How You Think, By Susan D. Clark | Updated on July 13, 2020, https://www.brainhealthbreakthroughs.com/what-you-wear-influences-how-you-think
Cognitive Dissonance and Closet Organization: What Your Wardrobe Says About Your Mind
Very Big Brain April 27, 2025, https://verybigbrain.com
Less is More: Unpacking the Power of Scarcity Bias, August 04, 2023, The Unconscious Consumer, https://www.theunconsciousconsumer.com/consumer-psychology/less-is-more-unpacking-the-power-of-scarcity-bias
