You Are What You Wear

Continued from page 1

For example, continuing to buy the same size clothing when you have lost or gained significant weight works against the reality of your size. Shopping at the teen clothing store when you have turned forty or buying a floor-length frock at Chico’s when you are sixteen works against the reality of your age. Wearing hoodies to the office or mostly buying embellished clothing when you work at a manufacturing plant works against the reality of your lifestyle. Your shopping may support defense mechanisms that have been reinforced over time, and you may have stopped actively noticing whether or not your clothing choices make sense for you. Your clothes reveal more about your internal life than you may realize. Think of your closet as symptomatic.

Continued on page 3: Psychology of Dress »