Pleasure Dressing vs Dressing for Pleasure: The ‘Why’ Behind How We Dress

The phrase ‘look good, feel good’ is an ageold saying that has certainly been heard by all of us, and perhaps something we can all identify with. The choices we make with our clothes are a direct representation of how we’re feeling or wanting to present ourselves to the outside world, and the items of clothing we pick can invoke emotions and affect our mood in a deeper psychological way than we might realise.

Following trends is one display of psychological dressing, as we envelope ourselves in familiarity and security when we wear something that we know will not be judged nor perceived in a negative way. This links to the notion of the ‘near-exposure effect’ wherein we are continually exposed to certain trends via the media and thus we discern what will help us fit in and feel more accepted in our social circles.

There is a modern dismissive attitude that often accompanies dressing according to trends, as critics blame trends for the eradication of individual choice and personal style; but we cannot be blamed for wanting to have what everyone else has and fit in. Trends help us relate to other people and feel as if we’re on the right track in life, as well as feel good when we emulate a style/item we’ve seen and think looks good on someone else. Using clothing to help us feel as if we fit in is an example of a survival instinct, as social rejection and judgement is something our human nature is trained to flee from. Therefore, the use of clothing that we see as universally liked and being perceived positively affects the way we dress on a day-today basis as we consider how our clothing will be perceived by others as well as ourselves.

Looking back to the idea of individual choice and personal style, the way we dress can also help us to express the distinctive aspects of our personality. Compared to the psychology behind following trends in order to fit in, individual expression is the exact opposite. The choices we make with the outlines, patterns, and colours of our clothing can be a clear representation of how we’re feeling and the characteristics we’ve deemed special to us in order to stand out. This is what is known as ‘pleasure dressing,’ in which we deliberately chose items of clothing that invoke certain emotions and fulfil our creative needs. There is a distinct difference between dressing for pleasure and dressing for confidence, as though the two might seem to be interchangeable, dressing for confidence may often be wearing items of clothing that are trendy or will be perceived in a certain way in order to feel socially accepted and secure in how we are seen by others. This is versus dressing for pleasure, which will often lead to more unique choices that are tailored to our personal taste instead of what is deemed as socially acceptable. These pieces may not be worn as often, but still help us retain a certain aspect of individual style when we otherwise feel it cannot be expressed.

With all of this to bear in mind, it’s important to think about the emotions we feel when choosing what we want to wear in the morning, as most importantly: fashion is something that should be creative and fun, not a chore. Whether this be following a trend or creating an outfit that isn’t typically seen as ‘stylish,’ a piece of clothing that makes you feel good should be worn and appreciated by you, and no one else.

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