What if I told you that your style choices extend beyond mere aesthetics and are deeply rooted in science? 🤯

From the psychology of color to the influence of your outfit on confidence and body language, what you wear has a profound impact on your overall experience. This is precisely why I prioritize a style consultation before embarking on any wardrobe edits or shopping excursions. Understanding the rationale behind your choices is as crucial as the items themselves. When you align your wardrobe with intention, you will no longer feel as though you have "nothing to wear," but rather, you will make confident and empowering style decisions.

While fashion is fundamentally about self-expression, it is fascinating to recognize the significant scientific principles that underpin our style choices. Our clothing can affect our confidence, mood, and even our success, illustrating the psychology of style.

For instance, many of us are aware that colors evoke distinct emotions. Red can instill feelings of power or seduction, while blue tends to have a calming effect, and warm tones often convey friendliness and approachability.

Moreover, consider the role of body language. The way we dress can influence how others perceive us and how we view ourselves. Standing tall in a well-tailored outfit can enhance confidence during a presentation, making you feel powerful and assertive. Conversely, there is a different kind of empowerment in wearing a feminine dress that exudes a flirty and graceful essence.

One of my favorite concepts is the Reticular Activating System (RAS), a fascinating aspect of brain science that most people may not recognize, yet everyone can relate to the feeling it evokes. The RAS plays a critical role in our ability to notice and comprehend our surroundings. Did you know that we encounter over 3,000 advertisements daily? Yet, how many do we actually remember? Our brains filter these messages for relevance. I recall moving to Hong Kong and initially being unaware of what a Tesla was. I passed by the showroom daily, registering it as just another vehicle. However, once a friend shared their excitement about electric vehicles, I suddenly began noticing Teslas everywhere. Nothing in my environment changed, EXCEPT my awareness.

Building your awareness of your fashion choices and understanding the "why" behind them is just as vital as the "what" you select. This may explain why you find yourself with ten of the same item in your closet, leading to the common feeling of having "nothing to wear" each morning. Continuously purchasing similar items does not resolve the underlying frustration, which is why I always begin with a style chat before working with any client on their wardrobe or shopping needs.
So, the next time you dress, remember that your choices transcend mere aesthetics—they are informed by science!
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By integrating these scientific concepts with a profound understanding of your personal style, we can cultivate a wardrobe that not only looks appealing but also enhances your overall well-being. This approach fosters a harmonious relationship between your clothing and your mindset.
What scientific principles influence your clothing choices? Share your insights in the comments!

Last year I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Sala Sihombing for her post cast. We ended up discussing how the clothes we wear are an important tool to remain present during life's changes (such as divorce that Sala helps couples navigate through mediation).
I shared some important stories of impactful clients and how clothing held them back in certain situations.
​Take a listen/watch.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/salasihombing/

Click Fit Check!
It doesn’t matter if you’re shopping for something new or going through your wardrobe.
How clothes fit YOU and YOUR body matters!

The right fit will:
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1. Have you feal more comfortable and confident
2. Enhance the right parts of your body
3. Have people perceive you more positively and as more put together.

 
Clothes should always FIT YOU! You should NOT changing your body to fit clothes! 
 
It wasn’t until the popularity of Pret-a-porter (the French work for ‘ready to wear’) in the late 1950’s that clothing became a reflection of trend. You see before this; you would have a seamstress/designer/tailor make clothes for you! For YOUR measurements and proportions. For your style!
Wearing items that were straight off the rack was a rebellious concept, post WW2, that emerged as a response to the increasing demand for clothing that was fashionable, easily and affordable.
Fashion became made for the popular, a target market! If your style, silhouette, size or proportion was not included, it was hard. Because at the end of the day… fashion is a business! Having good sales would insure they could produce another collection and continue working. So catering for the average women became a business focus, and for some stores like Zara, it still is today!
 
If I think back to high school math, I remember a lesson on statistics and standard deviation (that looks like this bell curve below). Popular fashion is generally with in 1 standard deviation, ensuring that it would fit MOST women that they marketed too. But if you were one SD above or below, the fit of clothes may have been difficult.
An example of this is height. If you were taller or shorter than the average standard deviation measurement, something as simple as a pair of pants could be too long, to short, too tight in the crotch length, ect. To put it simply, they would NOT fit your body well!


Don’t get me wrong, Pret-a-porter has been a wonderful invention for clothing production. Previously, it may have taken you 6 months to receive new season clothing. Made to measure is a method that we would associate today with luxury industries such as Haute Couture, but it was the standard of how clothing was made prior to the 1950’s. 
 
Now that we realise that Fast Fashion (a sub industry of Pret-a-porter) is having a HUGE negative impact environmentally, more and more stores are relying on small craftsmen like tailors to help perfect fits for their clients. 

So, what should YOU look out for when it comes to fit for your clothes? 
 
We talked about WHY fit is important and a brief history of Pret-a-porter. But what should you look out for when it comes to the way your clothes FIT.

Let’s go through and red flag different aspects of FIT that CAN NOT be altered successfully by a professional.

1. Crotch length. Because of the shape of the seem in pants and short, the length of a crotch CAN NOT BE CHANGE. Either shorter or longer. So I recommend every client do a SIT TEST. All this requires is for you to sit down in them. Chair, stool, it doesn’t matter. Are they just as comfortable? If you feel like it’s ridding up, or giving you a wedgie, this is an indication that it’s NOT the right fit. This is MOST important as an uncomfortable fit often will lead to UTI’s in women (with long term wear). You don’t want your pants making a negative health impact, regardless on how fabulous you look! https://www.instagram.com/p/DBawi_uJ0jT/
2. Cat Whiskers! When you look in the Mirror when trying on pants/shorts or skirls, can you see any Cat Whiskers? What this means is anywhere that the fabric doesn’t sit well around the hip and crotch area. It can be due to the wrong horizontal shape around your groin for your body, or not a quality fit for your hips or event not the best fabric. If this happens, try a size up. It is easier for a tailor to make something smaller than it is to try to make it bigger. https://www.instagram.com/p/DBaxMwvpn7u/
   
3. The Shoulder Seems! Where does the seem between your arm and your shoulder meet? When you are looking at tailored items like a blazer jacket or white classic collared shirt, where does the sleeve is attached to the body of the garment? This detail will make a difference in your comfort and silhouette look. If the seam sits too close to your neck, then it could be hard to move (it also could be an indication of it being too small). If the seem is too far away it can make you look wide, and your body will not support the structure. Remember whereever clothing has a seem it is both ridged (less movement) and a possible fault point (easily break at this area with too much pressure). To understand if a jacket limits your mobility, simply give yourself a hug while wearing it. If you can’t raise your arm without discomfort, then it will be hard to shake someone’s hand. https://www.instagram.com/p/DBdR7j0hgTr/
   
4. The Bust pull! This is a clear indication that the fabric or cut of the garment doesn’t sit well on your body and the area may have too much tension. This is especially common for busty ladies trying to fit a collared work shirt (as it often has buttons at the centre). If you see that the buttons have too much tension or ‘pull’ around a middle button, then try to size up to accommodate and tailor/or make the rest smaller for you waist/other areas. Too much tension could lead to lost buttons or the fabric ripping. I know this, as I personally have lost MANY buttons on my shirts due to the wrong fit! https://www.instagram.com/p/DBdShT8Jygx/
   
5. ​The Hem! It's important to note that most of the time, hems and length of items can be easily adjusted by a tailor. Such as your pant length. Many pants are made extra-long to accommodate more people as you can always make a pant shorter. I’ve has had some clients that want to feel tall, so they wear a longer pant with a big heel for an optical illusion of an extra 10cm.

Whatever garment you wear, make sure they it enhancs YOU and YOUR BODY (so not stopping at the widest part of your body)! 
The right fit will have you feel comfortable and look polished. So you can be ready to take on the day, no matter what occasion!

I hope these tips have been valuable. Check out my extended blog post for more information.
Stay stylish ladies!