The Impact of Outfit Choices: Boosting Mood, Productivity, and Personal Style

Ever felt like your outfit has the power to make or break your day? We certainly do! Join us as we share personal stories and insights on how choosing the right attire can impact your mood, experiences, and even your productivity. Learn from our sister-in-law's impeccable sense of style and discover how planning your outfit can help you seize the day!

We also dive into the fascinating world of enclosed cognition and its effect on our emotional state and performance. Did you know that 96% of people report a change in their mood when they switch up their wardrobe? We'll explore fashion anxiety, its overwhelming effects, and how embracing your personal style can bring out the best in you. So, tune in and let us transform the way you think about fashion and your daily attire!

Hypnotherapy coaching sessions can help if you are struggling with anxiety.  Please email us at englishsisters@gmail.com if you would like help with an issue, mentioning this episode of our podcast for a special discounted rate. We work with clients worldwide over Zoom or Skype. Buy our Book Stress Free in Three Minutes available on Amazon and Kindle, to help support our work. Thank you!

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Chapters

• 0:00 The Power of Outfits
• 9:37 Enclosed Cognition and Fashion Anxiety

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Outfit of the day, yeah, and how it can actually make or break your day. So listen to Get Real with the English Sisters. To find out more, you can listen on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you get your podcasts Right. So, yes, outfit of the day indeed, but it's so important how you may think that it's not important what you wear that day, but how important it actually is. Yeah, i mean, we know that, don't we? We do. We certainly do know that by personal experiences, and I'm sure you all do as well, that it's actually a misconception that you can just throw anything on. You can just throw anything on, but that might make you feel like it might break your day. It might not make you feel, yeah, quite ready for the day. You might be thinking I just wear my sweatpants today and then you might have a lovely opportunity that day. Yeah, you're doing something really exciting and you won't fill up to it Exactly. Yes, you might not fill up to it.

Speaker 1: 1:15

So I guess it's all about knowing more or less what your day is going to be like. You say So you can plan it, but can you ever plan your day completely? Not really. You know, unexpected things do happen unless you just know you're just going to have a pyjama day and you're just going to be at home. And then you know, yeah, but even when it's a pyjama day, the postman could knock. Well, postman could knock, or anyone could knock.

Speaker 1: 1:39

It's like in those films when you typically see the girl just saying, oh, i don't care, and then she put a mud mask on or something, and then you know, the boy that she's been craving over and wanting for such a long time knocks on her door. I mean, yes, honestly, do you remember that? we used to wonder about your sister-in-law, how she used to always be so perfect? I still wonder how she could do that, because she would just be so well dressed even when she was just at home. I used to look terrible at home. I mean, i still do, really. We used to come knocking on my door. We used to ponder about it and think, how can, how does she do it? How could she? but she was always ready Yeah, she's always ready to do anything. She would grab her car keys and say, off, i go. Yeah, i would think, are you going somewhere? She said, no, no, this is just me, i'm just at home. I thought it doesn't look like you're at home, i mean you're completely ready to go out. I just think it would stay after all, like that We did feel uncountable. That's how we used to look. Like we used to look. Yeah, even like today, i still, if I'm at home, i just want to be in my home clothes. Yeah, no makeup there, no makeup, just home resting clothes. A hair tied up? Exactly, just not. Not. Yeah, but do you have really lovely clothes that you wear at home? No, no, i don't. I mean, i try now, as I'm growing older, i do like to have nicer things I wear at home, sure, things that don't have.

Speaker 1: 3:11

Typically, what happens to my clothes? I get like bleach stains on them and things like that, because when I'm cleaning it, i might use bleach and I hate that. I used bleach yesterday and I got a stain And I was thinking I shouldn't be using this. And then, what of all things? where does the bleach end up? in my eye? I've had two retina detachment, just to point out, if you didn't know, and it's like the work, it's like your weakest point, where everything ends up in it, and it's I don't know because, maybe because I go mirror to it and I had to take my glasses off because otherwise I can't see full and close up with them on, because, yeah, i know. And then it was alright because I rinsed it out quickly and it was fine. But then later on in the day I get two pests in my eye. Two, what Two? Two's paste, what are you doing In the other eye? this is the one I had to say, oh look, you know, goodness me, it was ridiculous. But yeah, i mean, that's got nothing to do with the clothing thing. Well, it has, because if it had been, if I had had my posh clothes on, i wouldn't have liked it to have bleach on them, because if it went in my eye goodness, those were as it went.

Speaker 1: 4:26

You don't touch bleach when you've got your good clothes on. I mean, i was tempted. Is bleach like you put it down? I mean I hardly ever use bleach now because I know it's not good for the environment. Yeah, i try not to. It just needed it. I had to use it for the surface because it had a bit of mould on it or something. Yeah, with the mould it's very good. Yeah, it's good. But it's just that What I find is, if I'm actually dressed now, what I try and do now when I'm at home is before I would just stay in my pajamas.

Speaker 1: 4:57

But now I try and put my workout clothes on. No workout clothes on Oh, workout clothes, that's a clever one And then I'm much more likely to do a workout or go and do some activity like gardening or something. Yeah, that's what I do. I actually put my trainers on, like not the best trainers I've got, but the other trainers that are like my house trainers. But that way, if I've got my workout clothes on whether it be like you know or whatever then I'll know that I might get a little workout in, even though I haven't been doing it lately, i might well. If anything, it'll make me more inclined to do like, a lot of activity in the house. Since we do have big houses, it's easy to get lots of steps done in these big houses And in the garden. Well, it makes you walk around quicker, doesn't it? Much faster than if you've just got a little flip flop sun or something. Yeah, when you just make they sort of require their time, you know, like flip flopping along, you know you're like it's a different thing.

Speaker 1: 5:56

Anyway, to get back down to the actual outfit that we decide to wear when we are leaving the house and going into the world. That's another you know subject altogether, because that's when it really does play a role, i think. I think what a lot of people don't realise is and we didn't used to realise either is that your outfit is body language. So what you wear is part of your body language and people are gonna respond to you. You're in charge of what. I don't want to judge, but they're gonna respond to you in the way.

Speaker 1: 6:33

So say, if you're wearing something really quite flirty and frivolous, you're gonna get smiley, happier people around you that are flirty and frivolous, aren't you? Then, if you're wearing something very serious, then you're probably more likely to get a more serious response from people around you And maybe more respect. So you can use that to your advantage, depending on what kind of day you're gonna think of, you're gonna be having, and you would think this is normal. You know this is, but sometimes you just don't realise it. You just don't realise it. You're not that much aware of it, because I think people don't realise it is body language. So what you wear is you're actually saying to the world this is how I feel today. Yeah, i do So.

Speaker 1: 7:16

Say if you're feeling quite down and you don't, and you wear something that's really, say, extravagant or that's really bright and bold, you might get a lot of attention that day without really because you're wearing something that says, hey, i'm available, kind of thing, yeah, i'm out there, yeah, but you might not feel like that that day. So you might have wanted to wear something a little bit more somber, yeah, a bit more calming, to sort of like let people know that maybe today isn't a good day to question you about something or be too chatty with you, like your colleagues or your friends, and it does send that message. It really does. And why wouldn't we know that, though? Why wouldn't we realise that, if we're gonna be wearing a bright pink t-shirt or bright orange, red, some colours like that? Because we don't realise that? I mean, i never even heard of the fact that. Only when we did that body language course did I know, did we hear about the fact that, like, even the jewellery you wear is body language. So if you're wearing a lot of big, bright, bold jewellery, you're making a statement, you are yeah, yeah. Everything is body language in the end. If you have tattoos, that's body language. Accessories, belts for men, tattoos Here is jewellery, jewellery, everything.

Speaker 1: 8:39

Headwear, headwear Oh yeah, like, yeah, like a headgear, like hats, yes. Headbands, yeah, yeah, sure. Tiaras, coronas, oh yes, wow, come on. Tiaras and coronas are obviously making a statement, aren't they? They are, but you might not realise it. You might put a pretty bow in your hair and think nothing of it, and then you're getting a lot of attention that day, yeah, i guess you might Certain people say, oh, that's pretty, that's nice. Yeah, and you might not feel like that that day. You would think that if you wore it, though, if you would like it, because it does actually change your mood, the outfit you wear, so you might not feel like that in the morning, but then, i think, as the day progresses and the choice that you've made is gonna affect your inner state, yeah, but say, if you're pushing yourself out that day and your friend may be like the bow or something and you didn't like it and you wear it, and then you find that it doesn't quite fit with you, it's gonna make you feel pressurised, isn't it?

Speaker 1: 9:37

Yeah, yeah, there is an actual, even a phenomenon that has. It's got the name it's called enclosed cognition. That sounds really difficult, but it depends on the clothes that we wear. You're gonna have to explain that one. Well, it says here that I've researched. It says, despite what some may believe, a proper outfit can elevate your spirit, your motivational levels, your self-esteem and confidence, and that is all on top of the fact that a well-put-together outfit simply makes you look great. The phenomenon even has a name enclosed cognition, and that's from a psychologist 2019, the Journal of Experimental Psychology. All right, so there you go. I mean, it's even got from a psychologist's point of view. It has a name enclosed cognition, but enclosed like. Well, it's like the human is enclosed, you're dressed. Clothes on Yes, enclosed, yes, you're dressed. So I thought at first you said enclosed, yes, no, sorry, yeah, it's difficult to get my tongue around it.

Speaker 1: 10:52

Enclosed cognition, twister, yes, 96% of people report a change in their emotional state with a change in their style of dressing. Well, i know, what I notice is that if I wear something that I feel a little bit out of sorts in, like if it's too short or too long or I'm not quite happy with it, i don't feel as confident. No, you don't, no, so I like to take a lot of time with my outfits. Yeah, you're not like the best version of what you could be.

Speaker 1: 11:22

It could seem like frivolous or like Vain, yeah, yeah, like the way we both said that Vain, because vanity is what was used to be considered, you know, like bad thing, but really I think it's like an expression of, if anything, it's the opposite. It's like low self-esteem, isn't it? Like you feel as if you have to wear certain clothes to look a certain way. What do you mean? Like fashion anxiety? there is a lot of fashion anxiety in today's world. Yeah, yeah, there's anxiety around having to wear a certain thing or not wearing it right or not presenting yourself in the right way. That is That's current. That's current. Yeah, it's actually common, because, you know, some of us may feel nervous about stepping out into bold items that are.

Speaker 1: 12:14

I used to be more fashion. I've got more adventurous now. Yeah, yeah, when I was very young, i was very adventurous, yes, yeah. Then I think you go through a phase where you kind of want to hide a bit more. Well, i did, you did, yeah, i mean, yeah, i think we. Well, i did as well. So maybe that's normal, maybe that was like more when you're becoming like a parent and when we decided to have a family, then maybe, maybe you want to hide more there. You're looking so confused. No, because I'm actually reading this.

Speaker 1: 12:52

Psychology of. What it was saying in this Journal of Experimental Psychology is actually really interesting Because I mean, it sounds obvious but you wouldn't really think it's so direct and such a fast way of actually impacting how your internal state can feel. That's why it's really quite a simple thing really, because it's a choice. But if you push yourself too hard, like then, there is this fashion anxiety that comes along with it, because you want to wear what is in fashion at the moment so that your friends say, oh, cool, or whatever. You feel cool and in fashion, but that might be too much for you. So that can cause anxiety, because you've chosen an item of clothing that doesn't really represent you properly, doesn't represent how you are actually. You are how you are as a person. So that's not a wise choice.

Speaker 1: 13:51

I think the best thing is to have fun with fashion. So go and experiment, go and try things on and see how they make you feel, how they make you feel, and then not only look Yeah, and then maybe sometimes you can choose certain outfits for certain occasions as well, and then bear in mind that some outfits will take you from day to night and you will feel good in them. And maybe on those days where you do feel a little bit more confident, wear those because you don't know where they might take you. No, you don't. It's like having it open up new opportunities for you. Exactly, yeah, they really could, because from work doing the day, you could be going out at night somewhere you never really know. Do you Like what you said?

Speaker 1: 14:34

I think it does tie in a bit with social anxiety, doesn't it? Fashion anxiety Yeah, because a lot of us feel the pressure of this, you know society to conform and dress in a certain way, yeah, and then have the photographs up on social media, yeah, or maybe all the brands, exactly, and everything. But really, fashion should be fun and exciting and it should be part of a well-being, i think A part of a well-being of how, an expression of yourself, yes, an expression of it. You shouldn't really be having to think, oh, i'm wearing that dress. You should be thinking I'm feeling good in that dress. It's not so it's.

Speaker 1: 15:16

You know what I'm saying? the clothes shouldn't wear you. You should wear the clothes. Exactly, yeah, you should wear the clothes. Yes, exactly. That really is that's it. That's it. You should be master. You have to be the leader, the master, the one wearing the clothes.

Speaker 1: 15:34

Not that the person has to say oh, i know, i'm getting confused here, you know. Not that you have to feel that the clothes are wearing you exactly, that you feel overwhelmed that's why I was looking for the word Overwhelmed by that fashion item you've chosen Exactly. Yeah, because that can really happen. You can be overwhelmed by them. You can And you can buy them and just think, yes, that's in fashion now, but then it's just too much for you And they might not suit your body type as well, and you might feel as if you have to wear something because it's fashionable, whatever, and it might not suit you Exactly, yeah, just might not be the right thing for you, and you instinctively know that. But then you push aside your own emotions, your own feelings, because it's in fashion, and just remember that sometimes just wearing what Steve Jobs used to do, the same thing every day can be a reflection of your personality and can allow you to get on with the other thing, so that you don't have to be thinking about the outfit of the day, the day exactly. It can be something that's going to make you feel good. You've discovered that and you can go along with that and be creative in all the ways of your life.

Speaker 1: 16:49

Yeah, not just by flaunting the new dress or the new brand. By what you were saying before. Yeah, absolutely. Wow. What do you think? Yeah, do you like choosing outfits of the day? Do you have trouble with it? Do you have trouble? I find that a certain color makes you feel good, or others that make you feel calm or anxious. There's a lot of it. It's about colors as well. Oh, of course, yeah, of course, yeah, and a lot of color is in now, but black is coming back. They say, yes, black is coming back. Let us know, and please do share this podcast with your family and friends and come and please give a review on Apple Podcast, scroll down and you'll find where you can leave the review. And on Spotify, there's actually a field now which allows you to comment, so please do come and comment on there. We'll answer you, we will, we will. Indeed. Lots of love and smiles from the English sisters. Bye-bye, bye.