Fashion evolution

The Ultimate Meanings of Our Clothes

The impact of our clothes not only affects how our environment sees us, but also how we perceive others around us. And what we surround ourselves with ultimately shapes us. Psychologists call it the systematic influence of our clothes on cognitive processes, as we physically embody their symbols simply by wearing them.

If we dress cheaply or as if we don’t care about ourselves, our lives are poor. If we dress in black and dark shades, our lives can be gloomy. Our clothes affect our interactions with others, how we perceive ourselves, and even how we think and behave. Fashion can be used to empower ourselves and restore a sense of self-worth. 

Objects, including clothing, have both private and public meanings. Public meanings are socially constructed based on the history and culture surrounding a garment, and uniforms are one of the most obvious examples. Private meanings are often unique to the wearer. This is especially true for items of clothing that we are particularly attached to.

A recent study found that participants believed that their favorite pieces of clothing had a unique essence, which researchers called “symbolic resonance.” When they wore these garments, this symbolic resonance was expressed and deeply affected the wearer, immediately evoking feelings of emotional safety, comfort, and power.

Outside the Ideal Feminine Box

It’s not about dressing in the latest trends or luxury brands—that’s an external influence—it’s about owning your own beauty, your true self. While our appreciation of beauty is largely positive, the Western image of feminine beauty is narrow-minded and reduces women to a single idea of ​​what attractiveness means. Is it women’s own vision of true femininity or is it imposed by society? Who are we trying to attract? This belief is so widespread that it is internalized as the ultimate yardstick against which we all compare ourselves. Is it time to update this parameter of femininity?

Fashion is presented on stereotypical catwalks that represent outdated notions of women. Fashion is marketed with an illusion that does not correspond to reality. Do fashion-conscious consumers want to internalize this artificial impression anymore? Should sustainable fashion be presented in a natural, feminine way that resonates with its user base.

Natural women fashion show models

To displace the ideal of beauty, I believe we need to expand the spectrum of beauty while placing less emphasis on physical beauty as a definition of our worth. In response, fringe groups have emerged to cater to these “niche” segments. However, the ideal world of fashion is still one in which older, petite or plus-sized women do not exist. By helping fashion brands better understand and influence this meaning so that they can positively influence clothing behavior, psychology can help fashion solve some of the most pressing problems currently facing the industry.

Sustainability with Meaning – The Evolution of Fashion

In today’s “throwaway culture”, simply investing in designing longer-lasting products through better technology, new production methods and new materials may not be enough. Instead, researchers have suggested that to address issues of fashion sustainability, we need to better understand people’s behavior in relation to the clothes they own and the meaning these clothes have for the wearer. The current debate on fashion sustainability focuses primarily on how we can improve our technology and processes so that we can produce products that leave a smaller ecological footprint.

The value of fashion is in the eye of the beholder

This effect on the psychological state of the wearer suggests that the purpose of most garments goes beyond their utilitarian function. Unlike fashionable clothes, clothes to which we have a special attachment are unique because they do not lose this hold on our psyche once the initial excitement of their novelty has worn off. Attachments are removed from the norms of fashion. We do not seem to care whether an item conforms to the current practice of fashionable dress. Its value is based more on the strong feelings we have for it than on its monetary value. Although the garment is effectively worthless in the eyes of others, it has become invaluable to us. This can take such extreme forms that clothes that are almost worn out are still safely stored in our wardrobes. Their value lies in their mere existence.

Fashion with Feng Shui

I am a fashion designer, Feng Shui consultant and fashion therapist. In my design, I apply Feng Shui, the science of energy flow that connects spirit and matter. In Feng Shui, we decorate our homes with shapes, forms and colors that are personally meaningful to us and have a positive effect on us. The same applies to our clothing.

The fashion that I personally design and wear makes me feel confident that my outfits will always fit, regardless of the occasion, allowing me to use my spiritual energy on other things. I do this by designing fashion with meaning. I offer my clients fashion that they can relate to, fit in, options that can tell their own story and strengthen their desire for personal growth: connection to nature, Nordic lifestyle, Kalevala, folklore, women's empowerment, spirituality.

The modern clientele has many meanings. But one thing is common: we want to express ourselves, who we are, in order to connect with others. "To be seen as ourselves"!

I call my fashion a calling card in clothing, with which you can express who you are and connect with others; to find yourself, your true femininity and at the same time your own tribe.

Natural fashion in an urban city environment creates balance.