The psychology of fashion — it's more than just clothes
Aug 5, 2023
auto_awesome
Exploring the impact of fashion on self-esteem, identity, and belonging. The podcast discusses the influence of fashion throughout history and its connection to our emotions, interactions, and self-image. It explores the harmful legacy of fashion on women and the lack of inclusivity in the industry. The podcast also emphasizes the need for a more sustainable and thoughtful approach to fashion.
Fashion serves as a means of self-recognition, providing a cohesive image and comfort by pulling us together, but the changing system of outfits is unsustainable and causes environmental harm.
Fashion choices are driven by the need to belong and align with social groups, contributing to identity expression and judgment, while also evoking competition, desire, production, and paranoia.
Deep dives
The Power and Influence of Fashion
Fashion has a strong hold on our psyches, evoking conflicted thinking. It allows us to express our individualism while also compelling us to follow trends and celebrity fashion. Our appearance, influenced by fashion, affects how others judge us. Fashion serves as a means of self-recognition, providing a cohesive image and comfort by pulling us together. However, the changing system of outfits is unsustainable, causing environmental harm.
The Psychology of Fashion and Identity
Fashion embodies competition, desire, production, and paranoia. Humans have a natural tendency to copy those in power, which applies to fashion as well. Coolness and trends are now influenced by street style and social media, catering to different niche audiences. Fashion choices are driven by the need to belong and align with social groups. Clothes contribute to identity expression and judgment, forming a crucial part of our overall identity.
The Pleasure, Addiction, and Problems of Fashion
Fashion brings pleasure but also addiction and problems. Wearing something new provides a psychological boost, but the excitement fades quickly, leading to the desire for more new items. Clothes can impact how we think and even influence our cognition and attention. However, fashion's harmful aspects, historically affecting women, include discomfort, social exclusion, and environmental degradation. Breaking free from the cycle of constant buying and embracing more sustainable practices is challenging due to the pleasure and psychological mechanisms intertwined with the fashion industry.