Can your choice of clothing have a positive impact on your mood? I certainly think so. 

You may have heard the term ‘DOPAMINE DRESSING’ in recent years. The discussion around how our mood and how we feel about ourselves can be impacted by what we choose to wear is something that I am a strong believer in. I am very passionate about helping my clients to understand what they want and need from their wardrobes. Even though what to wear may not seem like a priority to some, for others it can be a really big deal. An article in the Guardian quoted ‘It’s not necessarily about dressing as an Opal Fruit. According to Carolyn Mair, a psychologist who has developed an MA course in fashion psychology at the London College of Fashion, it’s as much about you – and what meaning you believe your clothes have – as it is about the clothes.’ So with this in mind, take a few minutes to reflect on the items in your wardrobe that you reach for when you’re feeling a little flat, under the  weather, need a bit of a confidence boost or when just a little lift is required.  What is it about those items that lift your mood and make you feel more alive? Is it … The Colour Knowing which colours suit you the most can really help to make sure you own clothing that lifts your spirits, along with making your skin appear healthier, with a more youthful glow. If you are bored of the sameold colours or often revert to black or grey and fancy a change, then  trusting your gut is the most reliable way of knowing if a colour suits you. Does it make you smile, your eyes pop and your skin glow? If no, then it  probably isn’t your colour. Without going into full colour analysis, another basic way of understanding colour is to work out whether you have a cool or warm undertone to your skin – if you have blue veins you may be cool toned, green veins you may be warm toned.People with cool under tones tend tosuit more icy & jewel based colours like scarlet red, sunshine yellow, forest green, colbolt blue, icy pink and silver jewellery – think blue like the cool sea. Warmer skin tones suit the more yellowed tones such as khaki greens, mustard, orangey-red, teal and gold jewellery – think yellowlike the warm sun.  If there is a colour that you really love but you can tell it really doesn’t compliment you, then there’s no reason as to why you can’t still  incorporate it into your look with an accessory, such as a bag or pair of boots. Just keep the colour away from your face so it doesn’t drain your complexion. Exercise Have a look in your wardrobe and pull out the items in your favourite colours, experiment with how you can style them with other colours. Try to combine two to three colours in one look rather than automatically pairing colour with black, navy or grey and see how many outfit combinations you can create. Take photos of combinations that you like to refer back to. The Fabric Think about how you want your clothes to hang – do you prefer more structured, thicker fabrics such as cord, denim & cotton twill, or do you love the fluidity of unstructured fabrics like silk, satin or linen? Are you someone who is drawn to bold geometric prints, feminine florals, classic spots & stripes or do you prefer plainer fabrics? Do wools such as mohair and lambswool irritate your skin? Understanding why you find an item of clothing enjoyable to wear can have a lot to do with what it is constructed from. Knowing where to shop to find your favourite fabrics can be the key to stress-free shopping and  investing your money wisely. Many of my clients are starting to change mindset and realise that investing in one or two great quality items, made of a more natural composition, will eventually cost less than purchasing cheap, mass produced clothing in quantity. Cheap clothing is often (not always though) only worn once or twice before it shrinks when washed, breaks at the seams or fades very quickly due to poor manufacturing techniques and fabric quality. Not only should you find that the more you pay, the better quality and more longevity you will get from your clothing, it is also better for the environment as natural fabrics will decompose a lot faster than synthetics – and in the current climate that can only be a good thing. Exercise  Go through your wardrobe and look through to see if you have any items that you have hardly worn that you bought because they were cheap or in the sale. Try them on and think about why you haven’t worn them. You may even have something hanging in there with the label still on.  Next time you are tempted by something cheap, check what fabric it is made from, look at the lining and the seams, and if the quality looks poor – DO NOT BUY IT.. Ensure you have more than one way of styling new clothing that you are tempted by with items already in your wardrobe, if you don’t – PUT IT BACK AND WALK AWAY.  Instead, create a wish list on your phone of the items that you lust after but can’t quite afford. Every time you are tempted by something cheap, don’t buy it but save the money you would have spent until you can afford one of the wish list items that are better quality and you will love wearing for a lot longer.  The Fit When it comes to fit it really is all about personal preference. Some people love an oversized look, while others prefer more fitted and streamline styles. Understanding what YOU feel your best in is the most important thing. If an items of clothing emphasises your best bits and flatters your not-so- favourite bits then this can make the world of difference to how you feel in an outfit. I believe there are no set rules on how an item of clothing  should be worn, however, sometimes we can hold on to things that no longer fit but deep down we know we are not going to gain or lose weight in order to be able to wear it again. This is where tailoring can be such a useful tool, if you are no good with a sewing machine (like me believe it or not!) then finding a great seamstress in your local area can be such a money saver. I have recently had an extra piece of fabric sewn into the  waistband of my old favourite trousers as I know there is no way that I would have fit in them again any time soon.  Exercise Have a look through your wardrobe and pull out anything that you haven’t worn because it doesn’t fit you anymore. If you still love it, take it along to a seamstress and ask if there is anything that can be done to make it fit you more comfortably. It’s definitely worth a shot and can breathe a whole new life into something that you already own but wasn’t being worn, now that really is what I call shopping your wardrobe! What do they say about you? Write down the words that come to mind that describe how you want your clothes to make you feel and what you want them to say about you. For example – funky, sophisticated, edgy, feminine, smart, sexy, alternative etc. These words are now what I call your ‘Style Mantra’. Exercise When putting outfits together from your wardrobe each day or shopping for new, ask yourself if it fits within your style mantra. Does it lift my spirits, does the colour make me feel lifted and does it fit the way that I want my clothes to fit?If the answer is no, then pass unwanted items on to someone else to enjoy or if you are tempted to buy something new thatdoesn’t work for you then put it back and walk away. It is really important for us to not only be aware of what we enjoy wearing but really understand WHY we enjoy it, that way we are able to shop with an educated eye and ensure that we are buying clothing because it genuinely makes us happy, reflects our personalities and provides us with a signature style that we can rely on for years to come. So here are my some of my favourite things in my wardrobe that I can rely on to tick all of the boxes for me…

Thank you for taking the time to read, I hope you’re inspired to look at your wardrobe in a different way and I’d love you to share photos of your favourite things in your wardrobes with me! 

Love Laura xx