When we talk about fashion many people think that we are simply talking about what you wear and what style you decide to adopt. The reality is that your sense of fashion says much more about you than you might think. Fashion in itself might seem like a superficial interest, but the fact is that it also has a profound link to your health. This might seem like a bold claim to many, so we need to unpack both disclaim and the connection between health and fashion. So, let’s look at how fashion can improve your health and why it is intrinsically linked to both physical Wellness and mental health.
Fashion and Mental Health
Before we can even talk about the connection between mental health and fashion it’s important to understand what perception of self fashion allows. If you present yourself in a poorly dressed manner you are giving off a certain vibe that is negative to many people. But the reality is that for example if you see somebody only wearing baggy clothes it is not crazy to assume that these people are suffering from body dysmorphia and are not feeling comfortable in their bodies. This is why the ties between fashion and mental health are pretty important because for many people it is hard to feel comfortable if they’re not dressed in a way that allows them to feel confident. Fashion in a way becomes a barometer of someone’s energy and confidence. Believe it or not for many people especially those who suffer from depressive episodes it can be very energy-intensive to dress themselves up nicely for the day. With this in mind if you see somebody dressed in sweatpants or with greasy hair it is easier to understand the current state of their mental health.
Self-expression and Self-confidence
This is why when we talk about mental health and self-confidence a lot of it comes true self-expression. More and more we see a need for people to be able to express themselves and be their true selves and most of the time it comes through the way they dress. Being able to feel comfortable in your body often goes through the way you dress. The way you dress is one of the most accessible ways for people to be able to express themselves both in an artistic fashion but also in an identity fashion. This is especially true for those who are looking to embrace their cultural background or their queer identity. Being allowed to present yourself in a way that makes you proud and makes you feel confident about who you are has a massive impact on your mental health which can in turn lead to a massive impact on your physical Wellness overall.
Health
Many people who are trying to better their physical health will for example start training to shed some fat or change their diet to include healthier foods or a wide range of organic supplements. While all these things are very important and are the core of bettering your physical health fashion can also play a role. Normally are there close that exist to help you have a better posture or allow a wider range of movement while doing exercise the reality is that many people are motivated to better their physical health to better their appearance. While many people consider it to be vain to do exercise simply to have a better-looking body the reality is that it doesn’t matter what your motivation is as long as you commit to these positive changes in your life. What do you do because you want a six-pack or to be able to fit in the cute dress you bought all these reasons are extremely valid. At the end of the day fashion is your motivator you are still benefiting from the positive physical changes and feeling more confident about it.
As you can see fashion is not only a tool of self-expression it can also be a powerful motivator to better your life and potentially better your health both physical and mental. Using fashion as a tool to make yourself feel more confident no matter what your body type is or what you’re going through in life is net positive. Fashion like any other art is meant to better your life so giving it this purpose and allowing it to have this intrinsic connection to your health can only leave you better for it. Sometimes all you need to feel better is to put on a nice outfit and look your best not only for others but mostly for yourself.
