May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about mental health and its impact on our lives. While often overlooked, our clothing choices, personal style, and self-expression play a significant role in our mental health.
In this month’s blog post, we’ll talk about the power of dressing for ourselves and the positive effect that self-expression has on our mental wellbeing.
Self-confidence and Self-esteem
One of the main benefits of personal style and self-expression is that it boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. What you wear and how you present yourself can have a huge impact on your own self-perception and how others see you. For instance, dressing up in bright colours can help you feel more vibrant and energized, whereas wearing something dark and bold can help you feel more powerful and sexy. When we feel good in our skin, our confidence levels rise, and we feel more in control of our lives.
If you’ve ever put on your favourite dress and immediately felt an improvement in your mood, you know firsthand how style and mental health are linked. Wearing clothes that reflect your personality and suit your mood can help your brain release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and pleasure. The link between clothes and mood is so strong that on days when we feel down and desperate, a bold pop of colour or our favourite pair of shoes can be a simple pick-me-up that can make all the difference.
Self-expression and Mental Health
Personal style and self-expression are crucial for mental health because they allow us to express ourselves in a world where we’re often told to conform. When we dress for ourselves, we’re sending a message that we’re authentic and confident individuals who aren’t afraid of being themselves. That kind of self-expression can help us build a stronger sense of identity, which in turn makes us feel more capable and in control.
Body Positivity and Self-care
For those who struggle with anxiety, getting dressed in the morning can become a daunting task. Styles that do not conform to everyone else can aid in self-expression, which in turn can build a sense of accomplishment and direction. Personal style provides a sense of control over one’s appearance, which can reduce stress and anxiety and can improve mental health.
Personal style and self-expression allow people to embrace their unique bodies, regardless of what the media tells us is fashionable. When we take care of ourselves by dressing for ourselves, we’re sending ourselves a message that we matter, and we’re worth taking care of. This, in turn, can foster self-love, self-acceptance, and body positivity, which is essential for mental health.
The Power of Personal Style
As we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s important to remember that what we wear matters as much as what we eat or how much we exercise. Our personal style and self-expression impact our mental health in powerful ways, and we should cultivate a sense of self-awareness and creativity that allows us to express ourselves authentically and confidently.
Clothing should help make you feel great. And we believe that clothing should be made for everybody, that's why we embrace that principle through our Adaptive Collection.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, experimenting with your clothing choices and finding ways to express yourself through style and fashion may just be the boost you need to feel better about yourself and your life.
Shop The Adaptive Collection here.
