(Are you struggling to keep up with your daily workload? Are you starting to lose your working from home motivation? Well, you’re in luck because the fix for that might be lying inside your wardrobe - or at least it could be! Your clothes hold a lot more power over your assertiveness and productiveness than you’d think. Learn how below and what you can do to make the change.
Researchers call it ‘enclothed cognition’, a term describing the influence that clothes and their symbolic meaning can have on the wearer's psychological processes. The concept was discovered by two Northwestern University researchers who put it to test by conducting experiments that explored the effects of wearing a lab coat - an item of clothing that’s generally associated with being alert and careful. The experiments concluded that wearing a lab coat did indeed display an increased amount of attention, especially when participants were told that it belonged to a doctor.
Most of us have unknowingly experienced enclothed cognition at some point or another. It could have been the rush you felt to support your favourite football team when you wore their jersey on the day of a game or the sense of accomplishment you felt when you donned your graduation cap and gown or when you simply know that you have the power to ace that interview when you wear your lucky shirt or put on a slick blazer. It has long been noted that we express our mood or personal style through what we wear, but perhaps that’s because the clothes themselves emit the very feeling we wish to embody.
As most employees continue to operate remotely, the idea of choosing to slip on a pair of pyjamas for work may seem freeing to some (or at least the easiest option), but can seep into lazy territory soon enough. Leaving you with unfinished tasks, wondering why you can’t get anything done. This is the best time as any to conduct your very own cognitive fashion experiment with a crisp shirt or blouse to see how your day fares in return. We have a feeling it won’t disappoint!
Below, we’ve selected our top favourite looks to get you looking your best while you perform your best. From effortless shirts and trousers to pencil skirts and formal blouses, there’s something for everyone.
Published by: Jharna pariani/ 2020-08-15