What we wear can affect how we feel.Â
Obviously, we’re all aware of that fact as the feeling of wearing a new flowy dress is different than wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants. However, what we wear can also affect our mental health, too.
A problem arises when people believe they cannot partake in popular trends, as they feel the trend was not made with their body type in mind.Â
This fear has gone viral through Youtube videos like ones made by YouTuber heyitsfeiii, who analyzes if a trend is universally cute or if it solely looks good on those who are thinner.
Although there is no official term for the fear of not being able to wear a trendy item because of one’s body type, the term Fashion Imposter Syndrome has become associated with those feelings. Â
Even though Fashion Imposter Syndrome is not a real medical condition, the chances of relating to this fear of avoiding certain clothing pieces is very common.Â
I still remember in 2021 when baggy jeans became popular, I envied TikTokers like Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio who popularized the trend because of their thin bodies. I stuck to wearing the dreaded skinny jeans because baggy jeans often made me look like a blob and were too long on me because of my height.
In addition, cognitive dissonance has been found to influence how individuals feel when wearing certain clothes.Â
Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual does not feel comfortable with their behavior as it doesn’t align with their beliefs or values.
Purging one’s closet of all pieces that don’t match their personality or buying clothes that don’t fit well but wearing them anyway because everyone else is are both examples of cognitive dissonance affecting people and their sense of style.
Although it may sometimes seem like fashion is the root of all evil, personal style and fashion can provide us with confidence. I also have experienced both the situations mentioned above, but I have since learned how to gain confidence from what I wear.
Several articles and blogs recommend building confidence by finding your own personal style; however, I don’t think a personal style is needed, and wearing what you want to wear and how you want to wear it is more important.
The first step is recognizing the cognitive dissonance that is affecting you. Also, consider if certain clothing items have more to do with the wearer’s appearance than starting a real trend.
From my own experience, it is best to keep in mind clothes are meant to fit you, you’re not meant to fit them.Â
This can be hard to understand at first; however, keeping this phrase in mind will help you to not place emphasis on the size of something but rather how you look and feel.
As I mentioned earlier I was afraid to wear baggy jeans, but after looking for a pair that would actually fit my body, I finally found the right ones and felt confident wearing them, too.
In short, our bodies do not limit us from taking part in fashion trends, and we just need to learn how to flatter them rather than expect to conform to others’ standards because fashion is meant to make us feel confident.