In this world of ours, most people judge books by their covers. Right now we’re all shaking our heads and thinking that’s so true and it’s such a shame because there is so much more beneath the cover.
I admit, that there is indeed a societal problem of judging books by their covers, but what if there’s something to it? What if, instead of looking at it from the common point of view (that an employer doesn’t like bigger women or women in pants, or that a girl who doesn’t dress as sexily isn’t as attractive) is the wrong point of view to view the issue from? For example, what if we can actually determined who is depressed, angry or dangerous from the way they are dressed.
I recently read an article online that found that women are more likely to dress in a frumpish manner when depressed or down. The article stated that women tend to wear baggier, more shapeless clothiing more often when they are depressed or down than when they are feeling positive and happy. In contrast, they wear well cut and well fitting clothing in brighter colours when they are happy. They also wear their favorite shoes more times than not when they are feeling good about themselves.
This article got me thinking. I immediately looked down at what I’m wearing today. I’m in jeans that are slightly too big for me and an olive green T-shirt, that, although I get a brilliant view of the boobies from my angle, does not do much for me. In fact, on this dreary, rainy day in Toronto, the olive green is almost my skin tone. How boring.
Then I considered my mood. I’m not sad, but I’m not at my best at all. I’m out of my PJs today so that’s a plus, right?!
Think about it though. When you are down, what do you wear?
And when you are happy, what do you wear?
So, if I wear frumpy clothing a lot when I’m down, then how can I change that? Does it make sense that if I start improving what I wear and force myself to wear my well-fitting clothing on a daily basis that the quality of my mood will improve across the board?
When I was sick as a child, yet well enough to get out of bed, my Mother made me do just that – she would have me get out of bed, take a shower and dress in something OTHER than PJs, open up the curtains and get me out of the room. Even if it were just down the hall to the living room to sit and watch TV. At least I was not in the bed surrounded by my own misery. You know what? More times than not, it worked.
I’m not saying changing from jeans to well fitting slacks or skirts will make me the happiest person to have ever existed. I’m saying that perhaps, one step at a time, I can become a happier person and maybe one of those steps is to make sure that, at least in appearance, I am happy with me. Maybe, just maybe, it would diffuse into me from appearance to heart and mind.
