Fashion is so easy to ignore; so easy to consider as a frivolous game of labels and hemlines and vanity. Cognitive psychologists and sociologists know better, however. They refer to “enclothed cognition” as the notion that clothing has a direct impact on our psychologies. In simple terms, our clothes alter our thoughts, feelings and interaction with the world.
We love the intersection of words, art and human nature at Quotenestify. Rather than a place for storage, the closet is a self-creation toolkit, and dressing the morning way is a powerful act of self-creation. Before we utter a word, our outfits are our armor, our rebellion, the loudest of our voices.
Here are four famous fashion quotes from fashion visionaries who knew the power of clothing, of getting dressed, of getting dressed up.
1. WEEKLY ARCHIVAL EXTRA – Bill Cunningham: The Daily Armor
In the face of daily life, “fashion is the armor to survive,” fistaneously.
— Bill Cunningham
The Context:
Bill Cunningham was a popular, iconic New York Times street-style photographer. He pedaled his bike through Manhattan for years, in his iconic blue French worker’s jacket and documented the sidewalk expressions of everyday people. He was not interested in celebrities, he was interested in the human spirit.
Transitions for students in good standing.Transitions for Students in Good Standing:
Cunningham understood that life is hard, it’s unpredictable, and it can be quite rough. We are wearing armor when we dress for a tough job interview, or a red lip on a day we feel drained. Our clothes offer a psychological barrier between ourselves and things on the outside. The only thing that dressing well does is give us the courage and resilience to face our problems head on.
2. Miuccia Prada: The Instant Language
Today, human contacts are so swift, what you wear is what you speak to the world.
— Miuccia Prada
The Context:
Miuccia Prada is the head designer of Prada, and is widely recognized for her intellectual design approach. She frequently steps outside of the box when it comes to beauty, contrasting what’s “ugly” with what’s “luxurious” to get people to look differently at beauty.
The Philosophy in Practice:
It is difficult to explain our personality, our past and our feeling to everyone we meet in a busy world. As Prada puts it, “clothes serve as a short-hand visual communication.” Your clothes are saying something about you before you even say your name; they’re telling people how confident you are, how much you respect the situation, how creative you are, or how much you want to fit in. It is a universal language, a universal code, an almost instant language to communicate our identity in a second.
3. Iris Apfel: The Joy of Rebellion
If you don’t act like everybody else, you don’t think like everybody else.
— Iris Apfel
The Context:
Legendary interior designer and fashion icon Iris Apfel, who lived to be 102, was instantly recognizable by her gigantic, round glasses and thick rings of colors and diamonds. She was the farthest thing from an epitome of quiet luxury; she firmly believed in “more is more and less is a bore”.
The Philosophy in Practice:
When people dress the same way, they think the same. Apfel’s quote taps into the liberating psychology of rebellion. If you allow yourself to wear something that’s wildly different, like a neon green coat, a patterned swimsuit or dramatic accessories, you’re actively challenging the tacit social rules of the environment. This outswearing results in internal freedom. It can help you to learn that being different is okay, and you should be creative and unapologetic in other parts of your life.
4. This is the declaration of independence for Gianni Versace.
Do not be trendy and do not let fashion be your master, rather, be what you want to be and be what you want to show by the way you are dressed and the way you live.
— Gianni Versace
The Context:
In the 1980s and 1990s, Gianni Versace created an empire based on unabashed glamour, sensuality, and boldness. He was a designer for self-assured individuals desiring to stand out. However, being a trendsetter, he strongly did not like the thought of consumers going with whatever is ordered by the Fashion Industry.
The Philosophy in Practice:
Versace’s knowledge applies to the fear of many people towards “keeping up” with the latest “trend”. To let magazines or influencers determine your wardrobe is giving up a bit of your identity. Fashion is a buffet, not a rulebook – that’s the key to psychological empowerment. You only bring what you need to your current identity and leave the rest at home. You are in charge of your image, not a mannequin for the industry.
The Psychology of Getting Dressed
The first step to using fashion as a psychological tool is to determine which emotion you need to put out today.
| Your psychological need | The wardrobe choice (The “Armor”) | The internal result |
|---|---|---|
| Tailored blazers, structured silhouettes, monochromatic dark tones. | Increased assertiveness, focus and perceived competence. | |
| Shoes that are soft knitted, flat, familiar worn-in vintage shoes. | Less anxiety, sense of safety and emotional warmth. | |
| Strong use of color, unusual combinations of patterns, daring accessories. | Feeling free, at a higher level, extrovert. |
We’re ultimately dealing with clothes that are very personal. The first line of demarcation between us and them is the fabric that touches our skin. If we can control that boundary, we can not only look different, we can become different people.
