Have you ever found yourself in a state of total distraction and inner turmoil? Unable to focus on your daily tasks? Certain thoughts playing on your mind over and over again? Perhaps your work suffered, or your personal challenges seemed to be on an endless loop repeating itself. In the backdrop of your mind, self-doubt and lack of confidence looming larger by the day. If this sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. Many of us have faced these struggles, and I’ve been there myself. I want to share some of my tips of clothing for mental health that I’ve learnt!
In this article I will talk about some of the tools that helped me recover from these struggles, hoping that will benefit you in some shape or form.
Fashion and mental health? Why?
You might be wondering why I decided to dive into the topic of mental health in this blog, especially since Aya Mana is primarily a fashion brand. Well, the truth is, these two things can be linked together pretty well. In fact, my own mental health journey played a significant role in the birth of Aya Mana. Our designs aren’t just made to keep you warm and dressed; they’re about making a statement and boosting your confidence. They’re a reflection of your playful side, a taste of freedom. They are a representation of your authentic self and also the person you strive to be.
Help us to help you with this quick survey + get a free discount code
We’ve created a survey that we’d love your input on. It’s all about getting to know you better β your daily routines, hobbies, style, lifestyle, work style and shopping trends. It should only take about 3 minutes to complete. By sharing your thoughts, you’ll help us fine-tune our offerings to match your preferences. Our aim is to make sure you always find what you like and maybe even discover a few surprises. Plus, we’re committed to sustainability and reducing waste, and your insights will guide us in that direction.
How Clothing for Mental Health is a Real Thing
That episode in Friends where…
Remember that episode from Friends when Rachel pretended being sick to attend Joey’s secret party? When Monica revealed the fancy dress under Rachel’s towel robe, she responded: “when you’re sick you do whatever you can to make yourself feel better” It got me thinking, you know. When we’re down, physically or mentally, we tend to do whatever it takes (within reason) to feel better. And dressing up can be a surprisingly effective first step in the direction of healing, especially for our minds. Clothing for mental health is pretty amazing. It stirs up positive emotions, boosts our confidence, and helps define who we are.
Clothes and our role in life
In life, we all play different roles and juggle various responsibilities, some requiring self-confidence, some discipline and some playfulness and relaxed attitude. For example, I’m a daughter, a sister, a friend, an employee, a software engineer, a seamstress, a blogger, and a business owner. Whew, it’s a lot and it’s not easy to keep up with all! But clothes can make us feel like different characters. When I’m all dressed up, I feel chic. Going for a relaxed look? I’m ready to laugh more. And when I’m decked out and feeling super pretty, I can’t help but strike a pose. Clothes have this amazing way of letting me express my inner self on the outside, and it’s pretty fantastic!
Meditation explains clothing for mental health…
A bit about my struggles…
During my time working in an investment bank, I, like many others, faced some tough moments of stress and low spirits. It took a bit of convincing from friends and the outside world to finally give meditation a shot, and I haven’t looked back since. It’s been a game-changer for me, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone going through a tough time. But here is how meditation helped me understand why clothing for mental health can be a beneficial thing!
Tension is thoughts and body controls thoughts…
Feelings of exhaustion and tension are bundles of thoughts and raw emotions. Your thoughts can affect how you feel, BUTTT your feelings can also impact your thoughts. Even a brief second of sadness can trigger more negative thoughts, like how cloudy skies can make you feel a bit down.
But it’s not just our thoughts and moods that can affect our well-being. Our bodies play a significant role, too. Our mind doesn’t operate in isolation; it’s intricately connected with our body. They constantly exchange emotional information. In fact, how our body feels is often influenced by our thoughts and emotions, and, conversely, what we think can be influenced by our physical state. It’s a complex, interconnected process with plenty of feedback loops. Research has shown that even small changes in our body can have a big impact on our overall outlook. Something as simple as a smile, a frown, or adjusting our posture can dramatically affect our mood and the kinds of thoughts that pop into our heads. Keep reading because I promise it’s about to make sense…
Meditation explains it all…
My favorite meditation guide book describes an experiment done by psychologists Fritz Strack, Leonard Martin, and Sabine Stepper. They asked a group of people to watch cartoons and rate how funny they found them. Some were told to hold a pencil between their lips, which forced them to mimic a frown. Others were asked to watch with a pencil between their teeth, creating a smile-like expression. The results were quite surprising: those who had been smiling with the pencil between their teeth found the cartoons significantly funnier than those who had to frown. We all know that smiling is a sign of happiness, but how powerful it is to realize that the simple act of smiling can actually make you feel happier. It’s a great example of how closely connected our minds and bodies are.
The power of clothes
Now we can all see how looking after our bodies, from what we eat and how much we exercise to the clothes we wear can affect our minds. Clothing for mental health has its benefits and will give our mood a boost, both in the short term and over time.
What our survey contains?
Occupation
At Aya Mana, we’re always striving to offer a more personalized and fulfilling shopping experience. That’s why we’ve included questions about your occupation, location type, shopping habits, and workwear preferences in our survey. It’s good for us to understand your occupation as it helps us tailor our clothing to your specific needs. You may work in a corporate office, a creative workspace, or a completely different work environment. In all cases, we want your clothing to fit your job and complement your style, bringing out the best in you!
Shopping trends
We’re keen in making your shopping experience with us exceptional. For this reason, insights into your shopping budget, affinity for unique clothing, quality versus price preference, and shopping habits, whether organized or spontaneous, are all crucial in helping us serve you better. By understanding your budget, we can align our offerings with your financial comfort zone, providing you with value and affordability. Your preference for unique clothing and choice between quality and price informs our product range, helping us strike the right balance. Your shopping habits, whether structured or impromptu, allow us to craft a shopping experience that complements your style.
Fashion trends
Insights to your color choices, your inclination toward patterned or plain fabrics, and your preference for chic versus boho styles are all invaluable in helping us refine our collections to better match your individual tastes.
Hobbies and personality
At Aya Mana, we’re not just interested in your wardrobe; we’re also passionate about understanding you as a whole person. That’s why our survey includes questions about your leisure time, hobbies, and personality traits. We want our collections to not only complement your fashion tastes but also align with your lifestyle. If you’re someone who takes extra-curricular courses or speaks multiple languages, this tells us about your multifaceted personality and the need for versatile clothing. Your holiday preferences guide us in creating pieces that match your travel adventures.
Finally
There are some great tools and tips out there to tackle anxiety! Soooo tell me about your own experience, I am curious and want to see what others think about this topic. And in case you missed this part, I would love your input in this quick short survey. Don’t miss it to get your discount code!
Iβd never thought about fashion tied to mental health, but it totally makes sense that it really can make you feel better! And I love the idea of fashion tied to your interests!
Yes I agree, it’s incredible how the tiniest details can make a huge difference!
Very interesting, honestly, if it makes you feel happy and better then it’s good to do it.
Hi Fransic, thanks for your feedback π I agree, everyone should feel free to experiment and find what works for them the best!
I didn’t know there was a relation between clothes and mental health. Great post.
Thank you π Yes, it’s an unexpected relation but many people seem to have discovered it!
I have never thought about this as a business model BUT I LOVE it! I actually work with clients on energy healing, using frequencies and colored glasses to help their emotions and moods. There is a whole science of colors and the effects they have on emotions. Also considering the way some clothing feels or appears more frumpy, and can make a person feel more depressed or anxious about the fit and feel.
Hi Megan, thanks for your feedback, I’m glad you enjoyed my writing! π Yes, I think it’s amazing what tiny things like the color we wear or the kind of clothes we put on can make a huge difference in our moods and lift our spirits for the whole day! I think we should never forget to start small changes (like outfit choices for example, but it can be other things too) in order to achieve big results.