unleash the superpower hiding in your closet

What you wear can influence the way you think and behave, upping your energy and motivation. In the latest installment of our Power Up Program, WD Editor in Chief Meaghan B Murphy explains how displaying your signature style can enhance your life.

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The idea that clothes could affect my energy like either a venti cup of coffee or a tranquilizer was a long-held belief I temporarily cast aside during the stressful first weeks of the COVID lockdown.

It was right around then that I became a walking version of a meme about daytime and nighttime PJ’s and elastic waistbands. The day I finally blow- dried my hair and put on real clothes (albeit still with an elastic waistband... baby steps!) and a little makeup, I instantly felt more motivated and calm than I had in a while. It sent the message to my subconscious that I could in fact homeschool and make a magazine and finish a book and record a podcast and better manage my stress—or at least want to keep trying.

What we wear really can influence how we feel and behave. Scientists at Northwestern University came up with the term “enclothed cognition” to describe how what we wear influences our psychological processes. They tested their theory with lab coats—universally associated with intelligence and authority (e.g., scientists and doctors )—and predicted that wearing one and calling it a “doctor’s coat” would boost people's performance on attention-related tasks. Sure enough, it did. It’s not hard to make the jump to realizing how a sparkly holiday dress or velvet Mary Janes can boost our motivation, confidence, and performance.