We spend a lot of time at TPOF, observing, quizzing, and talking to others to unearth the nuances behind the psychology of fashion: what is it about certain clothes, certain colors, textures, and shapes, that makes us feel the way we do?
This question gets more interesting when you begin to think about how we can use clothes therapeutically - to make us feel more confident, to uplift a sad mood, or to offset anxiety. And the biggest antidote to anxiety that we found, a sartorial chicken soup for the soul if you will, are soft textiles and a heavy drape. In short, a big heavy chunky knit.
Think about it. Softness comforts. The desire to put on a pair of sweats, a cozy sweater and wrap up in a plush throw on the couch after a bad day is real. Our love for soft things starts from when we’re babies and get attached to blankets, right into adulthood, when we get attached to The Row’s cashmere. While no one has carried out experiments testing stressed-out people in sweaters of varying thickness, our life-affirming appreciation of all-things-soft is evident. Sumptuous textiles are fashion’s chill pill. When we say something is “cozy”, we mean that its texture not only brings physical comfort, but emotional consolation as well.
Those who are more prone to worrying especially, like to feel cocooned: It’s why weighted blankets are used for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia—the protected sensation feels grounding and calming. Weighted blankets have been around for a long time, according to Dr. Cristina Cusin, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. The blankets are supposed to work much the same way tight swaddling helps babies feel snug and secure so they can get to sleep more quickly. She explains that the weight of a blanket essentially simulates a comforting hug, helping to calm and settle the nervous system. Heavier or softer fabrics can do the same for us as adults.
Pre-Fall 2020 Coat by The Row
This dynamic cushioning effect also supports the idea of investing in a good coat. Anxiety is our brain feeling an irrational sense of danger around something. This ‘danger’ alert comes from the same place in the brain, whether the perceived threat comes from frosty weather (you’ll freeze to death!) or frosty treatment from someone (he’ll ghost you!). This alert feels uncomfortable, as since we’re born, one of our most basic needs is to feel safe from physical and emotional harm. Life brings up lots of alerts, but we can make ourselves feel safer and curb that anxious flight-or-fight response with plush, warm, generously sized outerwear, which can become a literal safety blanket during highly triggering situations, which tells our panicky brain “you’re fine”.
Alas, all this snuggling isn’t always an option. You know those nights when you’re really going through it and the last thing you want to do is go out, but you have “this thing”? If you have an evening event and can’t curl up on the couch in a knit and savor a Netflix binge, remember that a plusher, thicker fabric such as velvet will always feel more reassuring than a lightweight barely-there material such as chiffon. (Mary-Kate, Ashley – weighted blazers lined with a layer of cashmere? Just an idea.)
In the world of post-pandemic dressing, one word has taken social media by storm: cheugy (pronounced: chew-gee). In the worlds of fashion and lifestyle, cheugy describes a look, a thing or a person that’s considered out of date.