Can what you wear change how you feel?
By Katie-Louise Buxton
Karl Lagerfeld said: “don’t dress to kill, dress to survive.” I think of that quote every time I open my wardrobe. I dress for my mood, my environment and situation, so that I can feel equipped to hold my head high and my shoulders back as I enter any room. But is this universal? How can what you wear change how you feel? I want to find out.
So, on a rainy day, I headed to Manchester’s Northern Quarter, the city’s heart of eclectic style, to meet three people who use clothing in very different ways: Phoebe, a maximalist who uses style for confidence; Holly, an influencer who’s made a career through her personal style; and a judge, whose robes assert authority in a court room.
As I shelter from the rain, my gaze is instantly brightened by Phoebe Garner. She declares ‘it’s a dress down day’ as we amble into a coffee shop. Her outfit is a feast for the eyes: she’s wearing mustard plaid trousers with an oversized green and yellow striped jumper, garnished by a black floral tie. With a ring on every finger, Phoebe has foregone her usual bold and colourful makeup for a bare face. She’s worn her long red hair half up and half down; the sides of her head are shaved, and she carries off a micro-bang like the ultimate manic pixie dream girl.
“If I look back on pictures of me as a little girl, I’ve always been eccentric, I’ve always dressed a little different. It’s always been part of who I am,” she said. Phoebe is warm and confident when talking about her style. She starts her outfit with a theme or builds around a specific piece. “I love getting dressed” she tells me, “It’s where I get my confidence from. It almost feels like my armour, it’s my protection from the outside world.”
Phoebe is neurodivergent and can find the texture of some clothes difficult. But accessories help her feel empowered: “If I wear a necklace or a tie, I can fiddle with it, it’s a soothing thing and keeps me grounded.”
Phoebe’s aesthetic is bold and colourful and demands to be seen. Her Instagram grid is a rainbow of self-expression, taking influence from art, literature and drag queens. “I know the way I dress makes me seem very confident, but I dress to feel that way,” she said. “I really believe in dopamine dressing (dressing to lift your mood); my whole perspective on the day can change based on a bad outfit.”
Confession: I have definitely been influenced by the glossy profiles of content creators and Holly Rebecca White is one of them. After 10 years of posting outfits online, Holly has amassed over 70 thousand followers on Instagram (@hollyrebeccawhite). She walks into the coffee shop to join me wearing a chic black coat over a cobalt blue jumper, with dark wash denim and black leather boots. She’s carrying tote bags full of clothes from a day shooting content in autumnal Ancoats.
Clothing and makeup were a way Holly found herself: “It gave me that sense of who I am.” Holly started to form her personal style at the end of high school. “I was very into Marilyn Monroe,” she said. “I loved red lipstick and that filtered into clothes.”
Years on, Holly reflects on how her style has developed as she has posted online: “My style came with confidence. Now I don’t really care too much. I like it if someone’s looking at my outfit.”
Holly’s following has grown as her style’s evolved from pops of red, to muted beige and now a classic style with flashes of colour. Surely being so online can affect your style? Holly told me: “I think it’s hard to keep it personal to you and please everyone. Sharing online can be hard; you want people to follow you and like your style, but you’ve got to make sure you’re enjoying it at the same time.”
Like Phoebe, style is something Holly uses to feel confident: “I feel good because I know I love this jumper. I feel like myself” she said. “You’ve got to present yourself to the world in the way you feel most confident.”
But can that be compromised when your livelihood depends on people liking your style? When working with brands, influencers may have to pick from a restricted selection, Holly said: “There might not be something that stands out as me, but to do the paid campaign I have to make something feel like me.”
After years in the game Holly has built a brand from her personal style and is steadfast in being herself in her work “You have to decide if you can express your style the way you want to in your content.”
As I get to my car I receive a call from my next subject of style. For the sake of anonymity let’s call him The Judge.
Working in court, the judge has a clean distinction between work and play as he must wear robes, he said: “It doesn’t make me feel more important, but it definitely gives a sense of authority.”
Judges have worn special robes and headgear since the Middle Ages. The current style of gown dates back to the 18th century.
“I’ve never been in favour of it,” he said. “I think it’s antiquated but equally the fact that there’s been a move to make court less formal may have resulted in the rise of disrespect in court.” The Judge goes on to tell me robes are not worn in Family Court except during sentencing, but at present there’s a move to introduce the wearing of robes in every hearing because there’s a been a reduction in respect.
But does donning a robe make The Judge feel different? “I don’t feel more empowered. I like to think I’d maintain the same style and outlook, but I think it makes you change your thought process and the way you communicate,” he said. “It’s much more formal.”
Clothing is universal but personal style and uniform are specific to individuals. Maybe you can feel more confident through what you wear like Phoebe; find yourself through style like Holly; or, like The Judge in his robes, use clothing to give a sense of authority. What I do know is that in the right outfit, I feel ready to take on the world… so maybe you can dress for success.