Look Good, Feel Good

Art by Duaa Shahzad

Winter is coming, and with its arrival comes shorter days, cold nights, and holiday lights. Temperatures drop and so does motivation, as university students prefer to remain bundled up indoors, away from the frigid weather.

However, that desire to stay inside leads to bigger problems, as many university students struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). They don’t get enough sunlight, spend too much time isolated indoors without talking to anyone, and the gray, overcast days of winter only make things worse.

There are many ways to alleviate this, ranging from medication to simply daily walks outside. One method that I feel is not talked about enough is fashion. Specifically, the act of getting ready and dressing up every day. Psychologist Carolyn Mair talked about this phenomenon on the Speaking of Psychology podcast. She explained that if people don’t feel comfortable and confident in what they wear every day, it affects their mental health and causes them to feel more stressed out. If somebody is already spending their days inside, not getting out of their sweats and T-shirt that they’ve been wearing for two days, then they’re bound to be uncomfortable and more on edge.

Feeling good about how we look can boost confidence. Getting out of bed, taking a shower, and choosing an outfit are all concrete actions that can make a positive change in your life.

For instance, if you have an early morning class and you know you won’t have the energy to go through the motions of getting ready in the morning, try doing it the night before. Take a shower and wash your hair. Pick out your clothes for the next day, and leave them folded on your dresser.In addition to making your morning routine just that much easier, it also gives you something to look forward to the next day, so you’re not worried about getting ready on time or dreading the process of showering while the sun is still rising.

Going to class wearing an outfit you’re proud of and spent time putting together can vastly improve your day.In 2012, the American Psychological Association introduced the concept of “enclothed cognition,” which essentially states that the clothes we wear influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Wearing an outfit made up of all your favorite items of clothing is far more likely to make you feel better about yourself than wearing the same outfit you wear every day because you’re too tired to come up with anything else.

Wintertime makes dressing up a little more complicated, but not necessarily impossible. Layers are the key to putting together a cohesive winter outfit, with scarves over a leather jacket over a chunky knit sweater. Make it fun, make it a reflection of you, but make sure it’s practical.

It’s far too easy to slip into the haze of wintry days, pulling you away from the world. But fashion might just be the key to bringing you back into it.