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Eating Disorders and the Fashion Industry
We live in a world full of constant pressures. Whether that be from work or school, from ourselves or even from things that are meant to make us feel good – like fashion. We sometimes don’t realise that the things meant to enrich our lives are harming us. Remember Tumblr? As a teenager I was very into Tumblr. I would spend most of my time after school in the depths of the search bar, looking for fashion and life inspiration. I was always going into my city to look at and buy clothes to fit the style I wanted to have. While I thought I was having a good time…
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Mental Health and Buying Patterns Within Fashion
Although we may not think about why we purchase certain items as buyers, or why we are drawn to certain styles, these are inherently personal choices that we make about our appearance. Fashion is often regarded as a form of self-expression and the way we style ourselves is a part of that expression. Whether we look for comfort, utility, or price, there are a variety of motivating factors that influence what we wear on a daily basis. An overarching factor at play is how our mental health affects our buying and our fashion choices. Our mental health can influence us as consumers in a number of ways, but there are…
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How Fashion Can Cultivate Positive Mental Health
What we wear can say a lot about who we are as people; the styles, patterns and colours we choose represent part of our personality. Whether this is done consciously or subconsciously, we are projecting ourselves to those around us through the clothes we wear every day. If someone favour’s clothing that connotes a specific style or trend, they are reflecting interest in that subject/culture to the outside world. The same applies for merchandise from media and pop culture we enjoy. Fashion is a form of self – expression and can be used to increase self – confidence. Clothing can also have symbolic meaning. Certain pieces may represent a positive…
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Express Yourself: The Relationship Between Fashion and Mental Health
Fashion – we love it, we hate it, and we spend a lot of money on it. So, it comes as no surprise that this three trillion-dollar industry has an interesting relationship with mental health and wellbeing. Granted, fashion’s impact on mental health probably isn’t something you consider when you get dressed each day, but this doesn’t minimise the weight of the issue – which is more expansive than you might first think. With this in mind, today, we want to take a look at how fashion can impact our mental health, from how it can box us in and free us all at once. Behind the façade of fashion…
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All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go: Clothing in the Time of Covid-19
I’ve recently taken up learning Italian. Although, to say I’ve taken up a language seems a little frivolous, as if I could put it down again like another lockdown whim. The word recently, too, is somewhat deceiving. In actuality, I have been learning Italian for more than a year, but the slow process of rewiring your brain for a whole new process of understanding has an uncanny way of making you feel like a permanent beginner. What I have – so far – is a good grasp of the basics. I can translate simple children’s stories and it’s a thrill each and every time I do so at an almost…
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How Self-Expression Through Personal Style Promotes Positive Mental Health
A lot of people use their fashion and style to express themselves and there are many reasons for this. It may be to show their culture, or their lifestyle, or it could be to show their creativity or it may also be to simply show to the world who they are. Either way, this can be an extremely positive tool for people who may have trouble expressing themselves in other ways. Personal style is the best way to introduce yourself to the world without the use of words. Not only that, but it also gives an opportunity to look deeper within and learn about yourself. The more we know about…
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Is the Size of our Clothes Determining how we View Ourselves in the Mirror?
So I went into River Island and picked up a pair of size 8 jeans and did the same from Topshop, yet the pair from River Island were too tight for me! Does anyone else have this problem? After trying on the River Island jeans I felt really deflated and down about my image. However, I couldn’t understand how the two pairs could differ in measurements so much. No wonder I struggle to clothes shop without having to buy 3 different sizes. This shouldn’t have to be a problem in this fast moving industry. We all have Differing Body Shapes In today’s society we seem to think that the size…
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Is Fashion Fuel to the Fire of the Mental Health Crisis?
From the outside, the fashion industry looks full of luxury and glamour. It’s an industry many of us strive to be a part of in one way or another – whether that be by buying in to new trends, studying fashion at university, following fashion influencers on social media or working in the industry itself. However, the harsh reality of this is that we have all become subject to the negative effects to our mental health, despite turning a blind eye. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 4 of us are affected by poor mental well-being. People that work in the fashion industry are 25% more likely to…
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How Does Fashion Make You Feel?
Mental hygiene is crucial Mental health is something that most of us never learn to focus on and take care of. Our lives are more stressful than ever due to often demanding working environment and difficult relationships. Finally, the stress we are facing every day has made us notice the need for mental hygiene. For each of us, mental hygiene means a different thing. For someone, it might be meditation or yoga while for others it’s re-watching the favourite series or going out with friends. No matter what way we decide to use while dealing with stress, we must not forget to try our best to find the mental balance.…
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Use and Abuse: Fashion’s Mental Health Problem
Use and abuse culture Use and abuse culture facing graduates and young professionals as they enter the fashion industry is often the source of poor mental health. Having experienced several unpaid internships myself within the industry, I have seen first-hand how long, relentless hours can take their toll on personal wellbeing. Graduates and students bursting with fresh creative talent and youthful enthusiasm are over-used and thrown out on a continuous cycle. The high stress environment with constant pressure to stay ahead of trends and work at top-speed is impossible to maintain. Sadly, unpaid work in fashion has become normal. We see internships as the holy grail merely get your foot in…
