Does this dress make me look happy?

Have you ever put on a shirt in the morning and thought "people will definitely think I'm in a good mood today because of this outfit" ? Most people would likely say no, but there might be something to this way of thinking.  If you think about all the times you were sick, just been dumped, or fired, I don't think you were rushing to put on your best outfit for a night out. Instead, a lot of people throw on the sweats, and a hat to try and pull themselves together in hopes of appearing happy.  On the opposite side, when people are in a great mood, they are sometimes willing to put in the effort to construct a great outfit.  Have you ever seen someone that looks haphazardly dressed and assumed they were in a rush this morning? Apply the same thinking to someone who is having a bad day or may be battling depression.  Their mind is probably somewhere else, or distracted by something, and not as much thought is going into what they are wearing.
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( probably not shooting for the best dressed award)

Not only does what you wear influence how people perceive you, but the colors you choose do as well.  Most of us have seen someone wearing all black, or gothic style clothing and immediately wondered why they would want to look so depressed.  While many business attires are black and white there is something different about someone on the street wearing all dark colors who is clearly not going to a business meeting.

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People who dress in brighter colors are often thought as happier and will even put those around them in a better mood.  Certain colors are associated with specific moods that many people interpret similarly.  For instance, blue is calming for many, while white is refreshing and gives the feeling of something new.  Think about this the next time you get dressed and if the outfit and colors you choose seem to indicate the mood you are in. Perhaps you are sad but need to appear very happy, try wearing a nice dress or shirt with bright colors to see if this will positively impact your mood :)

Some interesting pages on clothing/color and mood :)


http://www.gdotmoda.com/en/blog/what-cognitive-psychology-studies-reveal-about-fashion-140

http://decoration.com/decorating-tips/impact-of-colors/index.html
 ( written about interior decorating but could also be applied to fashion)