Zoe's Bio
Member of the PBI, Zoe Shaughnessy has an MSc in Applied Psychology in Fashion at the University of Arts, London - the first and only postgraduate course in the world that provides critical insight into human behaviour to understand and improve the human aspects of the fashion business. She has an MSc in Occupational Psychology and is a BPS Chartered Occupational Psychologist in training. She is founder of the consultancy – Fashionology - focused on bringing psychological informed practice and insights to the fashion ecosystem to support and advocate for positive change.
Zoe's Blog
Have you ever dressed in a way that changed the way you feel about yourself?
Fashion is our second skin. Love it, or, loathe it; engage with it, remain neutral on it or feel disengaged by it, the fabric we adorn, or, use to grace our space, speaks volumes even if we don’t expect it, or, want it to.
Fashion psychology is the study of how clothing choices reflect and influence our thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and social interactions. The symbolic meaning of clothing and the physical experience of wearing it can shape our behaviour, confidence, attention, and even cognitive performance.
Enclothed cognition; a psychological concept that describes how the clothes we wear can influence our mental processes, attitudes, and performance provides that link the term was introduced by Adam and Galinsky (2012) in a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. In the study participants wore a white coat that was either described as a doctor’s coat or a painter’s coat. Those who believed they were wearing a doctor’s coat performed better on attention tasks showing more focus and precision. This proved that the symbolic meaning attached to clothing (not just the physical garment) can alter cognitive functioning.
Similarly, studies have shown that wearing formal clothes can make people feel more powerful and think more abstractly; athletic wear can boost motivation for exercise which is directly linked to self-perception and identity. Clothing can be used as a tool for mood management; we dress to feel better, safer, or more confident.
“Dopamine dressing” refers to choosing bright or expressive clothing to elevate mood. Conversely, when people feel low, they may dress in darker or less expressive ways.
Interesting things happen at intersections, thus bringing psychological insights and research to better understand fashion helps to examine why we wear what we wear and how style impacts identity and perception and how we feel.
Looking at fashion and the fashion ecosystem through the lens of psychology gives a rich avenue for exploration, including when it comes to sustainability. It can feed into the wider fashion structures and be viewed as a catalyst and advocate for helping to shape a better and more sustainable future. The global apparel market is valued at about US $1.84 trillion in 2025 (Statista). The fashion industry is responsible for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions, in addition the industry uses an enormous amount of water: e.g. it takes about 2,700 litres of water to produce one cotton T-shirt. There is opportunity for psychology to transform the fashion industry supporting fashion for good; exploring and understanding more sustainable consumer habits and encouraging less environmental harm.
Part of this potentially involves looking at concepts such as biomimicry. In fashion, this involves studying biological organisms and ecosystems to create sustainable textiles, efficient production methods, and emotionally engaging design. Biomimetic materials often look, feel, and behave differently they can be softer, adaptive, responsive. This changes how wearers experience clothing physically and psychologically: more comfort, protection, or empowerment. For instance, temperature-regulating fabrics (inspired by animal fur or plant structures) can increase physical comfort, which in turn affects mood and confidence.
From a psychological standpoint, wearing biomimetic, sustainable fashion can enhance a person’s moral self-concept; the feeling of being an ethical or responsible consumer. This ties to self-signalling theory: people use sustainable fashion choices to reinforce a positive self-identity and social image.
Interestingly, founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, stated ‘in your wardrobe hang your brains’ the idea that our clothing choices reflect and even shape our thoughts, emotions, and identities gives multiple avenues to explore the layered and multifaceted space that is Fashion Psychology.
Sources included in this blog/further reading
Adam, H., & Galinsky, A. D. (2012). Enclothed cognition. Journal of experimental social psychology, 48(4), 918-925.
Burger, A. M., & Bless, H. (2017). Cognitive consequences of formal clothing: the effects of clothing versus thinking of clothing. Comprehensive Results in Social Psychology, 2(2-3), 228-252.
Chen, S., Chen, F., Zhu, L., Li, Q., Wang, X., & Wang, L. (2023). A spatial water footprint assessment of recycled cotton t-shirts: Case of local impacts in selected China provinces. Sustainability, 15(1), 817.
Hoekstra, A. Y., & Mekonnen, M. M. (2012). The water footprint of humanity. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 109(9), 3232-3237.
Johnson, K., Lennon, S. J., & Rudd, N. (2014). Dress, body and self: Research in the social psychology of dress. Fashion and textiles, 1(1), 20.
Johnson, O., & Chattaraman, V. (2021). Signaling socially responsible consumption among millennials: an identity-based perspective. Social Responsibility Journal, 17(1), 87-105.
Lambert, E. (2019). Sustainable fashion consumption: theory of planned behavior and the influence of self-identity, perceived consumer effectiveness and fashion consciousness.
Li, K., & Xu, Z. (2025). “Change of ‘clothes,’change of mind?”: affective rhetoric and the dopamine-dressing sensation. Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies
Mayer, P., & Tama Birkocak, D. (2024). Carbon Footprint of Fashion: Assessing and Addressing Carbon Emissions in Textile Production. In Carbon Footprint
Assessments: Case Studies & Best Practices (pp. 99-130). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
Schutte, N. S., & McNeil, D. G. (2015). Athletic Identity Mediates Between Exercise Motivation and Beneficial Outcomes. Journal of Sport Behavior, 38(2).
Suvo, S. S. H. (2025). Assess the financial health and propose new project based on forecasted cash flow for Gartex Overseas Limited.