Enclothed Cognition: Dress to Think & Feel Better (Sustainably)

Up until recently, I had never heard of “enclothed cognition”.

But I had noticed something: whenever I wear an actual office-style outfit, even when working from home, I genuinely feel more professional and end up being more productive than when I stay in my loungewear. 

Is it all in my head? Turns out, yes… but that’s exactly the point!

I bet you’re already familiar with power dressing or ‘dress to impress’. Instead, enclothed cognition isn’t about doing it for someone else: it gives YOU all the power.

And while it’s not really talked about, I believe it can also help you ditch fast fashion and dress more sustainably.

Pretty magical, right? But there’s actual science behind it:

What is the concept of enclothed cognition?

Enclothed cognition is a psychological phenomenon: it’s about how the clothes you wear influence your thoughts, feelings, and therefore, your actions and behaviours too, especially based on the meaning we attach to them.

I’ll give you the best practical example, which is also when the term was coined.

In 2012, psychologists Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky ran an experiment: they got some people to wear a lab coat and some others to stay in their clothes, and they asked them to complete the same tests. 

The participants wearing the lab coat made half as many errors!

But the power of enclothed cognition doesn’t stop there. They ran a similar experiment while getting everyone to wear the exact same coat, but they told some participants that it was a doctor’s coat, whereas some others thought they were wearing a painter’s coat.

The ones thinking they were wearing a doctor’s coat performed significantly better.

So, this really shows that, with enclothed cognition, what makes the biggest difference is the symbolic meaning we place on certain garments: when we wear them, our brain starts embodying the traits we associate with them. How mindblowing is that?!

Basically, you get to influence how you’re going to feel (or perform) today simply by being mindful and strategic when you get dressed! 

How to embrace enclothed cognition in your day-to-day life 

• Identify the ‘categories’ that matter to you – The aim at this stage is to pinpoint relevant tasks, moods, goals, or feelings (so you can then find clothes that match them and start reaping the benefits of enclothed cognition). There’s no right or wrong!
  For example, if you’re working towards a promotion, a category could be ‘professional clothes for next-level you’. If you love wearing outfits that stand out and embody your unique style, another category could be ‘main character vibes’
• Notice what clothes and accessories you associate to each category – The easiest and best place to start embracing enclothed cognition is your wardrobe, although you might want to think beyond that too (for example, if you realise you associate “structured blazers” to career advancement but you don’t own any).
  Focus on different types of items but also fabrics, colours, and patterns. What category do your existing garments belong to, for you? What meaning are you attaching to them?
  For example, I have a beautiful blazer that I often wear when I have to do “smart things”, like speaking in front of an audience or during important meetings. Because it came from my grandma and my mother also wore it a lot, it feels like those who went before me are actually there with me, and this gives me extra confidence
• Consider logging this (like in a digital wardrobe app) – To make things easier for yourself (and save a tonne of time and brainpower later down the line), I recommend creating relevant outfits for each category using a free digital wardrobe app like Whering. That way, you can always find clear visual reminders and experiment with creative combinations
• Start getting dressed mindfully – Unlock the power of enclothed cognition by choosing your outfits based on how you want to feel that day or what goal you’re prioritising. And remember: those categories aren’t set in stone. So, check how you actually feel when you wear each outfit. Does it match the category you selected? If not, change them. YOU are in charge!

Why I believe enclothed cognition can also help us dress more sustainably

Fast fashion is more “external”: wanting to copy that influencer’s look, buying something that others have baptised as the latest craze, chasing impersonal trends…

No wonder that, after that initial dopamine hit, we go back to being unfulfilled and uninspired with our wardrobe, feeling the need for more new clothes. After all, fast fashion overconsumption is literally designed to keep you unhappy. 

Instead, with enclothed cognition, we get to focus on clothes that mean something to us and that make us feel happy and fulfilled whenever we rewear them!

• Once you can find those special clothes in your wardrobe, you’ll no longer chase external validation or impulse purchases (this will also save you money in the long run!)
• You’ll get creative repurposing the same clothes to create new outfits, aiming for different feelings, vibes, or goals 
• Embracing self-expression will also make you feel fulfilled in the long run

To embrace enclothed cognition sustainably:

• Get the most out of the garments already in your wardrobe
• When adding to them, be mindful: does the item you’re thinking of buying fit into your chosen categories? Can you see yourself rewearing it +30 times? 
• Buy fewer but higher-quality and meaningful clothes, and consider supporting small ethical brands. On Project Cece, you can find hundreds of them in one place, with filters to simplify your choices

So, tomorrow, decide how you want to feel or what you want to achieve, dress accordingly, and start experiencing the difference that enclothed cognition makes to your day!