Kerri-Ann Hargreaves tells us how she uses mood dressing to lift her spirits
If I learned anything from watching Sex and The City on repeat throughout my twenties it is that ‘I like my money where I can see it – hanging in my closet’ {Carrie Bradshaw}. So it’s no surprise then that – with the exception of my family, of course – fashion is my first love. Fashion makes me feel good and I know i’m not alone in saying that. We all like to look good and feel good and a lot of times our mood can be reflected by the clothes we choose to wear. So where do you stand on mood dressing?
Do your outfits reflect your mood? I know mine do.
My fashion rules
The best clothes really are the ones that make you feel good, no matter what’s trending. It’s as simple as choosing an item of clothing that makes you feel your best. It’s okay to ignore the trends and focus on how you feel in your clothes too!
Over the years I have learned which brands fit my body the best and which styles flatter my figure- and most of all that what I see and love in magazines doesn’t always transfer to my wardrobe. And that’s okay.
For me, the rules are simple: I love skinny or straight leg jeans, I loathe boot-cut. I love trainers and flats; heels don’t love me. I love midi and maxi dresses – and I feel more comfortable in a floaty dress than i do a figure-hugging dress.
As someone who loves fashion, researching trends and styling outfits – I truly believe that clothes don’t fully make the person, but they can certainly make us feel a certain way about ourselves.
What matters to me is creating a wardrobe that I look forward to opening each day. The process of getting dressed needs to be a joy and not one that leaves me with a ‘floordrobe’ screaming out loud that I don’t have any clothes.
But I’m interested to know what you think:
Does your mood influence your clothing choices or do your clothing choices influence your mood?
If I’m being honest, I’d say that I sit somewhere in the middle. When I’m feeling low my first instinct might be to reach for loungewear or a chunky knit to hide under. But rather than let that feeling manifest, I change my outfit. I choose happy. I haven’t quite got to the stage of sitting in my wedding dress but I will wear sequins on the School run! And why not?
If you get stuck on what to wear some days – my advice would be to plan out your outfits. For example, on a Sunday evening I lay out my clothes for a Monday morning. I opt for brighter colours to brighten up my day. I choose an outfit that I know will make me feel good.
In January, I find myself looking back through my spring/summer wardrobe; getting excited for wearing bright and wonderful floral dresses. I always feel so light and carefree during these seasons and I think I crave that same feeling during a cold and dark January.
We should all use fashion to make us feel good though. And if an item of clothing doesn’t make you feel good send it to the charity shop. Fashion shouldn’t be forced and you shouldn’t have to follow a trend. It’s always been my motto – if I look good, I feel good. Simple.
As one of my style icons once said ‘Most of the time I dress depending on my mood…’ (Kate Moss). A cute outfit can really make your day. If I wear something I look and feel good in, my mood goes way up.
KA
Kerri-Ann Hargreaves lives in Newcastle-under-lyme and is author of the The KA Edit a life and style blog. Find her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook – @thekaedit.
