Mindful Glamour

Have you ever thought that what you wear is not only for aesthetics, practicality, or comfort? This is a question I often ask my patients. In fact, it is scientifically proven that clothing can have a profound impact on our mental and emotional well-being.
The daily choice of what to wear goes beyond aesthetics, influencing our self-confidence and even our mood.

Do I want to be like Margot Robbie? Uniqueness is winning!

Many times, I meet people who want to drastically change their body and ask me for diets or fitness goals that aren’t realistic. Aspiring to models that are too far from our physical constitution can become a source of frustration. We can work successfully on body recomposition (working on fat or muscles), but some inherent characteristics cannot be changed.
These make us unique, special, but are often mistakenly perceived as flaws. So what?
It makes no sense to destroy ourselves with overly strict diets or exercises to achieve a stereotypical beauty ideal that doesn’t belong to our physique!
Throughout history, aesthetic standards have always changed, and if we think of famous people considered incredibly beautiful, from Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe, from Sophia Loren to Manuela Arcuri, we see how beauty cannot be rigidly confined to certain standards, especially excessive thinness.

“Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the conviction of being beautiful”

It’s important to know your body, make it as healthy and harmonious as possible, and love it with all of its characteristics, learning to highlight your traits.
Understanding what body shape we have (apple, pear, bell-shaped…) or which colors suit our complexion is essential to appreciate and enhance ourselves.
I always remind my patients that taking care of posture is crucial for our health, but also for appearing and feeling more confident.
Constitutional characteristics vary from person to person. By playing with fabrics and styles, colors and patterns, it is possible to create an individual style that feels harmonious and makes us feel at ease.
Often, a different dress, the right pattern and color, is enough to make us feel beautiful. I discussed how to dress according to body shape in this post and in my book “Health Revolution: The 5 Pillars of Health.”

Individual Expression and Authenticity

Clothing is also a means through which we can express our unique identity and personal values. It’s a form of communication. A uniform, for example, immediately identifies the professionalism of a person. When I wear my lab coat in my office, compared to a structured jacket at a work event or more casual clothes, I immediately represent or convey a message.
A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science reveals that the clothing we wear, such as formal attire, greatly influences how we are perceived, not only by others, but it also helps us feel more confident and facilitates social interactions.

The Power of Colors

Colors, textures, and clothing styles can have a direct impact on our mood. A study conducted by psychologist Prof. Karen Pine, author of Mind What You Wear: The Psychology of Fashion, revealed that participants who wore bright and colorful clothes reported an increase in energy and a better mood.

Elegance is the only beauty that never fades (Audrey Hepburn)

Elegance should not be about appearance, but the expression of our authenticity and personal values. Wearing a beautiful dress that doesn’t feel right for us creates a sense of dissonance and definitely undermines our self-esteem.
Wearing 15cm heels might be perfect for a romantic date, but only if we don’t trip!
Elegance doesn’t mean being a fashion victim, but being appropriate for the situation and one’s personality. It also means showing respect for others, adapting to other cultures when we are guests in a new place.
Today, fashion also focuses on environmental sustainability, and it’s worth choosing clothes that are respectful of the environment and the working conditions in the production cycle.

Fashion, Art, and Culture

Fashion is also a form of art and culture. Both in terms of craftsmanship—because well-designed and embroidered garments become true works of art—and because they represent cultures, trends, and styles that evolve over time. This is why we find magnificent clothes in famous museums.
Designers, in this sense, are true artists who use the finest materials for beautiful, flattering garments, often inspired by artworks and collections from other designers. Clothing can be a canvas on which stories, cultural traditions, and personal narratives are painted.

Image Consulting

For all these reasons, within the fitness programs I offer my patients, according to the method I’ve developed, I propose an image consulting session with a specialist.
My mother used to tell me that taking care of our appearance and clothing should not be an exercise in vanity but an act of self-love above all. And it also functions like the flower vase she placed on her balcony, a gesture that brought pleasure to everyone.
We can thus choose an outfit with a new awareness: Mindful Glamour, to restore the essence of elegance and beauty, which are nothing but a reflection of inner harmony.

Sources:

Slepian, M. L., Ferber, S. N., Gold, J. M., & Rutchick, A. M. (2015). The Cognitive Consequences of Formal Clothing. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(6), 661-668.