Hiba Kathawala Week 11: The Control of Clothes

The Control of Clothes


Image credit: https://fortune.com/2023/08/29/stylists-thrifting-secondhand-clothing-style-boxes-bundles-kg-lillian-tiktok/

The last thing most people associate with power is usually their wardrobe. However, the way you dress and present yourself—whether you decide to go with the silver or gold hoops or tie your hair into a bun versus leaving it open—can have small inconspicuous impacts on yourself and those around you.


For me personally, the outfit I choose to wear each morning usually reflects my mood and energy levels. 

That’s why you can often see me wearing sweatpants and hoodies.


At the moment, nothing feels better than to slip out of bed half awake to wear my favorite pair of soft navy sweatpants—I’m basically wearing pajamas again. I’m mentally not ready to start the day, and want to prolong the warm comfiness of my bed for as long as possible. However, along with the comfiness of fluffy blankets comes a delayed grogginess that was not washed away in the morning. 


The outfit I wear not only reflects my mood, but can set the tone for the rest of the day. My clothing choices can affect the way I act.


In contrast to my usual uniform of sweatpants, if I choose to wear jeans, and a sweater, for example, I force myself out of my half-asleep reverie. The simple choice of dressing up slightly more, and being more mindful of the fact that I am getting ready to start the day, can help me feel more energetic.


In this way, my clothing has power over my mood and can even influence the type of day I set myself up to have. Now, on days where I feel tired in the morning, or not in the mood to go to school, I force myself to dress up so that I can try to change my mindset on my day. In this way, I am able to recognize the influence of what I wear on myself, and utilize it to my advantage.

Comments

  1. Harini KannanFebruary 12, 2025 at 9:42 PM

    Hi Hiba! Your blog post was the first I clicked to read when I saw the word "clothes" in your title. I guessed that it would be an interesting read, and I was right! I definitely understand what you said about forcing yourself out of bed to dress up more. On days when I feel sluggish, just putting on a nice outfit and doing my makeup makes me feel more put-together and ready to take on the day. It’s like tricking my brain into being productive. Thank you for sharing such a relatable blog!

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  2. Hakim RadFebruary 19, 2025 at 9:54 PM

    Hi Hiba. I agree. Clothes do have a control. But the reality is that idea of control is subjective and varies person to person. For me, I don't really think too much of clothes. I just wear whatever's in my closet and whatever I can easily access when I'm in a rush for school. Sure, there's gonna be people who judge people based on what they wear and have their own preferences for what looks good and what doesn't, but realistically, our interpretation and mindfulness of another's critique is totally up to us. I like wearing pajamas and maybe even to school. Some people like spending hours doing make-up and dress up. Yet, we both have our distinct reason for why we choose to do what we do. There's no such thing as the right type of fashion.

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