It’s great to have a favorite brand or favorite clothing store and know what clothes look good on you. Choosing clothes that make you feel comfortable as a mature adult is a sign that you understand your own contours. On the other hand, the author believes that sometimes it is better to try clothes that make you feel uncomfortable. In this article, I will introduce some of the good things that mature men can attract by buying “uncomfortable clothes.
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A piece of clothing that seems out of place can get you ahead of your ideal self!
In career development and self-development, it is repeatedly pointed out that if you walk an extension of the status quo, you will stagnate. In the context of coaching, it is also said that the goal should be placed ” outside the status quo. So, how do we bring this “outer goal” into our reality with a sense of reality? The key is “clothing.
Clothing is a signal that acts in two directions, externally and internally. Externally, as the signaling theory of social psychology suggests, it acts as a medium that determines first impressions as quickly as possible. A piece of clothing that is expensive to look at speaks eloquently of economic success, while a piece of clothing with an eccentric design speaks eloquently of creative sensibilities. At the same time, clothing also works internally. The psychology of clothing, ” Enclosed Cognition, ” shows that the clothes we wear change our self-perception and behavior. In other words, when we change our clothes, our mannerisms, language, and decision-making are naturally drawn to our future role. The double signal, external and internal, draws the goals we place on the outside into reality.
What kind of clothing should we choose there? The first direction that can be mentioned is to anticipate future roles in luxury. Invest in a Loro Piana cashmere coat or a Brunello Cucinelli tailored jacket that you might otherwise dismiss as “not for you,” and actually wear it. This is an act of installing a standard in oneself while presenting an image to the outside world of an adult who has achieved financial success and cultural maturity. On the other hand, expanding the boundaries of values with up-and-coming designers is another option: the deconstructive patterns of SOSHIOTSUKI, the fusion of East and West by Setchu, and the architectural cuts of Overcoat comfortably betray existing aesthetic sensibilities. It releases the role of an adult with innovative and creative sensibilities to the outside world and activates a new axis of judgment on the inside as well.
The first discomfort is a sign that the goal is on the side of the status quo. The “clothing signal,” which simultaneously rewrites the external message and the internal self-image, is the shortest route to attract the future.
Change your clothes, and even your weekend destination will change!
Clothing is more than just an adornment. Humans are creatures that change their behavior in response to their environment, and clothing is the easiest way to renew that “environment. Environmental psychology has shown that people unconsciously adjust their behavior to the situation in which they are placed, and the nudge theory of behavioral economics also advocates that small changes in the environment can change choices and behavior as if gently pushing back. Uncomfortable clothing functions as an “external device” that updates the entire environment of daily life.
Take, for example, the HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE set-up. The three-dimensionality of the pleats, which clearly sets it apart from the clothes you are used to, is exciting, and the lightweight comfort gives rhythm to your steps. Then, on weekends, one’s feet naturally lead one to the 4th floor space of ” GYRE ” in Omotesando or ” Chakata Kanetanaka “, spots with a certain sense of fashion without being overbearing.
The Row’s long coats are no different. The flowing silhouette sets the tempo for conversation, and its airy, spare feel is in harmony with the aesthetically pleasing spaces of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT in Roppongi Midtown and Marunouchi House in Marunouchi.
In other words, clothes that feel out of place change the way we act, the places we go, the people we meet, and the words we exchange. They play a role in enriching the lives of adults and trigger a renewal of everyday life itself.
Clothes that we admire intensely give us the conviction that we can still change!
“As we grow older, the stage for new challenges diminishes. Careers become stable, families and assets are fixed, and maintaining the status quo seems like the safe choice. However, psychology’s stretch-zone theory tells us that if we stay in an environment that is too comfortable, we degenerate, and that it is challenges with the right amount of anxiety and tension that promote growth. Venturing into the “stretch zone” through clothing is one of the few means of evolution left for adults.
Karl Lagerfeld is symbolic of this. He lost 42 kg in 13 months in order to wear the slender Dior Homme suits created by Hedi Slimane. Aside from the controversial methodology, this anecdote of setting clothes as his goal and changing himself fundamentally is an eloquent testament to the fact that ” the clothes you admire can be the driving force that makes you evolve.
KARL LAGERFELD, HEDI SLIMANE – DEFILE “DIOR” MODE MASCULINE AUTOMNE – HIVER 2007-2008 DIOR MEN’S FASHION FALL WINTER 2007-2008
Rick Owens’ long coats and pants are characterized by extreme silhouettes, forcing the wearer to evolve physically. Tom Ford’s suits are also tailored with a thick chest plate and chiseled hips. The suits worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in the movie “007” and Harvey Spector in the drama “Suits” are the ultimate expression of how clothes and the body complement each other.
Clothes that make us feel both admired and uncomfortable at the same time speak to us, “If it doesn’t look good on you, why don’t you just become the person who looks good on you? By accepting this challenge, one gains the fighting spirit of ” let’s try it on.
