When you think about what makes up a healthy lifestyle, what comes to mind? You might be picturing green smoothies, yoga classes, and power walks. But I’ve learned that there are many more ways to positively impact our health, beyond diet and exercise alone.

Are your wardrobe choices pulling down your mood, making you feel (and maybe look) less than your best?  Or does your wardrobe lift your spirit? And did you know that there are clothing options that actually have woven-in health benefits?

I’m passionate about the link between fashion and health, and how women can empower themselves through their wardrobes. What we choose to wear can have big implications not only for our own health and well being, but also for the health of our communities and planet.

Don’t let ‘fast fashion’ fool you. Our clothes are not simple, throw-away items. They define us, and they can affect the way we live our lives.

Let’s explore the link between fashion and health further.

Fashion & Mental Health

Perhaps you are what you eat, but you are what you wear, too. Your clothing immediately gives people an idea about your physical and mental well-being, which in turn affects how they respond to you.

You’re going to have a different impression of a woman in unwashed, baggy sweatpants versus someone in a brightly coloured spring dress. You might infer that the first woman is depressed or overworked, while the second is ready and happy to greet the day.

And it’s not just other people’s perceptions that will change according to your dress. Your clothing choices can have a big impact on your own mood and mental health. Don’t you feel more confident in that spring dress than in your oldest pair of sweats?

Feel great in a beautiful dress from our Dolcezza collection, made using natural fabrics.

According to Austrain psychiatrist Raphael Bonelli, fashion and physical appearance is a good indicator of mental health. In fact, psychiatrists will infer changes in mood based on their patient’s clothing. This 2012 study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology also found a link between fashion and well being, highlighting that clothing can influence our psychological state.

And we also know that there is a link between colour and fashion, and that wearing certain shades can affect your mood and emotion.

This just confirms what most of us already instinctively know. What we wear on the outside affects how we feel on the inside. Moreover, when you feel and look confident, people will respond in kind, creating a virtuous loop that can help you feel much better and more self assured.

What does this all mean? Choose items that fit well and make you feel good and happy. Fill your closet with pieces that you absolutely love. And when you’re having a bad day, pull on your favourite item, and wear it like feel-good armour as you face the day.

Fashion & Physical Wellness

While we may intuitively know that clothing impacts our mental health, it’s less obvious that clothing choices can affect our actual physical well being. But the right pieces can absolutely have big impacts here, too.

I see it so often – bras that weigh women down, both literally and figuratively. When I custom fit them with their first TAB bra, immediately their posture changes. They stand up straighter, and their whole demeanor shifts.

Most bras are made to cover a woman’s breasts. Custom fit TAB bras, on the other hand, are made to support. They’re more comfortable and attractive, and they also help correct posture.

In fact, because of this lift and support, women who wear the TAB bra actually get about 2 inches of their midriff back. All without uncomfortable underwire. This helps reveal a beautiful new posture, of course. But it also makes it easier to breathe.

TAB designer Yvonne Hogenes explains the many benefits of TAB custom fitted bras.

This is the perfect example of why we shouldn’t separate fashion from wellness. Like TAB bras show, ‘look great, feel great.’ This spirit is also captured in FIRMA Energywear.

FIRMA is made from polyamide-based yarn, with healthy bioactive minerals actually woven in, so that they never wash out. This unique fabric absorbs the infrared waves emitted by your body, and re-emits this absorbed resonance as far infrared waves. These far infrared waves penetrate your body, promoting blood microcirculation, vasodilation and muscle tissue stimulation to a depth of 5 centimetres.

FIRMA offers healthy, attractive options that support a healthy lifestyle.

Some of the benefits of FIRMA clothing include:

• Increased blood microcirculation and enhanced cellular metabolism
• Cosmetic enhancements like increased collagen synthesis, skin elasticity and skin smoothness, leading to a reduction in the appearance of cellulite with regular wear
• Performance benefits like increased body thermoregulation, lower muscle fatigue and reduction of lactic acid buildup

Plus, FIRMA is available in-store in a variety of shapes and styles, all of which flatter a woman’s body. Again, look great, feel great.

Fashion & The Environment

Finally, our fashion choices can also be linked to the health of the planet and our communities. Fast-fashion choices, while tempting, have big implications for the environment and employee working conditions.

Sustainable fashion is a lot easier to find and more affordable than it once was. Try to support companies that treat their workers well, and that have sustainability practices in place. This can often mean biodegradable products, or a manufacturing process that creates less water waste.

Marianne Greaves’ ‘Art To Wear’ collection is stunning and sustainable.

And don’t think that choosing to support ethical fashion means you’re limiting yourself to less-than-desirable pieces. For example, Vancouver designer Marianne Greaves’ stunning ‘Art to Wear’ collection offers an ethical choice that is unique and beautiful.

With Earth Day just around the corner, and fresh off of spring cleaning your closet , now is a great time to think about the wider impacts of your clothing choices. Ultimately, when you choose sustainable, long-lasting items, you’re contributing to a happier planet. And a happier planet is better for all of us.

Finally, in honor of April Cancer Awareness Month, we’re highlighting good health and wellness by offering a 20% discount on our FIRMA Energywear and TAB Custom-fitted bras.This offer is good until April 30, 2021.

Please note that we are still open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10am – 5pm. We are also available for private shopping appointments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Please call Yvonne at 604-838-6402 to book your private shopping appointment.

This discount will also apply to online and phone/mail orders, so if you can’t make it to the store, just give us a call at 604-574-6402 and we’d be happy to help you by distance