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I spoke with Nicole Kliest for The Zoe Report on the move to using clothing as a tool to celebrate our bodies and the emotional impact of revealing clothing. 

“Afterpay is seeing items with cut-outs selling out over 34% earlier this year in the US,” she says. “It’s the modern day version of the Roaring Twenties aesthetic that many predicted we would experience as we move through the pandemic. At the start of COVID-19, we saw people using their clothes as a tool for comfort, this has now progressed to people using clothes as a way to celebrate their bodies.”
 “While research into the emotional impact of revealing clothing is limited, interestingly, survey data has revealed that those who spend time in the buff around others tend to be happier, more satisfied with their bodies and their lives overall,” Forbes-Bell says. “It all depends on your perspective. If you deem revealing clothing to be provocative and tied with objectification then the emotions conjured when wearing these clothes will likely be negative. However, if you consider the adoption of these styles to be a celebratory and expressive act, positive emotions will follow suit.”

Go ahead an read the full piece here

Shakaila Forbes-Bell

Author Shakaila Forbes-Bell

Shakaila Forbes-Bell is a Fashion Psychologist, consultant, TV commentator, founder of the platform 'Fashion is Psychology' and best-selling author of the book “Big Dress Energy”. She uses scientific research to uncover ‘the why behind the what’ when it comes to consumer behaviour and personal style choices. She has worked with global fashion brands, including Depop, Maybelline, Next, eBay and Calvin Klien, and is the current in-house fashion psychologist for Afterpay. She has by-lines in Mr Porter, Marie Claire and i-D, and has been featured in numerous global publications and TV shows, including Forbes, Vogue, ITV, Channel 5, Fox News 5 and many more.

More posts by Shakaila Forbes-Bell

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