According to Kaiser (2004), the psychology of fashion can be defined as the way of utilising and integrating fashion industry science and human psychology to come up with a curative tool that will assist humans in developing desirable self-perception, personal mood and good behaviour. Hannover and Kuhnen (2002) further suggest that fashion is all about people and it requires creativity, perception, communication and social interaction. For example, a person wearing 70’s fashion outfit will feel great, but others may perceive it differently. They may term it as old fashioned, but to him, it will be fine. However, fashion and dressing are more than what people put on, especial when fashion is taken in the context of Psychology. Consequently, the important values of applying psychology to fashion are more than what clothes say about others. However, players in the fashion industry have to acquire certain skills and knowledge to compete effectively in this dynamic industry, hence the purpose of this paper.
Fashion psychology not only interprets what clothes say about people but also helps reveal people’s behaviors in the context of fashion. However, what determines the success of fashion psychology is the ability of fashion psychologist to put the skills acquired into practical use. Critical thinking, for instance, involves the use of cognitive processes such as observation, reasoning, perception and categorisation (Hughes, 2012). In fashion psychology, writing and reading skills are evaluative skills since they are necessary for understanding customer’s need and expectation. Critical reading stimulates critical writing which is an important process that involves precision, analysis and verifiable reasoning (Freeman " Stone, 2006). Professionals in fashion psychology have to devise ways of incorporating various aspects of critical thinking especially the cognitive elements to solve various problems.
Also, success in fashion psychology industry requires industrial players to develop an aptitude for research. Research monitors and understands the changes in fashion. Research skills such as finding information and using numerical data; collecting, analysing and presenting data not only assist fashion psychology student in class but also at work (Cottrell, 2013). It is through research that people’s culture, beliefs, values and perception are understood. Once there is sufficient information about people, their culture and beliefs, fashion psychologist will be able to develop products that will meet their needs. It is through researches conducted in the fashion industry that has constituted the central research question to inquire about dress and fashion. For example, males’ perception of clothes and fashion is different from women. Women put more emphasis on colour, and fashion while men concentrate on style. Research outcome identifies factors influencing fashion industry and proposes possible ways of solving existing problems. Similarly, research aptitude provides a platform for discoveries and changes in the fashion industry that may help the fashion psychologist to adapt to the changes in the industry.
Management skills determine the ability of fashion psychologist to carry out their responsibilities as it is expected. For instance, management skills will enable the fashion psychologist to develop a strategic vision. These skills will assist in assessing the past performance and comparing with the current performance to come up with an effective strategy for achieving better results. Also, management skills will enable fashion psychologist to make proper decisions in the best interest of the business. However, management knowledge and abilities are learned or acquired through practice (Freeman " Stone, 2006). As a fashion psychologist, efficient management skills will be essential for managing employees and technology to ensure an efficient realisation of their duties. In fashion psychology industry, professionals have to develop conceptual skills that can enable them to diagnose and analyses the different situation and come up with effective solutions (Freeman " Stone, 2006). Managers must present a strong ability to work with people and be able to motivate them to achieve the best results.
Effective communication is essential in any career development. Communication in human is a complex and intriguing phenomenon. Communication form and context determine the individual characteristics, social role and relationships (Benjamin,2009). Nevertheless, in the psychology of fashion, good communication skills are required particularly in studying human behaviour, culture and perception (Cottrell, 2013). Ability to communicate with customers effectively is imperative for fashion psychologist to understand client’s taste and preferences. Additionally, fashion psychologists need to have the ability to describe the observation and other research findings obtained in analysing clients need. Good communication skill will also ensure there is an efficient and effective flow of information between the employees within the organisation.
Assessing the structure of human cognitive architecture is important in evaluating ways in which diverse thought and areas of fashion psychology relate to each other, and how this relationship influences human communication (Cottrell,2003). The communication process is determined by cognitive, culture, perception, and social psychology. In the communication process, there is a great relationship amid elements such as language, behaviour and interpersonal skills. Great command of language determines the ability to communicate with customers. On the other hand, culture and behaviour influence the type of fashion an individual is associated with. Therefore, the success of fashion psychologist is determined by the ability to communicate effectively with clients.
Fashion psychologist ought to possess organisation skills. The organisation of work is important for successful completion of work. It enables one to identify priorities, focus on the most important activity and manage responsibility more successfully. However, lack of proper organisation may lead to wastage of time and poor results. In the fashion industry employee are key to the success of the business. The ability of a fashion psychologist to organise and maintain a positive relationship with employees determines the success of the business (Heil, Bennis " Stephens, 2000). Organisation skills can be categorised as physical and mental skills. Mental organisation skills are those skills that enable one to make a sound decision, prioritise issues and concentrate on work to deliver good results. The physical organisation, on the other hand, is the general arrangement of activates within the organisation. A fashion psychologist requires good mental organisation skills to avoid destructions and conflicts when carrying out their duties.
Time management is a fundamental skill necessary for effective monitoring and management of activities for effectiveness and efficiency (Freeman " Stone, 2006). To manage time properly, planning is necessary to ensure there is proper decision to be implemented and specific objectives to be achieved. Fashion psychology professional requires proper time management skills because they have to conduct a lot of research outside their working environment. Additional skills such as patience, analysis, flexibility, and awareness are essential for effective time management. To manage time effectively, fashion psychologist must learn to develop a weekly schedule that shows time allocation for study, work, and leisure activity (Knaus " Ellis, 2002). With effective time management and respect for personal time, Fashion psychologist is likely to achieve the best outcome.
Fashion psychologist requires strong interpersonal skill to be effective in discharging their duties. Ability to relate well with others through both verbal and nonverbal communication is an essential component of interpersonal skills that professionals in this dynamic field need to possess. Maintenance of healthy interpersonal relationship between employees in an organisation is an important step towards the effective functioning of an organisation. However, many organisations are finding it is hard to understand the relationship between employees and their interpersonal skills. Fashion psychologists ought to possess strong interpersonal skills that are essential to understanding the cause of poor relationship between employees and presenting a possible solution to the problem. Understanding people’s culture, language and perception of fashion is essential in determining what they may be interested in. For example, in the clothing industry in which the type of cloth a customer chose is strongly influenced by individual taste, preference. It is therefore important to understand the significance of clothing choice irrespective of gender. Individual fashion choice influences the type of cloth an individual chooses and how others perceive him or her.
Psychology of fashion involves group work in collaborative projects such as presentation, writing laboratory reports and running statistical tests. However, during collaboration, some challenges occur, and it is upon the group members to come up with effective ways of addressing these challenges. It requires resilience and strong personal development skills to build confidence and cope with frustrations when challenges arise (Freeman " Stone, 2006). These skills provide members with a strong sense of responsibility and commitments towards achieving group objectives. Effective monitoring and evaluation of work done ensure better planning of future group projects and ensuring that the problems encountered in the previous projects are not repeated. The assessment of group work is as important as the assessment of personal work, therefore, interpersonal and self-awareness skills should be utilized at all level of fashion psychology profession. However, to be successful in the fashion industry, one must stop thinking critically into the emerging trends in fashion and become creative and innovative to remain relevant.
Affirmatively, it is common knowledge that clothes strongly influence the way other people perceive us. A fashion psychologist may be talented and qualified but it is important for him or her to integrate and utilize the science of psychology and the industry of fashion to come up with a manageable therapeutic tool that ultimately aids in developing desired results in both perception of clients, moods, and behaviour as well as targeted objectives in a business model. It is significant to determine and distinguish marketing psychology from fashion psychology as much as they influence clients’ behaviour and moods and often overlap. A fashion psychologist thus is required to come up with various collaborative, interpersonal, critical thinking, and interactive skills to influence customer groups.
Self-reflections
I have always had a passion for studying fashion psychology. However, this was not possible until I joined London College of Fashion. Throughout this course, I have learned more than I thought it would be possible for me. Studying psychology of fashion has taught me more about fashion than I have ever heard. It has taught me numerous skills that are necessary for success in the fashion industry, I have also learned how to write and reference my work in the recommended format.
The fast week at the college I was able to learn the difference between lecture, seminar and tutorial. Other than that, I was introduced to different types of psychology theories, and in groups, we were asked to present the pros and con of each theory. Going through the different theories have enabled me to understand the evolution of fashion psychology and the contributions of the different theorist. The second week was marked with a detailed introduction to psychology theories. I was able to differentiate between biological psychology and developmental psychology, positive psychology and mental psychology
I was also introduced to different reading and writing skills. It is during this particular lesson that I learned that to be successful in fashion psychology studies, and any other studies, certain skills must be acquired. Referencing and writing skills were the first set of professional skills I was introduced to. I was reminded that plagiarism is a form of exam irregularity and that it should avoid it at all cost. I was also introduced to reading skills; we were asked to read the article in small groups and make a summary of the same. Collaborative and group working skills was another class act that I cannot forget. We were grouped and asked to work as a team towards the achievement of group objective.
Problem-solving skills was also part of our class work. We were asked to identify problems in groups and look for a possible solution to address that problem. Towards the end of the course, we were introduced to applied psychology, its application in fashion psychology and its application in the present and future.
One specific experience I had while studying psychology in fashion is the group discussion. It is in a group discussion that I was able to acquire interpersonal skills and ability to make a rational decision. The fashion psychology also taught me how powerful human perception, attitude, test and behaviour are in determining the kind of fashion or dress an individual wears. Fashion psychology teaches practical approaches to human psychology, and it is through this approach that I have not only acquired skills for my studies but also my profession.
There are some things that I feel like not having enough skills and confidence to do but with time and continuous practice I will be able to do. I hope to get more information and learn more about fashion psychology and its application in the present and future.
References
Benjamin, L.T. (2009). A History of Psychology (3rd ed.). Blackwell Publishing. Burns, T. " Sinfield, S. (2003). Essential study skills: the complete guide to success at university. London: Sage.
Cottrell, S. (2003). Skills for success: the personal development planning handbook. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke.
Cottrell, S " Morris, N. (2012). Study skills connected: using technology to support your studies. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke. Cottrell, S. (2012). The exam skills handbook: achieving peak performance. Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke.
Freeman, R. " Stone, A. (2006). Study Skills for Psychology. Sage Publishing.
Heil, G., Bennis, W. G., " Stephens, D. C. (2000). Douglas McGregor, Revisited: Managing the human side of the enterprise. New York: Wiley.
Hughes, B. M. (2012). Conceptual and historical issues in psychology. Harlow, England: Pearson.
Kaiser, M., " Hilgetag, C. C. (2004). Organisation, development and function of complex brain networks. Trends in cognitive sciences, 8(9), 418-425.
Kühnen, U., " Oyserman, D. (2002). Thinking about the self-influences thinking in general: Cognitive consequences of salient self-concept. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38(5), 492-499
Knaus, W. J., " Ellis, A. (2002). The procrastination workbook: Your personalised program for breaking free from the patterns that hold you back. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Press.
Appendix
I. Time plan
Day
Time
Activity
Monday
Defining project scope
Tuesday
Reviewing project Objectives
Wednesday
Preparation of questionnaires
Thursday
Reviewing study material and conducting qualitative research
Friday
Project documentation
II. Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of this project
1. To determine the role of various skills in fashion psychology.
2. To utilise various data gathering mechanisms in fashion psychology
3. Apply various fashion psychology skills in real life.
4. Reflecting on the various skills in fashion psychology
