How clothing shapes our mood and motivation
A glimpse into what UTM students are wearing, and whether it has an impact on their motivation and mental state.

I’ve always been inspired by people who aren’t afraid to express themselves. One of the most powerful ways to do that is through clothing. Curious about how what we wear might influence our mood and productivity, I spoke with three friends at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). Each of them has a personal style that reflects their priorities and daily goals, from comfort to confidence to a balance of both.

First, I interviewed Natalia Gonzalez Escobar. Escobar finds that dressing up is one practice she does to boost her confidence. During the interview, Escobar wore a pair of low-rise flared jeans and a fitted brown blouse.

When asked to rate her mood, she gave it a score of six and a half out of ten, with one being the worst and ten being the best. Escobar explained that the medium score was mainly due to stress induced by midterm examinations.

“My motivation level, on the other hand, is pretty high!” said Escobar. She shared that her outfit definitely “did the trick” in making her feel confident and played a role in her high motivation level. 

I also interviewed Esheeta Goga, who typically prioritizes comfort in her clothing choices. On the day of the interview, which was a weekend, Goga chose to stay cozy in her pyjamas.“Just an oversized shirt and fluffy long pants,” she described. Goga finished off her weekend outfit with a pair of fuzzy socks. 

She shared that this outfit was great for a relaxing weekend after a busy school week. Goga found that it had achieved the goal of providing comfort while keeping her warm.

When asked to rate her mood from one to ten, she answered nine. “It’s been a good day so far,” she said. “Plus, my room has a lot of sunlight today, which gives a nice ambience.”

In contrast to Escobar, Goga’s motivation level was rated as a five. She found that she wasn’t motivated to do much. “If I need to do something, it’s not like I would be too lazy to do it,” she said. “I feel like I can still get work done today, but at the same time, I’d rather rest.”

Lastly, I interviewed Maya De Oliveira, who believes her outfit succeeds in both providing comfort and boosting confidence. 

On the day of the interview, Oliveira wore a turtleneck sweater with a pair of dress pants. Having planned to visit the gym that day, she put on a pair of active shoes to finish off her outfit. She also wore a short-sleeved shirt underneath her turtleneck sweater, in case she gets hot during the day. A separate outfit Oliveira brought for the gym was a pair of yoga pants with a t-shirt.

Oliveira rated her mood at a score of eight out of ten. She shared that her good mood stemmed from being able to get to campus early in the day to get work done. She was also looking forward to going to the gym for the first time since the start of the semester.

On the other hand, Oliveira found that her motivation differed between various tasks. Academically, she rated her motivation level as a ten out of ten due to deadlines. “I know I have to get those things done,” she said.

As for her motivation for physical exercise, Oliveira rated it at a six out of ten. “It’s my first time going in a while, so I’m kind of nervous. But I would say I’m motivated. I’m trying to get back into it [the gym],” she said. After sharing her determination in getting back to a consistent exercise schedule, Oliveira felt a new surge of energy.“Actually, I’d bump that up again to an eight.”

She believed her outfit provided a good balance between providing comfort while also making her look put-together. “It’s just putting the right pieces together to create a comfortable but confident outfit,” she said.

Escobar, who focused on boosting her confidence through her outfit, rated her motivation level higher than her mood. This shows that dressing for confidence can help increase motivation and self-assurance, even on stressful days. However, as seen with Escobar’s experience, our mood can be influenced by many factors, not all of which relate to what we wear. Still, overlooking comfort can affect how at ease we feel while studying or handling day-to-day tasks.

Goga, on the other hand, prioritized comfort, which resulted in a better mood but slightly lower motivation. Comfortable clothing can certainly improve our state of mind, but that same coziness can sometimes make it harder to stay driven or task-focused. Creating an environment that encourages productivity, such as working in a library or a quiet cafe, can help balance comfort with focus.

Oliveira found a middle ground by combining confidence and comfort in her outfit, rating both her mood and motivation highly. Just as we try to balance work and rest, blending style and comfort can help us feel capable and productive. An outfit that’s expressive yet practical can subtly signal to our brains that we’re in “work mode.” For some, that balance may also come from alternating between more aesthetic outfits and more relaxed ones throughout the week.

While our clothing doesn’t determine how well we perform, it can shape our mindset, which, in turn, affects how we approach our daily tasks. What we wear often reflects more than just personal taste; it can reveal our mood, lifestyle, and even our current state of mind.

So, the next time you’re waiting for the bus, working out, or studying in the library, take a look around. You might notice that there’s more heart and more story on a stranger’s sleeve than you’d expect.