The Must-Read Book to Understand Fashion Psychology Is Here

For anyone who has ever wondered why people choose certain outfits for specific occasions, the answer lies in fashion psychology. The field explores the complex relationship between human behavior and clothing choices—including phenomena like mood-boosting dopamine dressing—and there's a new book on the market to help understand all that this means, titled Big Dress Energy. 

The new title by Shakaila Forbes-Bell is meant to serve as an entry point to fashion psychology, "to understand the why behind the what," she says. In other words, not only does the title discuss which silhouette of jeans might mean about your age and various psychology studies, but it also has practical applications. The book offer advices and can help readers understand their own fashion psychology, including why they may ever have that feeling of having "nothing to wear" despite having a closet full of clothes. 

"Clothes are such a powerful form of non-verbal communication. Clothes are a powerful form of language," she, who is the first Black person in the world to earn a master's degree in fashion psychology, said at her book talk, held at New York City's Wolf & Badger ."The power to choose what you want to adorn your body with is so powerful. Our clothes are like our second skin. You have to wear clothes, and unconsciously that is going to impact you."

Beyond style tips, Big Dress Energy also offers a way forward when it comes to fashion sustainability. Yes, fashion companies need to change their practices to be more environmentally conscious, but shoppers also need to change behavior. For that to happen, there needs to be an understanding of the pscyhology of shopping. "As much as shopping is retail therapy, it is chemical warfare," Forbes-Bell hints.

"I started this fashion psychology journey almost a decade ago," the author offered, related to her career journey. "I came out of university and did psychology but thought it was boring... but I loved fashion and always knew everything I wore had an impact on me. I used to go out and people watch and think about what led someone to the decision of what they wore."

Though the book was initially released in 2024 in the UK, Big Dress Energy made its US debut in February 2025. The book is now available to shop in the US and retails for $21 on Amazon.