words of a fashion psychologist: “big drEss Energy” by shakaila ForbEs-Bell

There are so many synched layers of studies that focus on human reactions and interactions in the world of arts. Shakaila Forbes-Bell, a Black British scholar, researcher, and fashion psychologist, is the woman of the year that you’d want to pay attention to, now that she’s also published her book “Big Dress Energy”.

Fashion offers a plethora of choices and styles within its products, which can make us consumers spiral with polar-opposite thoughts: we want this, we want that, we want to get rid of these, we want to toss those, here and now. Our emotions get attached and molded into unintentional tailored trends that send messages of comfort and glamour to our brains. So yes, fashion shopping is most of the time a serotonin-motivated activity that must be taken care of if it gets out of our control. Fashion can bring joy and fun, but also loss of sight and control, especially for our wallets and the environment: think about the effects and accumulation of clothes In fast fashion. There’s such refined chemistry in the way we deal with our shopping habits, our fashion tastes, and our style choices. All of this is psychology and Shakaila made sure to share her focus and studies on fashion psychology with a larger audience. Let’s get into the narrative and story of Shakaila here on Fashion On The Beat.

You're a fashion psychologist, a profession that you don't often hear about within the fashion industry. What's your educational background and were there any pivotal moments in your career that pushed you into becoming a fashion psychologist?

I have an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University College London and I did my Master’s degree in Psychology for Fashion Professionals at the London College of Fashion. I wanted to make sure that everything was always grounded in data and official sources, so having these credentials through academia was very important to me. I’ve always nurtured an interest in fashion psychology and how people interact with fashion, why they do certain things, and how people's perceptions and responses change depending on the environment they are in, and what drives them to do what they do. I've just always been fascinated by that. When I was in my undergraduate, I found that fashion psychology was very much focused on clinical and social fields: it almost looked like not real psychology. But when I kind of looked into it, I realized that there was so much research there, on these nonverbal signals of communication, and how it impacts not only the way people perceive us but also the way we perceive ourselves and the way we feel about ourselves, along with the way we act and behave. All of this was being hidden behind academic papers and journals because academia wasn't really seeing as something that was worthy of being really investigated or highlighted. Due to this situation, I wanted to make sure that this level of insight was accessible to as many people as possible and that they could use it in their everyday lives. If we don't understand what's driving us to pick, wear, and buy the things that we want, and how consequently they make us feel, then we're not going to be making mindful choices. We're not going to really understand the true value of the things that we're wearing every day. Through Big Dress Energy I just had the goal of making all of this information accessible with my blog and posting on social media. I didn't really think there was a career for me in this field. But people were just receptive to what I was talking about. I had all of the research and insights already on my blog. So translating that into a book, it just felt really natural. I'm just really happy with where I'm at now.

At what age did you get interested in fashion?

I've been interested in fashion for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl I used to create new clothes for my Barbie dolls with my mother. I'd always be changing my dolls, and looking at different catalogs. I always used to buy magazines and see what the latest stars were like. I just always had a passion for fashion from a very young age, but it was difficult. I think back in the day not seeing myself being reflected in terms of my racial, and ethnic background and maybe my size as well, there was always that level of disconnect there. For my Master's dissertation, I interviewed and investigated the idea that Black models don't sell and those stupid beliefs that if you have a Black model on the cover of a magazine, they’re not going to sell as much. With this research, I wanted to find out the psychology, behind race, fashion styles, and impressions. I found that when there is that connection between who you are as a person, what you're seeing in standards of beauty, and what you're seeing the type of models that these brands are choosing, you're willing to invest money in these brands and it doesn't just make you feel good, but you’re making these brands feel good too about their campaigns. Looking at the economical benefit of diversity and inclusion when it comes to fashion, I just realized there are just so many layers within fashion. The simple act of getting dressed and deciding what you want to wear and going out into the world makes you an active participant in the process of question. And I think more people need to realize that.

How do you stay updated on your job with the constant release of fashion news and academic studies?

I think when you come from an academic background you just get used to constantly reading papers and you develop a skill. I have a very curious mind and spirit. I've always been having that thirst for knowledge. I think it's a big responsibility, especially when you are at the forefront of an area of research that can really be misunderstood. I think it's it's my duty as well to make sure everything I'm talking about is grounded in facts and in research and if I don't know something it's my responsibility to find out the answers to that matter. I also have a great team around me of former scholars as well, who are keeping me aware of the latest research and news.

The fashion industry is connected to many fields, but only a few people are able to stand out in their own specific sector, creating a peculiar and admirable lane with their expertise. What were the tools and resources that set you up for success?

I think my degrees really helped me. I'd have to say my education. I see a lot of people when they talk about where they are and where they got to now and they have their degrees and they didn't use them. For me, it's the complete opposite. My degrees and my ability to really understand how to utilize this research, how to communicate it, and how to even write, were the necessary tools for my success. All of that was just very useful for me to get to where I am now.

Fashion On The Beat serves a thriving community of young creatives and media professionals interested in fashion, art, and design. Since you work in direct contact with fashion and its consumers, how do you view fashion as a form of art? Is it therapeutic, mechanical, or both of them?

I think fashion is art. I think it's a form of wearable art, but I think fashion is so many things at one time. You can look at it from the practical sense, as we have to follow a set of social norms, so we're gonna have to wear clothes. Fashion helps us to navigate different social circumstances, and to blend into different social environments. But then there's other research that talks about its benefits in changing how we feel, boosting our mood, and changing the way we feel about ourselves. How it impacts our body image, how it helps us lean into different aspects of our identity, and how we use clothes to express aspects of our culture while connecting with others. Fashion has that kind of emotional and social aspect to it too. It can be just used as a form of like artistic expression, especially in a scenario where someone might have very similar outfits but the way I choose to style it and what I put with it could be completely different from what they choose to style it and do with it: that says something about my unique tastes, my likes, and my dislikes. I do think of it as all-encompassing.

Congratulations on your book, Big Dress Energy! Now, what are the next steps we should expect from you?

The first thing that I'm really excited about is that I have started a brand new podcast, called Big Dress Energy: The Podcast. I'm really excited about that because I feel like some people are different types of learners and not everyone is going to want to dive into books. So I wanted to make my work more accessible, with different outlets. I've just had a bunch of interviews with some really cool people in the industry, like Joanne Entwistle, who was a big source of inspiration for the book. She’s the author of “The Fashioned Body” and with her, I had a great chat about the role of style and identity formation and how it changes throughout your life. I've also talked with Tamara Cincik, from Fashion Round Table about the political role of fashion and how sustainability plays in symbolic fashion, and the psychology behind that. There are just so many important conversations that are going to happen on this podcast that I don't think mainstream media outlets are really grappling with just yet. I'm really excited for that to come out.