As the last rays of late autumn sunlight hit our windows in the morning, the temperature tells a different story. Winter is approaching—graceful, inevitable, and gently nudging us toward thicker fabrics and more layers.

We reach for warmth first. But we also reach for something else: identity. Clothing is one of the few everyday choices that must balance practicality, self-expression, and the quiet hopes we harbor for how we want to show up in the world.

And during this season—one centered on gratitude, reflection, and preparing for a new year—it’s natural to ask a deceptively simple question:

How should we dress to feel good, do better, and show up as the person we want to become?

That’s where enclothed cognition offers a surprising and empowering answer.

The term enclothed cognition was coined by behavioral scientists Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky in their 2012 paper. Their core finding was striking: The very clothes you wear can........

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