The Psychology of Matching Outfits
December 4, 2024
Writer: Emily Becker
Editor: Sonia Walke
We all at one point had to write the dreaded argumentative essay: should we have matching uniforms in public schools? While my opinion consistently shifts on this topic, one thing is certain: matching outfits create a sense of unity and camaraderie between participants.
We see schools, sports teams, and clubs, all wearing uniforms. Over time, it’s proven how couples and families will even start dressing like one another as their interests mesh or they start living together.
Though I did not attend a school with uniforms or was part of a sports team, I have always worn the traditional “concert black” in my choir groups. While it shows a unified and professional look between members, it also uplifts confidence for all parties involved.
In my life, matching outfits have also taken on a more implied and unplanned meaning. They have always acted as a sign for me. In the trickiest and most uncertain times, they’ve been a marker that I am on the right path about something. It was never anything specific I was relieved about; rather, it was just a general signal that things were headed where they were supposed to be.
On a random (Monday) morning last year, I remember waking up and choosing between two outfits. One was bright pink and very in-your-face. The other was a subtle white and black top combination with jeans. I decided on the latter with indifference.
That morning, I walked into my jazz class where I was in a band with seven other people. Somehow, I and the two other singers in the band all had coincidentally coordinated outfits. The performance that followed felt more comfortable than usual. We all were synched with each other and connected in a way that was often lacking when we rehearsed together. I believe this was powered by the confidence built from these matching outfits.
Later on in the day, I had a conducting exam that I had diligently prepared all week for. I was especially nervous because this was the final one of the semester. When I walked into class, my good friend was also wearing a black, white, and denim outfit. We smiled and decided on a photo shoot together before class began. I was immediately put in a better mood and thought my conducting during this particular exam was one of the best I’d ever done.
I walked out of class as gleeful as could be and noticed that another girl I knew was also matching my friend and me. We quickly pulled her aside and took another twenty photos. The day just kept getting better and better.
At this point in the semester, I felt at a crossroads with my major, unsure whether to continue with music education or switch to something else. I was frustrated with many of the projects I was working on and felt overwhelmed with the workload of being a music major. This day of matching outfits was a sign to me that I was taking the right classes, I was on the right path, and I was exactly where I needed to be.
So if you were to ask me whether I think we should have uniforms in school, I still wouldn’t know how to answer you. However, one thing is certain: the power of matching outfits in my life has acted as a marker for reassurance in pressing times.
Image: Zoe Romeu
