Nothing to wear? It’s all about your mind
Habitual shoppers amass new clothes to cope with stress and anxiety, a Scots-led study has found. The constant need to add to your wardrobe is partly fuelled by a fear of being unhappy and the pressures of everyday life, researchers have discovered.
The findings come from detox diaries completed by shoppers from countries including Scotland, England, the US, Canada, and Australia.
Frequent clothing shoppers pledged to take a 10-week break from buying new clothes and to record their thoughts and feelings, as part of a study by Glasgow Caledonian University.
Many admitted to being trapped in a cycle of constant buying and feeling emotionally vulnerable.
Participants said they often used shopping to alleviate negative feelings, including a lack of confidence, low self-esteem, and a fear of social judgment.
Dr Emma Kidd, a sustainability researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “People are hooked into patterns of overconsumption and the hook is often a fear of missing out.
“It’s clear amassing new clothes does not bring lasting happiness and satisfaction, so we need to sell the benefits of buying less.”